Not a true breed, a planned cross-breed for hardiness and egg production, Sex Links are very popular…
and a friend gave me 15 biddies!
According to wikipedia: Sex-links are cross-bred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in many varieties, few of which are a true breed. As hybrids of laying or dual-purpose breeds infused with extra vigor via heterosis, sex-links can be extremely good egg-layers which often produce 300 eggs a year or more.
My husband had told me that he heard they were a cross between a Rhode Island Red and something else. Since I just received 15 of them I decided today would be a good day to research this breed and see exactly what kind of chickens they are.
From what I have read, Black Sex Links use a red male for the father (a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire) and a Barred Rock hen as the mother. Red Sex Links are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a White Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island White or Delaware hen. Another name for these chickens are Black Stars or Red Stars.
The baby Chicks are color sexed–males barred (black with light color on head) , pullets are black. This hybrid is known for healthy chicks that develop into hardy brown egg laying hens and good cockerel fryers.
When I received my fifteen chicks I was told they were all pullets but now that I have learned what to look for in the coloring I am out to the barn to check and make sure. Either way they were a gift so I have no problem with roosters either. I look forward to the over abundance of eggs I will have in the near future as long as all these make it.
Tags: chicken breeds
October 19th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I have a Black Star and a Red Star. They by far are my favorite hens and egg laying machines. The Black Star is huge and lays dark brown eggs. The Red Star is very friendly and lays a little lighter brown egg. It was fun to learn more about them. I plan on getting more next spring.
Wendys last blog post..One Trick Pony
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October 20th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Wendy, Good to hear from you and your testimony. I think it is amazing that you can tell the sex of the chick due to the cross-breeding. I checked all mine and based on what was written by others, I have all pullets. I’ll look forward to enjoying their eggs like you do.
Come back soon!
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December 28th, 2008 at 9:55 am
I would like to know if i am able to breed my black sex link rooster with another black sex link hen and get black sex link chicks???
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December 31st, 2008 at 7:13 am
Bob, Good question but from what I have read for a black sex link it is a male RIR and a female Barred Rock and based on that I would say no. But I am no chicken breeding expert so I really have no idea. Perhaps one of the readers will see your comment and have a better answer.
Caroles last blog post..Guess Who is Incubating Eggs?
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January 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Bob,from what I have learned in my animal breeding classes you can breed your black sex link rooster with your black sex link hen and you will get a black sex link chick which has lost 50 percent of the original heterosis. The 50 percent heterosis will remain in subsequent generations and will never lessen. There will also be variations in colors, approximately %50 black, %25 RIR, % barred rock. I hope this helps.
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Carole Reply:
January 11th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Steven, Thanks for the information. My friend has a black sex link rooster so I may try to breed some of my hens to him in the future.
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Madelene Reply:
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:59 am
I have Red Sex link hens and Buff orpington Roosters.
Is it ok to hatch out some of their eggs to keep my flock growing and will this produce decent layers and healthy birds? Thanks !
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Carole Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 6:08 am
Madelene, I’m am not a good source for genetics information but in my opinion you can’t beat a Buff Orpington or Rhode Island Red (part of the cross of the red sex link) for egg laying purposes. I hatch my black sexlink eggs that came from a cross-mixed rooster and it turns out good laying hens with large eggs.
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Madelene Reply:
May 23rd, 2010 at 11:01 am
Hi, Im about to be a mom for the first time! My red sex linked hen should be hatching about 8 eggs next week. We have red sex linked hens and Buff orpington roosters. Can you give me some pointers on how to sex the chicks by color?
thanks for your help! Madelene
March 25th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hi Carole, I am concern about my three black sex link baby chickens that are only two weeks old. They look like they are losing there hair around the neck and down the back. I am worried but can’t find anything about what it might be. I don’t know if that is normal for this breed? No pecking going on either. They are inside my home staying safe and warm in Tennessee! Please Help if you can!
Thanks A Bunch!!! Sincerely Patti Anne ~
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March 25th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Patti Anne–My sexlinks are now over five months but from what I remember they will shed some of the fuzzy for feathers and the skin beneath will show. You should be able to see a growth of feathers coming in where the fuzz has fallen out. Within two weeks they should have most of their feathering completed so this stage should not last too long.
There are a lot of other sites that if it doesn’t appear to be going away I would check out. One would be Backyardchickens.com. This is a forum where you can ask or read questions from others about possible illnesses. Another great site is Poultryone.com. The moderator on it is very knowledgeable; I am always impressed by his answers.
I hope I have been of some assistance to you. I’m glad you came to visit Fowl Visions and I hope you come again very soon.
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August 9th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
We have red sex links and i love to incubate eggs. I was wondering what the offspring of a red sex link rooster and red sex link hen would be like.
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November 17th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Breeding sex link roosters to sex link hens will not produce a sex link
type chick.
Whether it is blk sex link to black sex link or red sex link to red sex link the offspring will not be sex link.
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Carole Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Harry, Your right. The only way to get a Sex-link is by cross breeding.
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November 30th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
How about cross-breeding a red sex link with pure Rhode island red or new hampshare red? Do you expect productivity to go down if the above are crossed?
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December 31st, 2009 at 12:05 am
Hi, I would just love to learn more about the different sex – link breeds and what their parent stock were. Not only am I interested in the known breeds of sex-links but also of those world wide. At the very least, if you could direct me to some web sites that would provide loads of information, that would be pretty swell.
Thanks,
bonnie
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Carole Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 6:18 am
Bonnie, When I am researching different breeds the first place I start is the Henderson Chicken Breed Chart. It gives me info on all the breeds and then I do a search on the web for further information into a certain breed.
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April 11th, 2010 at 2:20 am
Hi this helped me so much Thanks =D My fiance & I just bought 4 black sex links. We heard the males had a white spot on thier heads and females are all black. I was really hoping this information was true and it is. I already have 3 cornish rock hens and 3 roosters. They were raised together so suprisingly they all get along. I just didn’t want to introduce a new rooster. Thank you for your help =D
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May 30th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Hi, Im about to be a peep mom for the first time! My red sex linked hen should be hatching a pile of eggs in the next few days. We have red sex linked hens and Buff Orpington roosters. I Hope someone can tell me how to sex the chicks by color?
thanks for your help! Madelene
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