Are they "Black sexlinks"?

PeachyFox · Apr 21, 2016

I hatched some eggs from my birds but in particular I'm curious about my supposed Black sexlinks. I crossed my BR hen to my EE rooster (who I suspect carries the dominate white gene) but my "black" sexlinks have come out gray (Blue?) and black.

Are they still "black sexlinks" if not completely black or do they have a special name?

pullet and cockerel

cockerel

pullet

little roos

my beautiful EE rooster

Pyxis · Apr 21, 2016

Yep, they're still considered black sex links even if they aren't black

Here's my unusual 'black' sex link, a cross between a white leghorn hen and a buff orp roo:

PeachyFox · Apr 21, 2016

Thanks for the quick reply and that's definitely good to know!

That's a nice roo you have there! I love the color.

rebrascora · Apr 21, 2016

@Pyxis

Quote:
I don't understand how this can be a black sex link because, as I understand it, the sex linked gene is the barring gene from the hen and there is no barring on a white leghorn? Maybe I misunderstood but the way male black sex links are identified is by the white spot on their head from the barring gene, whereas pullets are not barred and hence don't have a white head spot.
Perhaps you are confusing red sex links with black sex links?

Pyxis · Apr 21, 2016

I understand the confusion. My leghorn hen carries barring. A lot of them do, it's a trick used to make their legs more yellow. You just can't see white barring on white feathers. That cockerel is barred. It doesn't show up so well in that picture, but you can see it in his saddle feathers if you look closely.

Here he is as a chick, and in this picture the barring on his wings is more clear.

Are they "Black sexlinks"?

More options

PeachyFox

In the Brooder

Pyxis

Hatchi Wan Kenobi

PeachyFox

In the Brooder

rebrascora

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Pyxis

Hatchi Wan Kenobi

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