Breeding Sex Links - third generation

It is true, of course, that sex link hybrids do not breed true. In other words, you can breed a Black Sex Link to Black Sex Links and get more of them. In the same way, you cannot breed a Red Sex Link again and expect more RSLs.

But, you can breed them. These are third generation BSLs and third generation ISA Browns. The ISA Brown produces a preponderance of white, almost White Rock type birds. The BSLs produce a muddled, dark Barred Rock looking bird. We've not been nearly as concerned about the genetics and color as we were interested in the personalities, health, growth and egg laying of a second and third generation breeding. Enjoy the photo show.

Fred, how about some pictures of the roosters.

sourland said:

Fred, how about some pictures of the roosters.

Click to expand...

OK, not sure I have a photo of the big white, Red Sex Link rooster, but if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Here is a third generation BSL pullet. Dark, handsome, mottled and a bit cuckoo in "barring".

Here is the 2nd gen rooster and hen from which she was hatched.

Here's the breeding pen. BSL rooster over 2nd generation BSL hens. The pullets continue to be dark, but by the third generation, the cockerels also go very very dark. The lighter look of the BR parentage begins to be lost in the cockerels as well.



Here are some of the original Black Sex Link hens. That rooster came from one of these hens. You can see how dark the second generation rooster is. Most had a touch of gold/red leakage in their wings. By generation three, the leakage no longer appeared, but the overall look of the birds took on a more unified, muddled, dark look, in the cocks.

BSL evaluation.

We're just about done with this experiment. We've probably taken it about as far as we care too. Sure, they're chickens and the cockerels eat well and the pullets make OK layers. Most are very LARGE birds. Fertility and chick viability has been top notch. But the inconsistency of the laying has been troublesome. Some almost all seem to be great layers, others, while healthy and large, don't seem to consistently lay an egg as large as their predecessors. So, all in all, we're probably done with this BSL thing.

ISA Brown Experiment

The ISA isn't a simple RSL. It is a commercial hen, with over 30 years of genetic research behind her. The ISA isn't a simple two way cross, but not unlike the CornishX, she is a 4 way cross. What exactly the genetic make up of those 4 grandparent birds are is a closely guarded trade secret, I am sure. In any case, the first generation ISA Brown is a somewhat typical looking RSL type bird with the pullets being reddish/brown with some white under feathers. The cockerel of the ISA Brown, which is somewhat rarer to get as the whole point of sex links is to eliminate the cockerels, is pretty much a common RSL looking rooster, when mature. White mostly, with some brown back feathering. What surprises most folks is the size variance between the ISA pullet/hen and the ISA rooster. The male is huge in comparison. So what happens on the second generation?

The chicks will vary. A very few will be reddish/white, but the pattern is different from the original. A few have black streaks here and there, but most will be white. Breed a third generation and we found, reporting in a completely unscientific manner now, that most of the chicks will be virtually pure white. These are third generation ISA Brown hens. Stunningly beautiful. Much heavier than their original grandmother ISA hen. They have an almost White Rock appearance to them.

The laying is outstanding, while the egg is certainly a gram or two less than the 1st gen ISA, which is to be expected. Laying is also 80%, I'd say, of the original. In other words, we find a reduction in laying from 310-320 eggs down to roughly 280-290 eggs. Still quite respectable.

Here are the grandmothers of the pure white hens pictured above. This photo was of my ISA from 3 years ago.






Again, here are their granddaughters today, breeding nothing but ISA back to ISA.

Are the third generation roosters from the ISA cross also white? The 3rd generation hens are beauties.

Yes, the roosters are also white. The white used in the original?? I dunno. What I know about poultry genetics wouldn't fill a thimble.

The remarkable thing about the white hens is their personality. Docile. Calm. Unafraid. Friendly and curious. Remarkable. The personalities of the BSL in subsequent generations has proven to be something of an issue. This is quite inexplicable to me in many ways. The ISA's personality gets more and more gentle and likable, while many of the BSL's have tended to be somewhat mean spirited, bossy and unlikeable in subsequent generations. We have found this the most unforeseen aspect of this experiment.