Amberlink Pullet or Cockerel?

Huntress06

In the Brooder
Jun 27, 2016
13
0
12
PA
I'm trying to get a better understanding on the "sexlink" breeds and how to tell the sex of the chick. I've read so much on feather sexing and color sexing and what not, but I still don't understand. Are Amberlinks only sexed by color? About a month or so ago we bought Amberlinks from Rural King. 2 are a little younger than the other 6 (I'm not 100% on their ages, but I am guessing around 5 weeks for the younger ones and maybe 6-7 weeks for the older ones). Anyway, one of the younger ones has a much more prominent comb and wattle than any of the others. Could it possibly be a cockerel? In another forum, I was told roos were white and hens were red... this makes all mine boys, which I don't believe to be accurate at all. Then I was told, if they were maybe red sexlinks then roos would be red and hens would be white, so maybe that's the case here? Please help! Is there anyway I can be certain that it is indeed a pullet? Or is there a chance that its a cockerel?





 
Amberlinks aren't color sex linked. Rather they are feather sex linked, meaning they can be sexed as day olds by the lengths of their primary wing feathers. That said, males and females are the same color. At 5 to 7 weeks old, the ones you have that are showing comb development and red combs and wattles are males.
 
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Thank you so much for explaining! I was driving myself crazy with the color thing. These are our first chicks and I am trying to learn as much as I can!
 
You're welcome! The red/white color difference for males and females would have been correct if they were red sex links :) Females would be red and males would be white.
 
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They were in different bins at Rural King. I just assumed it was due to an age difference. Thank you!
 
They were in different bins at Rural King. I just assumed it was due to an age difference. Thank you!


It could have been due to age difference if they were from two separate shipments. The older ones would have been noticeably larger and more feathered out if that was the case.
 
They were, when we bought them. The smaller ones were still fluffy in most places, where the others were more feathered. Upon research I determined the younger ones to be approx a week to a week and a half younger. Now, as they are growing, I'm finding it harder to distinguish between them.
 
They were, when we bought them. The smaller ones were still fluffy in most places, where the others were more feathered. Upon research I determined the younger ones to be approx a week to a week and a half younger. Now, as they are growing, I'm finding it harder to distinguish between them.


Yep, they were probably separated by age then, and not gender :)
 

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