Anyone with an idea what breed our hens and rooster are?

[jagulrud]

Hi everyone. I'm a new member here, and we are on day 20 of our first attempt at hatching eggs. This is a pic of our hens and rooster. I'm not sure what breed they are (and I think the rooster might actually be a different breed than the hens, so hopefully we don't end up with really weird chicks or something). I don't think they are an odd variety, as they were ordered for us (by someone else) from a large mail-order hatchery. So maybe someone can easily ID them? Thanks:

 

[jeaucamom]

well the hens are black sex links, but I am not sure what the roo is.

ETA: I think the roo is a black sex link also.

Sex links are chickens that are bred so that they sex can be known at birth. The hens turn out all black with gold chests and the roos have some barring to them.

Unfortunatley, sex links only work on the first generation, so their offspring wont be true sex links where you will know the sex at birth.

 

[TriciaHowe]

He is the male side of the BSL

Pretty birds!

 

[Chris09]

The solid Black one that is in the pen I dont think is a Black Sex-Link..
What color is the legs and the bottom of the feet?

Chris

 

[jagulrud]

Thanks for the replies everyone, that seemed easy!

@jeaucamom - my next ? would have been if the sex-link thing would work on 2nd gen, so you've answered that as well!

@chris09 - the hens all came from the same batch, so they must all be BSL. Maybe just slightly different coloring on that one, or the way it is standing or something.

 

[Break an Egg]

They are all the result of a red rooster over a barred hen. Like a RIR over a barred rock. The chicks are easy to sex because the males have a white spot on their heads and the females don't. I'm not too sure it passes down to their offspring or not.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Same batch? If they came from a hatchery they could have been a fill in. ( didnt have all the BSL you orderd so they filled in with a Black breed they did have )

Chris

 

[jagulrud]

Quote:
Same batch? If they came from a hatchery they could have been a fill in. ( didnt have all the BSL you orderd so they filled in with a Black breed they did have )

Chris

I suppose anything is possible...

 

[iluvchickens]

the hens look like a black sex link which is actually a crossbreed but they are fairly quiet tame hens and good layers the rooster???????

 

[HBuehler]

We breed BSL and have had lots that would look solid black in a picture and have almost no red coloring and then some with as much as these girls but very few-most of mine have much more black...however these are BSL's and so is the roo.
They won't breed true but the cross will still be a very good layer.