Are Black Sex Links early layers?

[rmurrayslcut]

Hello, I'm a long term Rhode Island Red raiser. This year I decided to raise a flock of Black Sex Links, because I heard they were hearty, good layers, and had a nice temperament. I've enjoyed them so far - great little hens.

With my RIRs, they usually started laying at around 22 weeks, sometimes a week earlier, but it was like clockwork. My BSLs started laying at 17.5 weeks, and I just wanted some confirmation. Obviously breed differences affect when hens start laying, but what's the collective experience?

 

[DobieLover]

I've never owned BSLs but from my understanding, they were created to be egg machines and start laying early. Unfortunately, I think that would also make them more prone to reproductive issues and earlier death.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My first Flock were Golden Comets, a Red sex-links.
They started to lay at 16.5 weeks. All five were laying by 19 weeks. They were early spring chicks.
My second Flock, Barred Rocks, started to lay at 20 weeks, all seven were laying at 23 weeks. They were mid-August Chicks. Yeah, they started to lay in January.
I was collecting eggs every 4 hours and still had a few freeze and crack. The tiny eggs freeze quickly.
So not a direct comparison, but from what I've read, sex-links usually start earlier than most. GC

 

[rmurrayslcut]

My first Flock were Golden Comets, a Red sex-links.
They started to lay at 16.5 weeks. All five were laying by 19 weeks. They were early spring chicks.
My second Flock, Barred Rocks, started to lay at 20 weeks, all seven were laying at 23 weeks. They were mid-August Chicks. Yeah, they started to lay in January.
I was collecting eggs every 4 hours and still had a few freeze and crack. The tiny eggs freeze quickly.
So not a direct comparison, but from what I've read, sex-links usually start earlier than most. GC

I suspected as much. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I've never owned BSLs but from my understanding, they were created to be egg machines and start laying early. Unfortunately, I think that would also make them more prone to reproductive issues and earlier death.

That's my experience. Out of 5 hens. One was egg bound at 23 months. Another retired from laying at 24 months, I recently had to dispatch at 40 months.
Another had health problems at 25 months and I had to dispatch.
I have two left. One started to slow down around 36 months. She lays a few days and takes a couple of weeks off, and repeat.
The other hen stopped laying for 3 months last winter to molt. Boy o boy does she lay.
She has laid 22 of the last 24 days. WOW. This is a recent pic of the amazing hen. She is 40 months old. . I don't know if I will get a sex-links type chicken again. But I wish you the best with yours @rmurrayslcut. GC

 

[chrissynemetz]

Sex links do tend to start laying earlier, I've had them laying regularly by 16.5 weeks. But as others have said, they do cease production much sooner than other breeds, and in general they have a shorter lifespan. Although I've known people who have had sex links still healthy and laying when they were 7 years old