Are my Black Sex links all female?

[lynchristine]

I have three Black Sex Link Pullets from Ideal Poultry (RIR / Barred Plymouth Rock). As chicks they looked the same until their feathers started to come in. Then one was always the odd ball. They were hatched 8/28/13 so are seven weeks old right now . Two are nearly identical with black and brown. The other is nearly all black with specks of white and some brown feathers. Pics attached. Please help me determine if all three are hens or not.

 

[georgiao333]

sex links are known to be different colours for their genders so i would say you have two of one gender and one of the other

 

[lynchristine]

That's what I was thinking too. The hatchery said they believe them to all be female but they look so different, so I'm concerned. Plus I don't know which would be which if two are one gender and the third is the other gender.

 

[lynchristine]

sex links are known to be different colours for their genders so i would say you have two of one gender and one of the other

That's what I was thinking too. The hatchery said they believe them to all be female but they look so different, so I'm concerned. Plus I don't know which would be which if two are one gender and the third is the other gender.

 

[georgiao333]

yeah, have you contacted the hatchery? that might be a good idea, they should be able to work something out seeing as its probably their mistake

 

[georgiao333]

That's what I was thinking too. The hatchery said they believe them to all be female but they look so different, so I'm concerned. Plus I don't know which would be which if two are one gender and the third is the other gender.

have you had a look on them for any sign of spurs? or is it too early for that?

 

[appps]

have you had a look on them for any sign of spurs? or is it too early for that?

You will know you have a rooster for sure long before you notice anything much with the spurs.

 

[PotterWatch]

BSL males look like barred rocks. Females have differing amounts of brown. You have females.

ETA: As chicks, BSL females are all black where males have a white dot on their heads. That is what enables them to be easily sexed at hatch.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The dark bird is a BSL pullet for sure. I don't think the lighter bird is a black sex link at all. It's some other breed. As far as what it is--I have no clue. Straight comb and willow legs--maybe an Easter Egger that didn't inherit the blue egg gene. As of right now, it looks more like a pullet, but that's subject to change if those red patches on the shoulders develop more.

Yes, contact Ideal since that's clearly not a black sex link--but neither of them is a BSL cockerel, which would be a barred bird.

 

[PotterWatch]

I'm curious why you think it is "clearly not a black sex link." While most BSL females are predominantly black with some brown on the neck and chest, they are not all that way. As a hybrid bird, they do not have a standard and their coloration can vary greatly as to how much black vs. brown-red they have. I have had BSL girls that were almost all black as well as others who had a great deal of brown like the ones pictured above. Nothing about them says to me that they are anything other than what the hatchery claims was sent.