Black sex link chicks

[Chelsnb90]

My family brought home some baby chicks last week! We were told they are all hens... which is what we wanted because we have 3 children and do not want an aggressive rooster. Everything I have read online about Black Sex Links is that the "white spot" on top of their head means they are a male.... we got them when they were 6 days old so we did not see them AT BIRTH. I'm not sure if that makes a huge difference? I'm really nervous we got roosters since this is our first time raising a flock, I really really did not want to take on any roosters. Does anyone know for a FACT that I have baby roosters in my flock? I have 2 different breeds (from what I was told) and I can not remember the name of the other breed. Only the black sex link and all 5 of them have white on their heads!

They are all fairly sweet babies! I have made it a point for me and the kids to have "chick time" a few times a day so they can get used to us. If, God forbid, I did end up with 5 roosters, will the loving on them daily even make a difference? Any help is appreciated. I am sure the best way to tell is to wait it out n see what they look like in a few weeks? Thanks for any help! I am just hoping and praying I did not get any roosters!!

I have tried to upload 3 photos of my chickies! I am brand new to this site, like just made a profile this morning. Forgive my ignroance!! Lol!

 

[debid]

The white spot means they'll be barred or cuckoo in pattern. It's only related to gender if they were bred to be sexlinks. If they were, then yes, all the ones with a spot are male. If they weren't, the chicks could have been sexed differently. TSC, for example, will have a pullet bin with production (insert color) layers. The black ones can be barred or cuckoo or solid, not related to gender at all. And yes, they'd nearly all be female (the error rate depends on the method used and competence of the sexer but averages around 10%).

 

[Chelsnb90]

Thank you!!! I was sooo worried. Lol. I guess I am just going to have faith that the man we bought them from was honest and wait it out and see! I'm sorry if this is an ignorant question! Lol. I am brand new to all of this! Thank you for the help!!

 

[debid]

I hope that you got them from someone who knows what they're doing and is honest. I've seen a lot of sad stories over the years and generally recommend folks who want all females buy from farm stores (who get chicks from hatcheries) or hatcheries. The random farmer who sexed chicks after watching a YouTube video is rarely accurate.

 

[Chelsnb90]

This was an older farmer, who had a big book to show us the birds and what they'd look like grown n stuff. I was thinking, maybe he does this as a side job? I'm not sure. I really HOPE he was honest with us too! We had our 3 kids with us and told him they were why we did not want any roosters. He seemed really knowledgeable in what he was talking about but again, this is our first flock, we know what I have read online and that's it. lol. So when I read that the white spot meant roosters, I decided to make me an account and ask people with more knowledge and experience than me!

 

[lazy gardener]

They could be barred birds, in which case there would be a white head spot on both male and female. In that case, females will have a small tightly defined spot, while males will have a larger more irregular spot, that could show as diffuse white down that may even extend down the back of the neck. Females will also have a darker coloration on the fronts of their shanks and tops of toes. Pure bred barred or cuckoo patterned birds are not sex linked. They are auto sexing. But, the ease with which they can be gender id at hatch is somewhat related to the strain and the familiarity the breeder has with his stock. The bird by the feeder does look like a male. Did you get any kind of guarantee from this old farmer. If I were buying auto sexed or sex linked birds, I'd try to get a guarantee of gender with replacement offered if the sex was not as represented.

 

[Chelsnb90]

No, I do not have any guarantee...l I was thinking, if I end up with a rooster or a few of them, I am going to go back to him and ask him if he wants the roosters back and if I can exchange them for more hens. He was a really nice old man... the first time we had met him we sat and talked for about 45 minutes about the chicks and he helped us out a lot, gave us advice on how to take care of them and what not. I didn't even know what a "brooder" was until I had spoke with him. Eventually I would like 1 rooster specifically for breeding purposes but only 1. And I do not want any roosters for at least a year, I would like to raise hens first... get the feel of it. None of the chicks seems to have any white on them down their backs or anything. 5 of them have a spot on top of their head but it's not an irregular spot. And some of them have a larger white spot and some smaller. Blah, I just really didn't want a rooster. I've grown attached to my chickies and I know that having a rooster in our flock means one thing: death. And I know I have to be OKAY with that one day but seeing them NOW, I just can't imagine it. Haha. I'm a sap for animals! The farmer had also told me to not worry, that he didn't have any male chicks... but I'm not sure, even the nicest of people can turn out to be liars or just maybe not know? He had a lot of chicks! So it kind of threw me off that he said he had no males.. like I said in my earlier post, he knows we are planning to come back for more eventually, so I hope he was honest (if he still wants our business)!!

 

[junebuggena]

Did the guy breed these chicks or did he order them from a hatchery? Not everybody breeding chickens understands sexlink genetics.

 

[Chelsnb90]

I think he bred them... I am not exactly sure! I didn't even ask, I just assumed.. because he was also selling laying hens. Man, I hope I didn't end up with a ton of roosters, y'all!

 

[junebuggena]

If he bred them, then he probably does not understand the genetics behind sexlinking. No decent breeder, who knows sexlinking genetics, would try to pass off a chick with a head spot off as a black sexlink pullet. And if he's incubating eggs than he most certainly does have male chicks. Pretty sure you were duped and taken advantage of. Some people will say anything to make a sale.