Black Sex-linked

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Hi folks!

I'm new here, and am about to purchase my first chickens since I was a child. I am SO excited! My local feed store offers four different breeds, and I'm doing my best to research them. My choices are Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire Reds, Barred Rocks, and Black Sex-Linked. I have found out what I could on the first three, but having trouble tracking anything down on the Blacks. Can anybody help me here? I don't really care about egg color, but would like something that is a good producer, and I'd also like them to be easygoing (non-aggressive is super important, since I have a 3yo and a 5yo!).

My flock will be very small (talked Hubby into 3, we'll see where it goes from there!) and I'd love to think I can raise some to be meat birds eventually, but really don't think I could do it.. LOL. I get WAY too attached! Anyway, any info you could give me would be great.

Love this board! You guys all seem so caring and helpful! I look forward to many hours of hanging out here, and getting to know you all!


Btw, we live in Maine, so they've also gotta be able to stand a certain amt of cold weather! (We will use a heat source though if the temp is below freezing)

Meghan

 

[wynedot55]

the black sexlink chickens are good.they are gentle an easy going.they will be good with kids to help with.the only time they may peck at the kids is if they go broody.the roosters are the mean 1s.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I have 2 black sex links and while one of them is a little skittish, the other practically jumps in my arms everytime i come near. A little sweetheart! They are 7 weeks old.

 

[MarkR]

I have four black hens and a rooster. Love 'em to death. Very gentle, very mellow. The only thing that really rattles them is what we affectionately call the "big blue" here, a tarp that I use to haul big loads of stuff to the compost behind the coop. It really freaks out one of the hens in particular.

They do fine over our winters(okay, it's a Virginia winter, and only get's cold, cold for about a month). But still, they're sturdy.

My rooster's a bit tweaky since he spent an afternoon getting a 2 joule pulse from the poultry netting his first week with me (when I was building the coop and run last summer). I'm sure he lost some brain cells from that.

Anyway, they're an easy breed to take care of. But you really can't go wrong with any of the breeds you listed.

Have fun with them!

Mark

 

[Llysse]

I don't know if this will matter to you or not--you may already know this--but the sex-links don't breed true because they're crosses. In other words, if you're intending to hatch eggs from your hens, the chicks won't necessarily look much like them or have the same characteristics.

That being said, I've heard lots of good things about their temperaments, and as I understand it, they are egg laying machines. People love their black sex-links. Sweet birds.

Sounds like Buff Orpingtons would be good for you, too--too bad your feed store doesn't carry them. You may ask around and see if any local farmers have any, if you have a wild hair. They're pretty common, and they're supposed to be some of the best breeds with kids. Good eggs layers, and good meat birds, eventually.

 

[speckledhen]

Llysse is correct. The sexlinks, red, black & gold are all hybrids/crossbreeds. They tend to be smaller in body than the pure Rhode Island Reds or Buff Orpingtons and do not breed true. I hear good and bad things about them, but they do produce eggs well.

 

[Rooster01]

Black sex links are good egg layers. The ones I had was very mellow and somewhat flighty. The roosters are mean and will attack you for no reason.

 

[FrozenChicken]

The Black sex link birds are called Red Rock Cross http://www.rochesterhatchery.com/catal/p9.htm where I live if it's the Barred Rock cross with Rhode Island Red you are reffering too . They are excellent layers and can be broody. Body size is pretty much equal to pure bred birds and yes the roosters can be nasty

 

[livestock101]

We're in a very cold climate and our black sex links have done very well. They began laying at 18 weeks of age, large brown eggs, and lay VERY WELL! Our sex links are not flighty but also not all that friendly. Not a good choice for butchering as they tend to be on the smaller side, larger than leghorns but not as large as orpingtons, wyandottes, or reds.

 

[2mnypets]

My BSL pullets are still a little skiddish, but are gentle and sweet. The cockrels on the other hand...well let's just say none of them are named. They are Lucifer's spawn child. I've never not liked an animal, but these 5 BSL lil roo's are not going to be sticking around very long. Meanest lil suckers ya ever saw and will attack anything that moves. I've tried and I've tried to endear them to my heart but, man the minute I walk into the enclosed run they are bee lining it for my shoes and they attempt to peck the heck out of them. They found out that when mom swings her foot and you're pecking it....well you may go for a ride or a small flight. I wouldn't suggest the males to be around kids. They attacked my 14 year old's legs and she has a couple of nice healing scars from them. This was when they were still in the brooder box and she was just changing their water. They jumped out and literally attacked her leg. It took my brain a few seconds to realize what was happening to take appropriate action. Poor child was running around the family room with 5 cockrels attached and the screaming from her and the chickens was insane. Needless to say that chickens right now are not her favorite animals. Hoping the new batch we get in tomorrow will be more docile and pacify her a little. Best of luck to anyone who has the BSL males. Hope my story is the oddball and not the norm.