Black Sex Links?

[MarthaW]

We got 15 chicks of different breeds all at one time so we are having a little trouble making sure we know what is what. They are about 3 months old now. I think I remember that the all black one is supposed to be a black sex link female and the one that looks somewhat like a bared rock is a male. If that's right, the black female has a lot more comb and waddles than the male. I'm confused. Can anyone verify that for me? (The 2nd picture has 2 chickens. I am asking about the one on the left.)

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Black Sex Link is usually a black pullet bird, with green sheen, since the father was a red bird, there is always some gold/red leakage in the breast area on the pullets while the cockerels will appear more like the mother, ie, Barred Rock, but they too will eventually bleed through some gold tones on their wings. Not sure I see any red bleeding through your black bird. Looks to be a production black of some kind?? Perhaps Australorp?

Where did you buy these chicks?

The males will display red combs and sprout red wattles long before the females do. If the birds, as you remember, had bigger red wattles at 10 weeks, that's a pretty sure sign of a cockerel. The pullets normally don't display much by way of comb and wattles until their 16th week, give or take. Hope that helps.

 

[MarthaW]

We bought them from a local hatchery. I see shiny green feathers on the black chicken. From what you are saying, I'll bet the mother was an astrolorpe and the father a bared rock. If that were the case, would the black offspring be hens and the roosters would have the bared rock look or vise-versa?

 

[Fred's Hens]

We bought them from a local hatchery. I see shiny green feathers on the black chicken. From what you are saying, I'll bet the mother was an astrolorpe and the father a bared rock. If that were the case, would the black offspring be hens and the roosters would have the bared rock look or vise-versa?

No, I corrected my post by editing. Not enough coffee yet this morning. LOL The Black Sex link uses a Red rooster over a Barred Rock hen. Sorry.
If the rooster is purebred Barred Rock, all the chicks have barring.

I believe your bird has Australorp in its heritage. Australorps also have green feather sheen.

 

[MarthaW]

So do we think the black is a hen and the sort of barred is the roosrer?

 

[Fred's Hens]

How old are these birds? That is important to any discussion of possible sexing.

The barred bird does have a male look to it. Are we talking about the barred bird, on the right in the first picture and on the left in the second picture? The darker barred birds are often female, while the males are often lighter, if pure bred. Again, as the owner, do you remember when the red comb and wattles appeared on these birds? If earlier on, say 8 weeks, THAT is your cockerel tell tale sign, early on. The stalky legs on a young bird, upright stance, and funky strut walk are also signs early on.

Remember, pullets also get their larger, red combs and wattles at 16 weeks. So, it is simpler to call it when they are 8 weeks old. Females usually have no combs or wattles while the cockerels are already in pretty full bloom.

 

[MarthaW]

Hmmm. They are both only 3 months old.

 

[Hezz]

The black one looks like a Aussie or Jersey Giant roo, and the other one, I have no clue, maybe BSL....