Breeding Heritage Sexlinks

[sunshinechic]

Hello, I am new to BYC and have some questions about breeding heritage sexlinks.
I have a few Light Sussex hens and I just put them in with a Buff Orpington Rooster. I'm hoping to have sexable chicks soon. I was wondering if I put Silver Sussex or Coronation Sussex hens in with a Buff Orpington Rooster will they also be sexlink chicks? Lighter males and buff females?
Also will CouCou de Maline hens work as a sexlink project instead of using Barred Rock hens?

 

[junebuggena]

There is no such thing as 'heritage' sexlinks. All you need for red sexlinks are a red/gold rooster and a silver hen, the exact breeds don't really matter. The issue with using a Buff Orpington as the rooster is that their down color is pale, and will make sexing the chicks at hatch a bit more difficult. By the first week or two, as their feathers come in, you will be able to easily tell the males from the females. Light Sussex, Silver Sussex, and Coronation Sussex are all silver base color breeds so they should work for sexing by color.
As for black sexlinks, as long as the hens are barred/cuckoo and the rooster isn't solid white or barred, the sexlinking will work. Only the males will have the white spot on the back of the head.

 

[sunshinechic]

Ok great, thanks so much. I meant 'heritage' because none of my birds are hatchery stock birds, they are all heritage Orpingtons and Sussex. I was told to use only heritage parent breeding stock to create Sex links and never hatchery birds.
So if I crossed a Black Orpington rooster with CouCou de Maline hens would they be black sex link? And males have spot in head?

 

[junebuggena]

Ok great, thanks so much. I meant 'heritage' because none of my birds are hatchery stock birds, they are all heritage Orpingtons and Sussex. I was told to use only heritage parent breeding stock to create Sex links and never hatchery birds.
So if I crossed a Black Orpington rooster with CouCou de Maline hens would they be black sex link? And males have spot in head?

For black sexlinks, it's not the color of the rooster that is important. He just can't be solid white, that would hide the evidence of barring, or barred/cuckoo, since he would pass that to both his male and female chicks. It's the hen that is the important part of the equation. A barred/cuckoo hen can only pass that barring to her male chicks.
Sexlinks are mixed breeds, and therefore, can not be considered 'heritage', regardless of the parent breeds' lineage. The term 'heritage' generally refers to the stock being bred to the breed standard. Since there is no breed standard for sexlinks, due to their being a crossbreed, they can't be heritage. It doesn't really matter if the parents are hatchery sourced or heritage stock. The color genetics for the sexlinking are still the same.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Don't use blue for sex links either. Even if over a black based barred/cuckoo it will throw black and blue offspring. It's extremely hard to see a white head spot on blue chicks. Trust me on this. Been there, not for intent of sex links but thought it would be a nice in addition to the body type improvement was going for at the time. Some of the chicks you could not even see the white due to light silvery blue color. Had to wait for them to start feathering out for sex link trait to show. In this case it was more accurate to judge sex by legs.

 

[sunshinechic]

Ok great, yes I don't think I will choose the blue gene anymore. It does sound tricky. I do have Sussex and Orpingtons so I will give it a try and see how it goes

thanks so much for all your help! Learning lots!

 

[Mosey2003]

Does it work in reverse? As in, if all my Buff Orps turn out to be pullets, could I use a Silver roo and get sex linked chicks?

 

[junebuggena]

Nope. Sexlinking only works if the hens have the silver gene. Silver hens can only pass that silver gene on to their male chicks. A silver rooster will pass the gene to both genders.

 

[Mosey2003]

Darn

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
A classic sex link with Silver based Sussex is : a Rhode Island Red cock over a Silver Based Sussex hen. (the one most used is a Light Sussex hen). I understand what you mean. You want to use 2 heritage breeds to create a sex-linked chicks. This breeding has historically been very popular and successful. Both breeds are heritage breeds. Do make sure you use a high quality Rhode Island Red cock.
Best,
Karen