Breeding

[2mnypets]

My hubby just posed a question to me on the phone that he wants me to ask here. What are the pro's and con's if one of our Black Sex-Links chicks (who we think are all cockerels due to the white spot on the top of their heads) ends up mating with one of our New Hampshire Red's or Rhode Island White's?

I do know that Black Sex-Links are produced using a Barred Rock as the mother and a red male for the father using either a Rhode Island Red or a New Hampshire Red.
Both sexes hatch out black, but the males have a white dot on their heads. Pullets feather out black with some red in the neck feathers. Males feather out with the Barred Rock pattern along with a few red feathers.

Is it possible that if my New Hampshire Red's and Rhode Island Whites mate, I could end up with a Golden Sex-Link or is that only possible with the Rhode Island Red and Rhode Island White?

Just trying to work out all the kinks before hand. I don't want them to mate if it's not good to. I breed Newfoundland dogs so I am keenly aware of cross breeding or breeding where not much thought went into it.

 

[speckledhen]

Since sexlinks are crossbreeds, basically you end up with chicks that are just more crossbred than the parents. Mutts, in other words. Nothing you can depend on to tell the sexes apart for certain.

 

[2mnypets]

Well as long as there is nothing dangerous about it, I'm not worried if they're mutts and unable to show you what sexes they are. I want happy chickens. I just didn't want any harm to come to them due to the cross breeding. Thanks for the help.