breeding

[can you hear me now?]

I actually have two questions that i am looking to get answered. First I want to know how i would know whether or not a rooster is fertilizing eggs? Second I am wanting to breed black sex links but don't know all that much about them other than they lay eggs earlier than most chickens. Are the a Dual purpose breed as well as the RIR andPlymouth barred rocks?

 

[MissPrissy]

You need to crack open a few eggs and look for the bullseye that indicates it was fertilized or incubate a few and look for the veins to start growing.

Here is a thread about what to look for.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

Black Sex-Links are produced using a Barred Rock as the mother. Both sexes hatch out black, but the males have a white dot on their heads. Pullets feather out black with some red in neck feathers. Males feather out with the Barred Rock pattern along with a few red feathers. Black Sex-Links are often referred to as Rock Reds.

they really don't lay all that early. about 18 - 20 weeks of age is average for many breeds.​

 

[can you hear me now?]

I read somewhere that they ar hardier than their ancestoral parents, and that they start laying in about 15 weeks but I can't remember if the source is credible that I read it form

 

[seriousbill]

Fifteen weeks is extremely early, even for a commercial production or sex-link hybrid layer. They usually lay, as MissPrissy stated, around 18-20 weeks.