Central Hatchery Sex Links

[OkChickens]

Has anyone raised Central Hatchery Sil go Sex links? Looking to use them for free range layers for farmers market. What did you think?

Nate

 

[Michael OShay]

I've never personally ordered any Red Sex Links (which is what Sil go Sex Links are) from Central Hatchery, but I have ordered Ideal Poultry's Brown Sex Links, which is Ideal's label for their Red Sex Link that is the same cross (RIR roo X silver factor WR hen) as Central's Sil go Sex Link, and they (like all Red Sex Links) were egg laying machines. Unless they arrive dead (highly unlikely and you should be able to get a refund if that happens), I don't see that you can go wrong with a Sil go Sex Link pullet order.

 

[blucoondawg]

I am considering these too and trying to find reviews of them, I don't know that they are a red sex link chicken though. The picture of the chicks online shows them to be a mix of colors rather than the typical red female and whitish male.

 

[Michael OShay]

I am considering these too and trying to find reviews of them, I don't know that they are a red sex link chicken though. The picture of the chicks online shows them to be a mix of colors rather than the typical red female and whitish male.

They are definitely Red Sex Links. "Sil go" stands for "silver gold" which is a reference to the silver gene hens and the gold (red gene) roosters used in breeding them.

 

[blucoondawg]

Yes I understand the abbreviation but isn't it quite odd to have black chicks out of a red sex link cross? I have never seen that out of any other pictures of red sex link varieties. Doesn't matter as long as they lay I just thought maybe they had some other weird mix that others don't use

 

[Michael OShay]

Yes I understand the abbreviation but isn't it quite odd to have black chicks out of a red sex link cross? I have never seen that out of any other pictures of red sex link varieties. Doesn't matter as long as they lay I just thought maybe they had some other weird mix that others don't use

Sometimes patented Red Sex Link strains use more than two breeds to produce their Red Sex Links. For example, in addition to the Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites that are used to produce Isa Browns, there is also some White Leghorn in their background and possibly a couple of other breeds as well. Central Hatchery may indeed have some other breeds infused into their Sil go Sex Links in addition to the RIR roosters and the silver factor WRs they use which could account for the anomalies in chick color. Such information is usually a closely guarded secret. However the two primary breeds in their Sil go Sex Links are still red gene roosters and silver gene hens which makes the offspring Red Sex Links.

 

[blucoondawg]

I would have thought that having other genetics involved would eliminate the color sex link ability but I guess not. I am not a geneticist, haven't looked at that stuff since high school lol

 

[Michael OShay]

I would have thought that having other genetics involved would eliminate the color sex link ability but I guess not. I am not a geneticist, haven't looked at that stuff since high school lol

Not necessary. Just as has happened with the development of the auto-sexing breeds such as Cream Legbars, some of these companies have been able to develop sex link hybrids with more than two breeds in them through years of research. Isa Browns are one example. In effect, it's almost like developing a new breed, except that the offspring will not breed true, so they remain hybrids.

 

[OkChickens]

I bought a hundred of them from central and they have done really well. They arrived all red and they have layed great!

Nate