creating sexlink chicks

[naightengale]

ok so if i want to breed/hatch/raise LAYING hens..but dont want to use up all that extra feed on growing out a bunch of roos (when we could sell them or eat them) how can i breed a good layer that will be sexable at hatch?? i know a few of the crosses but would like to make sure my reserch is right as ive seen alot of conflicting info..
i'll give you a rundown of my flock(s) so you can tell me if i have what i need or if i need to get somebody else to make this work...

roosters:
brown leg horn
production red
amber star
wayodotte.plymoth rock mix
dark brahma
EE
partrich silkie
mystery silky mix
WCBP
welsummer

HENS:
red stars
amber stars
pro reds
silkies
light buff and dark brahma
wayodotte/plymoth rock mix
EE
welsummer


UNknown (think roo chicks)
mystery silkie mix
FBCM

thank yall.
and how would i identify the chicks?? i know some work differntly..

 

[Ridgerunner]

The very first post in this thread answers your questions and has charts for which breeds work.

Tadkerson’s Sex Link Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261208

 

[naightengale]

yes im currently reading it over and over trying to make sence of it lol...
i think ive got the gist of it but i think im just tired or something cause its greek to me right now...
best i can figure out is i need to figure out the genes of all my chickens... to know how to mix them right.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, that article takes work to figure out. I see you asked a question on that thread about the dark and light cross. If you look in that thread just above your post, you’ll see one from me that might help you understand some of it, post number 834.

One thing you can do is use the charts in that first post. Look in chart #1, the red sex link chart. Can you find one of your roosters on the left hand side of that chart? Maybe the brown leghorn at the bottom? Now look on the right side of that chart #1 and look for a hen you have. Maybe the dark Brahma or light Brahma? Bingo! There is your cross for a red sex link, the brown leghorn rooster over either of the two Brahma hens.

 

[naightengale]

ok so i guess ill just wait till i get my austrolorp eggs (if i get them) and hatch them and then see if i can make black sexlinks with those hens and the leghorn... because id really like to try and get the best layer i poss can out of it.
i was going to mix up with my brahmas to try and get a good meat bird..any ideas on a good cross there??
and i forgot to add on my welsummer pair ..i just got them and totally forgot them.

 

[tadkerson]

ok so i guess ill just wait till i get my austrolorp eggs (if i get them) and hatch them and then see if i can make black sexlinks with those hens and the leghorn... because id really like to try and get the best layer i poss can out of it.
i was going to mix up with my brahmas to try and get a good meat bird..any ideas on a good cross there??
and i forgot to add on my welsummer pair ..i just got them and totally forgot them.

Production red (male) crossed with light brahma will be good red sex linked cross. You do not have the birds to make a black sex linked cross. If you want good meat birds buy and raise cornish cross. Go back and look at the list of birds that can be used in a black sex linked cross.

Tim

 

[Ridgerunner]

Tim, what are production reds? I’m uncomfortable with what I think might be marketing names instead of breeds and someone could be calling some sex links “production reds”. Maybe I’m just too cynical.

 

[tadkerson]

Tim, what are production reds? I’m uncomfortable with what I think might be marketing names instead of breeds and someone could be calling some sex links “production reds”. Maybe I’m just too cynical.

The birds are good egg layers and are genetically superior to the brown leghorn for producing a sexable down color. I have had them in the past- they are rhode island red/new hampshire cross that is breed for egg production. That is my understanding. They could have leghorn in them also but mine did not.

Tim