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Are you keeping the babies or selling them?
I'll probably sell at least some of this batch. I want to grow out some of the sex-links to make sure they really are sex-links, but I don't want to keep them forever.
I'll keep a few to replace my laying flock (who are slacking off in the laying arena). I'll sell all the roos and possibly some of the pullets. I have a couple of people asking for some. I really just wanted to see how they would hatch before I started mailing them off and sending them to people. So far so good. I've been very impressed with the number of developing eggs from these boys. I do want to grow some out to see what color the EE eggs are. Just to know, you know?
So can you get a barred female from a cross when the roo is the non-barred bird or are the barreds always male in that case? What should happen with your sex link mix?
In a Black sex-link, the boy offspring will grow up barred, the girls are that solid black with some reddish in the chest area. It only works with a red roo over barred hens, so I think Cuckoo marans hens would work, too, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Most people use a RIR roo for sex-link crosses, but I've heard a Welsummer roo works, too, but I need to see for myself.
I also have one Delaware pullet in that pen and her female offspring should be red and the males white. I've had one reddish chick pop out of a brown egg, so here's to hoping
Take pictures of your babies and let me know where to look for them! I can't wait to see what those EE crosses look like. I have to wait to post pictures until my husband comes home with our camera.
