Gold Sex Links From Ideal Hatchery?

[farmgirlsomeday]

I'm considering adding a Gold Sex Link from Ideal to my small backyard flock. They sound like wonderful birds. Does anyone have any experience with them? I'd love to hear opinions on this breed. Also, are Gold Sex Links the same as what I see called Golden Comets or Cinnamon Queens? Thanks!

 

[Alaskan]

Yes, those are all hybrids, but they might be mixed from different breeds. They do all end up being very similar in egg laying and temperament.

I have two Golden Comets, and I love their color. They have nice personalities and they lay well, but my white leghorns definitely lay better.

 

[redpennies15]

I don't know what you ultimately decided, but I know a little about gold sex links. I have gold sex links bought from the local feed store. I read about them (on BYC) and it seems they are a hybrid from crossing a Rhode Island Red with a Rhode Island White. It's definitely easy to tell which are females or males. Females have brown stripes and male are completely yellow. Roosters turn mostly white while the hens will be brown. My hens look a lot like the Rhode Island Red.

Mine started laying at 4 months old (in the middle of an unusually cold Texas winter). By April all 10 were laying one brown egg a day. They are very gentle, come running for treats, and I can never walk through the fenced area without having several curious chickens underfoot. I have sold a few dozen "hatching eggs" via Craigslist, so people must like this breed, especially for the beautiful colors of the rooster (splotches of gold and dark brown feathers on mostly white). The eggs for eating go pretty fast at the farmers market for $3 a dozen (in a poor country town).

Thanks for letting me know that Ideal Hatchery has them. I was told to get them from Murray McMurray, but they aren't even listed in their catalog!

 

[Michael OShay]

I have had gold sex link chickens from Ideal poultry. They are very good layers, but I personally prefer the black sex link chickens because they are a bit friendlier and more docile and lay a little better in cold, winter weather. Gold sex links are exactly the same hybrid as Cinnamon Queens (RIR male X RIW female). Golden Comets are almost identical to gold sex links but are Production Red (RIR X New Hampshire Red) males X RIW females. Hope this helps.