How to make sex-links using production dominant white leghorn as one of the ancestors

[mrjoltcola]

I am not sure how to search for this, so if a good thread already exists, I'm happy to read it.

I want to use my white production leghorns, in some combination, to produce a sexlink (the goal is a layer with some production leghorn in it). I understand basic "sexlinking" at a high level (male 2 copies/female 1 copy) and I also am aware (and have found by experience) that simply crossing a white leghorn often (in my case, always) produces all-white offspring. I'm aware that this is how the ISA Brown and other proprietary crosses are made, where the terminal cross is the 3rd generation.

Can I produce a parent from crossing white production leghorn with something, and using that resulting generation in a sex-link cross? If so, can someone help me with:

1. Understanding what to do
2. Choosing a good combination

I've got Production White Leghorns, Light Brown Leghorns, Dark Brown Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, Barred Rocks, White Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Silver Laced Wyandotte (hens only), American Bresse (hen only), Black Copper Marans, Ameraucanas, Dark Cornish.

 

[dheltzel]

There are 3 common types of sexlinks, 2 are by color sexing (red and black sexlinks). Neither of those will work with dominant white as you have in the leghorns, so your only option is feather sexing. Getting this right is quite difficult, I admit I've never tried. If you insist on using a production leghorn, you should read up on feather sexing crosses, that is what commercial hatcheries use to sex leghorns. I believe you will have to buy different leghorns than you have now, if there are even any for sale of the 2 lines that you would need. The commercial hatcheries won't sell their genetics to someone that could compete with them.

It would be far easier to make black sexlinks with your barred rock hens and RIR roo. They will be great layers.

If you really want a sexable white egg layer, I recommend you look at California Greys. They are awesome layers of white eggs and mostly sexable at hatch, without all the hassles of crossing them.

 

[mrjoltcola]

There are 3 common types of sexlinks, 2 are by color sexing (red and black sexlinks). Neither of those will work with dominant white as you have in the leghorns, so your only option is feather sexing. Getting this right is quite difficult, I admit I've never tried. If you insist on using a production leghorn, you should read up on feather sexing crosses, that is what commercial hatcheries use to sex leghorns. I believe you will have to buy different leghorns than you have now, if there are even any for sale of the 2 lines that you would need. The commercial hatcheries won't sell their genetics to someone that could compete with them.

It would be far easier to make black sexlinks with your barred rock hens and RIR roo. They will be great layers.

If you really want a sexable white egg layer, I recommend you look at California Greys. They are awesome layers of white eggs and mostly sexable at hatch, without all the hassles of crossing them.

I understand what you are saying, but my goals here are hobby-experimentation and adding production leghorn into the mix. I already breed black sexlinks with my New Hampshire + Barred Rocks, but I want to experiment with getting some leghorn into a line, and the way the ISA brown is created specifically interests me. My goal is brown eggs. What you describe as a problem, is it not something that can be handled with 1st generation cross to produce a 2nd generation parent that can be used to sexlink?

About California greys, actually I just got rid of a rooster a few months ago. They are neat birds.

 

[dheltzel]

I understand the desire to experiment and learn, that's what I do. What kind of sexlink do you want to make? I think it will take at least 1 extra generation to get rid of the dominant white.

To make a black sexlink for example, you could put a leghorn pullet with your barred rocks (or really, any of your non-white breeds). Those chicks will be het for dominant white. Save the pullets and cross them to your barred rock roo. Half the offspring will be black barred and half will still carry a copy of dom white. Take the black barred pullets and use them with a RIR roo and you will get black sexlinks. That takes 3 generations instead of the 2 you were looking for, but that is the best I can do when dom white is involved.

 

[mrjoltcola]

I understand the desire to experiment and learn, that's what I do. What kind of sexlink do you want to make? I think it will take at least 1 extra generation to get rid of the dominant white.

To make a black sexlink for example, you could put a leghorn pullet with your barred rocks (or really, any of your non-white breeds). Those chicks will be het for dominant white. Save the pullets and cross them to your barred rock roo. Half the offspring will be black barred and half will still carry a copy of dom white. Take the black barred pullets and use them with a RIR roo and you will get black sexlinks. That takes 3 generations instead of the 2 you were looking for, but that is the best I can do when dom white is involved.

Preferably a Red Sexlink, just because I also keep Black Copper Marans so its easier to count what I have in a mixed flock if I don't have to differentiate between the Marans and Black Stars, but really, I don't have color requirements. Goal is more to "simulate" an ISA Brown, and see if I can make a really good layer with production leghorn genetics as a contributor.

 

[dheltzel]

I don't think ISA browns have any leghorn blood in them. The high laying ability is not tied to leghorns as a breed. The commercial advantage of leghorns is their small size, allowing them to crowded more.

To make red sexlinks, you need a silver hen. I don't know if any of your roos are silver based, but the same basic logic should work if you can get one to put over your leghorns.

 

[Andre33]

ISA Brown is a cross (originaly made by Warren) between Rhode Island and Leghorn.

 

[dheltzel]

ISA Brown is a cross (originaly made by Warren) between Rhode Island and Leghorn.

Where did you find that information, because every reference I have found is that they are Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites. There may be some leghorn genes in the parent lines, but a dominant white leghorn is not a suitable parent in a cross to make a red sexlink.
ISA is an acronym for the group that made the cross, according to wikipedia. ISA brown is a trademarked name, no one can use it for their own crosses, the hatcheries that sell them are buying eggs or parent lines from the company that owns the trademark.

 

[Andre33]

You're right ! Leghorn can't be a direct parent because of the dominant white gene impact. This false information came from the French WP and I just did correct it.