I want a good layer like sexlinks but...

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

I really want sexlinks because they lay a lot and mainly because I want to tell the hens apart from the roosters they sounded great until I got to the part where they only live 2-3 years and my chickens are like my children and I want them to live a while also because we have a child in the house and they would be sad any advice?

 

[4 ever Orpington]

I really want sexlinks because they lay a lot and mainly because I want to tell the hens apart from the roosters they sounded great until I got to the part where they only live 2-3 years and my chickens are like my children and I want them to live a while also because we have a child in the house and they would be sad any advice?

Buff Orpington great layers. Sweet temperament

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I don't think they live any shorter. I had one that was four years old, and we butchered her, but she had lots of life left! I think people just think chickens only live for a couple years, because in the big scale factories, that's how it is, or else they get butchered. But in real life, chickens can live to be quite old! 12 years or more! Of course, if they are bred up to lay more eggs than usual. like a sex link, they won't live as long, due to their bodies working extra hard.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would suggest that you stay away from the production and hatchery hybrid birds. How bout Plymouth Barred rocks? They are great layers. Go to Henderson's chicken breeds chart for more ideas.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Barred Rocks are good layers, so are leghorns and hamburgs...

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I really want sexlinks because they lay a lot and mainly because I want to tell the hens apart from the roosters they sounded great until I got to the part where they only live 2-3 years and my chickens are like my children and I want them to live a while also because we have a child in the house and they would be sad any advice?

It’s not that they live 2-3 it’s that they are spent at 4 years of age and many will die from reproductive issues asssociated with laying so many eggs. Get a couple varieties of leghorns they are great layers and will live long lives.

 

[Beer can]

Leghorns aren't very personable though, 'flighty', little hyper.
The laying eggs life of most chickens is only a few yrs. I never heard sexlinks only live 2-3 yrs, yes they are a 'hybrid' but that just means they are a cross of two other breeds, typically rhode island red and barred rock, rir or new hampshire and white rock or delaware.
For kids I'd suggest Easter eggers, kids love those green eggs and they lay quite well.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Leghorns aren't very personable though, 'flighty', little hyper.
The laying eggs life of most chickens is only a few yrs. I never heard sexlinks only live 2-3 yrs, yes they are a 'hybrid' but that just means they are a cross of two other breeds, typically rhode island red and barred rock, rir or new hampshire and white rock or delaware.
For kids I'd suggest Easter eggers, kids love those green eggs and they lay quite well.

My two leghorn pullets weren’t the least hyper. They loved to be picked up and given love. From day one they were handled. I do agreee that a mixed flock of chickens is ideal. Cochins, Brahmas, Silkies, Easter Eggers, and Orpingtons do great with children.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I would say that my leghorn was more flighty when she was younger, but I'd say she's pretty mellow now; and she's still under a year. The only other 'flighty' birds she's with are the hamburgs, and even they aren't too bad.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I would say that my leghorn was more flighty when she was younger, but I'd say she's pretty mellow now; and she's still under a year. The only other 'flighty' birds she's with are the hamburgs, and even they aren't too bad.

It all depends on how much they were socialized as chicks.