I want a good layer like sexlinks but...

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Chickenlovebirdchihuahua... Why do you want to tell them apart so early? Correct me if I am wrong other posters, but I am pretty sure that the sex link trait is only when they are initially bred.. and that after that I don't think you can reliably sex their offspring. Is this the case. Why is it that you want to sex them so early? (I can usually tell mine at about a 10 days). (Black Coppers)... I would think sex links would be long lived because they are sort of mutts. Mixed breeds.

that is a great question I made a deal with a friend and they want the roosters

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

As soon as they can have them

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I agree with Bantychooks about IBs being sexlinks, but I have to say that my Isa Browns are very sweet.

My first flock is Isa Browns, I call them my little raptors, because they're on me like a pack, when I enter the run, wanting my attention, what a bunch of characters, lol.

 

[Chlady55]

My leghorns were extremely flighty when I got them at a few days old. I was very disappointed as my previous chickens were all extremely friendly as babies. I got 2 red leghorns and 2 white leghorns. I gave up trying to pick them up when they were little as I felt like I was just scaring them too much. Now that they are about 5 months old the red ones will let me pick them up. The white ones will fly up onto my shoulders and sit. They have all figured out that I bring great snacks.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

My leghorns were extremely flighty when I got them at a few days old. I was very disappointed as my previous chickens were all extremely friendly as babies. I got 2 red leghorns and 2 white leghorns. I gave up trying to pick them up when they were little as I felt like I was just scaring them too much. Now that they are about 5 months old the red ones will let me pick them up. The white ones will fly up onto my shoulders and sit. They have all figured out that I bring great snacks.

My Isa's were the same, wanted no part of me as chicks, but were all over me in their teens, sitting on my shoulders (and head), eating out of my hand, getting petted and held. Although I've had great success so far, I'm planning ahead for my next lock, I'll only have 2 SL's, I'm thinking heritage breeds will make up the rest, I want some color variety in my next flock.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Correct me if I am wrong other posters, but I am pretty sure that the sex link trait is only when they are initially bred.. and that after that I don't think you can reliably sex their offspring. Is this the case. Why is it that you want to sex them so early? (I can usually tell mine at about a 10 days). (Black Coppers)... I would think sex links would be long lived because they are sort of mutts. Mixed breeds.

Yes, sex-linking is a first generation trait.
No, sex-links do not tend to be long lived.
You're assuming traditional hybrid vigour, which is caused by two factors:
1) a lack of recessive disorders.
Humans have two copies of (almost) every gene, one inherited from each parent. Usually, a defective gene is masked by the non-defective one inherited from the other parent. But if both parents have the same defective gene, you're going to inherit two defective ones--and that won't go well for you. Outcrossing to a different population saves the offspring from this because it's highly unlikely that both populations contain the same defective gene.
2) Overdominance
What if one of the genes doesn't have a match from the other parent? In that case, it sometimes overexpresses itself because it isn't compensating for the other gene. (this happens most often in plants, which are a lot more complex, genetically, than we are.)

But what if the parent breeds were specifically bred for overdominance of one trait?

As an example, CornishX (Cornish-white Rock hybrids) are hybrids. But the parent breeds weren't bred to be great examples of either breed (Cornish or White Plymouth Rock) Instead, they were bred to augment each others' characteristics for the best meat bird. That optimal meat bird, even under the best of care, rarely makes it to a year of age, simply because it gains muscle too fast.

By one definition of the term, it has very good hybrid vigour--it's very muscular, it's fast-maturing, and it's thrifty (absorbs nutrition well) But that vigour comes with its downsides--such as growing so quickly that it's not able to move.

ISAs are, in my experience, similar to CornishX. We had a five-some that we purchased as pullets and they laid very large, very pretty eggs. When we butchered the year after, we decided to keep three of them--the ones that were laying best, and the really pretty one with the slightly golden tint to her feathers. Two died within six months from peritonitis, and the gold girl got a throat infection and died the next winter. We never had that problem with Leghorns, Australorps, Barred Rocks, Production Reds, or any other of the several chicken breeds we've owned.

The parent breeds were bred so that the offspring lay eggs continuously, no matter what it costs their bodies. Hybrid vigour assumes that the offspring expresses the better of the two genes inherited from the parents. But hatcheries breed the parent breeds so that the inherited genes only allow for one outcome--laying continuously.

Very Long Post. Sorry.

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Yes, sex-linking is a first generation trait.
No, sex-links do not tend to be long lived.
You're assuming traditional hybrid vigour, which is caused by two factors:
1) a lack of recessive disorders.
Humans have two copies of (almost) every gene, one inherited from each parent. Usually, a defective gene is masked by the non-defective one inherited from the other parent. But if both parents have the same defective gene, you're going to inherit two defective ones--and that won't go well for you. Outcrossing to a different population saves the offspring from this because it's highly unlikely that both populations contain the same defective gene.
2) Overdominance
What if one of the genes doesn't have a match from the other parent? In that case, it sometimes overexpresses itself because it isn't compensating for the other gene. (this happens most often in plants, which are a lot more complex, genetically, than we are.)

But what if the parent breeds were specifically bred for overdominance of one trait?

As an example, CornishX (Cornish-white Rock hybrids) are hybrids. But the parent breeds weren't bred to be great examples of either breed (Cornish or White Plymouth Rock) Instead, they were bred to augment each others' characteristics for the best meat bird. That optimal meat bird, even under the best of care, rarely makes it to a year of age, simply because it gains muscle too fast.

By one definition of the term, it has very good hybrid vigour--it's very muscular, it's fast-maturing, and it's thrifty (absorbs nutrition well) But that vigour comes with its downsides--such as growing so quickly that it's not able to move.

ISAs are, in my experience, similar to CornishX. We had a five-some that we purchased as pullets and they laid very large, very pretty eggs. When we butchered the year after, we decided to keep three of them--the ones that were laying best, and the really pretty one with the slightly golden tint to her feathers. Two died within six months from peritonitis, and the gold girl got a throat infection and died the next winter. We never had that problem with Leghorns, Australorps, Barred Rocks, Production Reds, or any other of the several chicken breeds we've owned.

The parent breeds were bred so that the offspring lay eggs continuously, no matter what it costs their bodies. Hybrid vigour assumes that the offspring expresses the better of the two genes inherited from the parents. But hatcheries breed the parent breeds so that the inherited genes only allow for one outcome--laying continuously.

Very Long Post. Sorry.

no it's ok thank you so much

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have a proposition for those of you who decry white leghorns or other production breeds of chickens laying so many eggs. If you think that it is wrong for a white leghorn hen to lay 280 to 350 (25 - 30 dozen) eggs a year, then I suggest that you strongly demand that your employer furlow you for 6 to 8 months out of every year, WITHOUT PAY. For goodness sakes, practice what you preach.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I have a proposition for those of you who decry white leghorns or other production breeds of chickens laying so many eggs. If you think that it is wrong for a white leghorn hen to lay 280 to 350 eggs a year, then I suggest that you strongly demand that your employer furlow you for 6 months out of every year, WITHOUT PAY. For goodness sakes, practice what you preach.

As a farm-raised kid, it's expedient to have production birds and I admire their productivity.
I actually just don't like White Leghorns. I think they're too flighty when not hand-raised, too ready to pick on the baby chicks, a boring color and their combs get frostbitten far too easily. Nothing whatsoever to do with egg-laying.
I don't like sex-links because they're very hormonal birds and I don't like having hens die of painful illnesses.
Personal opinion, but I think I'm entitled to it.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

They only lay 180-200 in their first year ?

I have three that consistently laying 230-240. Maybe I’m fortunate.