If you have owned sex links I want your opinion

[rhoda_bruce]

I would feel the red star would probably be more aggressive than the black star because of the breeds that went into producing her, but I also have never noticed a tendency toward pecking. My reasons for combining certain roosters with certain hens to produce sex-linked chicks were to separate the chicks at hatch and raise them for meat in one pen and egg production in another as well as charge the higher price for the pullets when someone wanted to buy chicks for their kids around Easter or set up shop for themselves. But I haven't done that for years. I am into more pure breeding right now.
In the case of the 3 'white' sex links that were mixed with the reds.......I don't know for sure what the case was but that sounds like sex-links all right, but male sex-links. White would be the shown color on the red-star, just as barring would be the case for the black star. I kept my females separated from the males for safety also. When raising chicks, and you notice pecking, it is usually the cockerals that cause the trouble; at least in my experience. The victim is almost always a female.
My solution for pecking in chicks is a sulfa sublimed concoction in a grease base. It taste horrible but has an antibiotic effect also, both topically and systemically; as well as erradicating the bad behavior. I picked this method up from a beagle breeder I used to know. I wouldn't hesitate to use the same method on older chickens if needed.

 

[ray2310]

We have 19 red sex links. One of them gets picked on now and again. But all in all not too much pecking. Very good layers and friendly.

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

Quote:
Most SL's are created from purebreds. A Black SL is a RIR roo x BR hen, no "commercial breed" there. By commercial, do you mean Hybrids? We create BSL's constantly every 3 weeks, starting next weekend, we will have hatches every week. We sell most but keep some, they are the best layers we have and the roo's are sold for meat, and we have a lot of repeat customers.

 

[ClairedeLune]

2 BSL and they are great with my Cochin, Australorp, and LB.
Plus, they lay so many eggs!

 

[Hambone]

I was new to owning chickens and decided to build a tractor. I bought 6 golden comet hens from a man who had made a purchase from mt healthy hatchery. I think my birds turned into cannibals because they were kept in their tractor 24/7. No free ranging and not moving the tractor enough I believe has led them to become cannibalistic. From this thread and other research I have come to the conclusion that it is not the breed of bird but the lack of free ranging. I believe I have solved the problem with peepers. To keep this problem from happening again I have decided change my tractor into one big coop. When their wounds heal and the peepers break them of the pecking habit I will let them free range everyday from then on. I would rather see them die to a predator than see them pecking each other to death again. I wish I would never of built a tractor. You can see the tractor on my page. I am surprised no one else has had this problem with tractors.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Some sexlink lines are definitely selected for commercial production, e.g. ISA Browns. On the other hand *anything* can be sold as a sexlink so there are also a bunch of birds on the market that do *not* come from production-type lines. Thus I am not sure you can/should lump all sexlinks together for this particular question?

However, that said, the breeding of commercial layers has involved selecting AGAINST those more prone to picking, so from that standpoint you would not expect it to be so; and it has not been the case in my experience comparing the ISA Browns and red stars I've had versus other breeds.

I suppose there may be particular lines that are more high-strung or more pecky, but on the whole I do not think sex-links are worse for this.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[sovia]

i bought seven red sex links last spring. they have surprised me in that they have very nice, quiet dispositions. Plus, they are super egg layers. they might not be the most exciting chickens, but i will definitely get them again.

 

[OccamsTazer]

I LOVE my red sex links! I have a mixed flock, and they are by far the nicest birds. The only bird that comes close on amiability is my big Leghorn roo. My EE hens are standoffish and skitty. My BA is pretty mellow but won't let you touch her, same with my BR and RIR. My OEGB roo is basically feral. I can't share my thoughts about guineas and disposition, this is a family place

My two RSL are known as the "friendly reds", they are the only birds that will come up to get feather skritches, or take a treat from your hand. I wish they were broody, they'd be the perfect bird for me. They rank in the middle of my flock, they never act nasty to anyone, but they never get shoved around either.

 

[JimWWhite]

We have 19 Gold Comets (Red Sex Links/Red Stars/Production Reds) and they're pretty much a balanced flock. We got them in three sets of 6, 6, and 7 and when we added the second group of 6 there was some angst until the pecking order was set and the newcomers knew their place. That took about a week to settle out. When we added the latter 7 (bought 6 but 7 were in the crate when we got home) we were surprised there was very little pecking going on. We did notice that the one we called 'Ellen' who was our Omega pullet and the bottom of the pecking order became the enforcer over the Youngsters. Now almost 5 months after the Youngsters came all seems to be peaceful with very little pecking or squabbling going on. Everyone knows their place and there's harmony in the henhouse. There must be because even with all this wintery weather we've had down here in the Carolinas lately they've been laying between 17 and 19 eggs each and every day without fail. To me, I find the Gold Comets to be a perfect layer. They're way beyond the best productive pullets you can get, plus they are a very hardy and easy to raise chicken. They love people and will come right up to you and give you an earfull when you're in the run with them. Get yourself some like we did and you'll be happy you did.

 

[cappy]

I have 5 comets and can't say enough about them. They are calm, sweet, and get along great with the 3 EE that are housed with them. They do free range so maybe room is the issue causing pecking. I have been thinking about adding to the flock but am worried about upsetting the status quo. I read JimWWhite's post about adding to the flock so maybe I'll give it a try.

Ken