Isa Brown, Golden comet or ?

technodoll

Songster
10 Years
Aug 25, 2009
2,265
33
191
Quebec, Canada
How do you tell the difference between these red sexlinks? To my novice eye they all look more or less the same... Isa Browns, Golden Comets, Red Stars, pure mutt - what?
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I have five red girls who are the same age but vary in size and feather color, tail set, etc... how can I tell what they really are?

Any expert opinions?
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(excuse the messy oatmeal covered beaks, they'd just had some breakfast...
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red sexlinks are chickens that can be sexed at hatch. hatcheries give them different names.
the hatchery that I buy from have 3 differant kinds. I have all 3 and I can see a differance. my red stars are red with under coating of beige feathers and look much like the new hamp. chickens.
my golden comet are red with under coat of white feathers.
the hatchery sells one type called cinnamon queen which is much darker red with under coat of white. the hatchery I order from is cackle hatchery and I suppose every hatchery is different.
going by my chickens your's are golden comet.
True ISA browns were developed by the Hubbard hatchery and alway breed true as in if you set Isa brown hen eggs breed to ISA brown rooster you will still get ISA browns but the other sex-links do not breed true. I am not sure if ISA browns can be sexed at hatch by color.
 
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pattypenny, your post was like a light bulb - thank you for being so patient (and all the others too!), this makes much more sense now.

Now I know why sex links are called sex links...

*again hides under the chair of shame*

people around here just call these hens "production browns" but they don't look brown to me and I hate the term "production", it's so heartless and undignified!

now see, if I say i have five golden comets...
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LOL!

do black sex links have sexy names too?
 
I want some cinnamon queens! I miss my old red star hens... such good layers and they were pretty darn big!

You have beautiful hens!
 
Thank you!

They're not flashy nor are they a rare breed, they're not big nor are they small, they've had the tip of their beaks clumsily cut off and everybody has some like these...

But you know, they are soooo sweet, funny, affectionate, curious and endearing that I absolutely love them and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world! They've stolen my heart.

I'm their 3rd and forever home
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black sex-links are a cross between red - gold rooster and barred rock hen. the females are black and have a red or golden collar. the males are barred like the barred rock hen. the black sex links are more or less the same except the feathers on their necks very from red to yellow. Rhode Island red rooster+ barred rock hen = black sex links. black sex links can be sexed at hatch.
 

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