My Red Sex-Link Rant

[wingsofglory]

I wish posters would include the source, like hatchery name, in with the breeds name.

The red sex links can be very very good or very bad.

It helps to know not all are the same or have same problems.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Have you considered the Black Austrolorps?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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I had the Isa Browns from townline. They were mean to the other chickens but nice to people. They started eating their eggs too.

 

[andalusn]

Not really sure about the tendency to be mean or aggressive, like a lead hen so to speak is due to the breed used to create the Red Sex Link. I know that my Cuckoo Maran hen that produced Black Sex Link chicks with my Black Jersey Giant roo were all very quiet as mature hens with a manner of being gentle to be around. Most people took them for Black Australorps due to their size and coloring. Momma hen hatch 16 peeps so there were always lots of hens and 6 roosters from the hatch and she raised them as free ranging from day one until she cut the apron strings and then they just settled into a new part of the barn when she moved back into the main hen house.

 

[ChicKat]

It would be good to trace the strain of the bad red sex-links. No one would want the type of birds described in the OP. I wonder if TSC tells their source?

I have 1 'gold sex-link' or golden comet. I understand that it is RIR rooster and RI White hen. I have only had her since April--- and am new to chickens..so I like others that favor these birds hope that she lives long and prospers. This chicken is sweet, docile, funny, friendly and lays an egg each day. Today was her 50th day-in-a-row since a one-day break.

In my mind, this kind of chicken would make people REALLY want a back yard flock.

sad to hear of some folks bad expereinces with them.

 

[velittlechik]

These all came in the same batch from Cackle Hatchery you can see the one that is mostly white in a couple, when it was younger she was a lot bigger than most of them. I almost thought it could be a rooster. But now I don't think so. Does anyone think any of them are Golden Comets?

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[Pele]

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Good idea! I got my girls from a local hatchery called Dunlaps. They have a decent selection of stock, and all of the types of chicks I've gotten from them are healthy and good quality (not show quality, but very good for a hatchery).

I was inspired to order sex links from them because a good friend of mine had gold sex-links from Dunlaps too, and they're her best layers, and her most docile flock members.

Hope that helps!

 

[UBkevy]

they look like my comets did. I got all my Chickens from TSC, but I think they came from Meyer hatchery or some other OHIO hatchery. I have to say so for out of all the breeds I have had my Rocks have been best by a lot. My 4 orps I have 1 mellow, 2 aggressive and 1 super flighty bird (the smaller the worse they are). All of my SLW have been weird.... skittish and whenever they see a chance super aggressive. I have a BSL that's unspectacular, I had a RIR that was great but just died one day. I have a few 10 week old EE and a few Reds I am not sure what they all are, they where in a bin of golden comets but where not, well 1 might be. They are from a new hatchery the TSC said so I am hoping for the best. If these birds do not work out I think I will just order a new flock from a hatchery like Ideal.

 

[Harvey'sHens]

I had the same problem with RSLs. Nice to people. Got along with other RSLs, but were horrible with the other birds and feather pickers, had laying issues and egg eating issues. Layed beautiful HUGE eggs. But I'd never have them again in my small flock. They are too high maintenance!

 

[AnimalCrazed]

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Exactly!! it has got to be the hatcheries!! I'm from idaho Falls and i have some GREAT golden sex links, thats what they called them when i bought them, the two of them are easier to pick up and stroke than my Barred Rock. and both have been laying large to extra large eggs and my barred rock only lays medium. But since the red sex link can have many different parents, and it still is a Red sex link, it has many differences in looks and behavior depending on what the hatcheries are using.

for example just out of the two i have, and both hens came from the same batch, one lays dark brown eggs and the other lays light brown. One has white specks on her neck and her tail is white and the other is more of a solid color.

Eggs from the red sex link that has the white specks First egg is from Barred Rock second one is from my other red sex link

All of them