Newly hatched Black Sex Links (Black Stars) Need help on the most reliable method of sexing them.

[TammyF]

Just hatched out some adorable Black Sex Links. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on sexing them? Ive read about the white spot on the head and the length of the wing feathers also. I have buyers for them but they are really choosy about what they want. I don't want to sell something and it not be correct. Thanks in advance.

 

[PirocaKeeper]

So the assumption is you used one barred rock bird and one solid bird. Like a barred rock hen and a RIR rooster. You can get black sex links in different ways, but I think this is one of the most common. If this was your case. Then all your females are going to be black (or very dark brown), no dots on the head. All males will be barred, which means they will all have a white dot on their heads. I am attaching a picture.
Females are on the left and males are on the right. Hope it helps.

 

[TammyF]

Yes I have Barred Rock Hens and a Rhode Island Red Rooster. Thank you so much. Wow I only got one hen out of six. I have also noticed from a few earlier hatches. The hens beaks seem to be black verses the roosters are more yellow. Is this a way also? Thanks so much for the info. I also have Rhode Island Red Chicks. Is it true that the hens will have a black stripe or mark on the back of their necks?

 

[lazy gardener]

The white spot on the black sex link head is the primary indicator of a male chick. I think the females, in addition to the absent white spot, will often have darker beaks and feet. Regarding, RIR chicks, I believe (from reading in the past) that the chicks with the chipmunk patterning up onto the back of the head are all female. Not all female chicks have the striping, but NO male chicks do. You'd have to do some reading to verify my recall regarding RIR sexing... as I read it quite a while ago.

 

[PirocaKeeper]

X2. Darker beaks and darker feet also, but basically no spot (female). In terms of RIR, I have read the same chipmunk stripes on back females, no chipmunk stripes (should be males). Last year I had a whole bunch of RIR chicks included with an order I had shipped to me. These RIR were all suppose to be males (they call them warm peanuts), as one does not order them, they include them for heat purposes. In any event they sent me 5 buff orpington and 6 RIR. I looked very close to the RIR and on the first day, I could not tell there were chipmunk lines on 2 of them, they were kind of lighter ones, but I could tell they have some in comparison with the other that were plain buffy red. So I went online and read the same thing and yes in fact they were pullets (those 2) and are now laying beautiful large eggs. Lovely pullets that were a bonus to me, as I expected them all to be males. I also had a buff orpington pullet, but she died. She never quite developed right, and so she always look kind of male, until the others started crowing and getting their wattles and combs and this one, never grew much of anything.