Opinions please

[R3bauer]

I am getting back into chickens as I've mentioned before. I have had great success in the past with Australorps and ISA Browns. I had very little success with Americaunas.

I am thinking of getting ISA Browns and Black sex links for my next flock.
I live in eastern Iowa and the will be in a well build coop and well cared for.

Any downside to black sex links?

Thank you all in advance for your opinions and input.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome back! I can't think of any downsides to sex links. How many are you thinking about getting?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Which type of Black Sex link are you considering and how do they fit with your goals? A BLS is a chick whose mother is barred, whose father is not barred, and you can tell by down color at hatch whether it has the spot on the head that signifies it is a male.

Some BSL offered by the hatcheries we use are commercial egg laying hybrids similar to the ISA Browns. Some are made by crossing a barred dual purpose hen like a Barred Rock or Cuckoo Marans with a not-barred rooster like a Rhode Island Red or Black Australorp. The commercial ones are fairly small and lay a lot of large eggs while the dual purpose crosses are more like their parents.

If you can tell us which hatchery your would be getting your BSL from we might be able to tell you what they are going to be like. But just saying Black Sex Link tells me nothing except feather color/pattern.

 

[R3bauer]

Welcome back! I can't think of any downsides to sex links. How many are you thinking about getting?

12 with the goal of 10 or 11. I alway tend to figure one chick will fail to thrive. Usually the runt. At least in my experience. I hate it but its how it usually goes for me.

 

[R3bauer]

Which type of Black Sex link are you considering and how do they fit with your goals? A BLS is a chick whose mother is barred, whose father is not barred, and you can tell by down color at hatch whether it has the spot on the head that signifies it is a male.

Some BSL offered by the hatcheries we use are commercial egg laying hybrids similar to the ISA Browns. Some are made by crossing a barred dual purpose hen like a Barred Rock or Cuckoo Marans with a not-barred rooster like a Rhode Island Red or Black Australorp. The commercial ones are fairly small and lay a lot of large eggs while the dual purpose crosses are more like their parents.

If you can tell us which hatchery your would be getting your BSL from we might be able to tell you what they are going to be like. But just saying Black Sex Link tells me nothing except feather color/pattern.

Thank you so much for the thoughts!
Im considering
https://schlechthatchery.com/

The are only an hour away from me anx I am hoping to go pick them up instead of having them shipped. I have always gotten mine from a farm store before and had poor luck with the last two flocks as had others. I am hoping that going directly to hatchery will be better.

Edit to add: The BSL are a cross between Barred Rock and Rhode Island Reds.

 

[FrostRanger]

Main downside with production breeds such as ISA browns and sexlinks is they tend to be more prone to reproductive issues and tend to live shorter lives on average. They also tend to drop off harder on egg production sooner. How big of an issue this is depends on your goals and management plan. If you plan on culling at 2 years than this is likely a nonissue. If you plan on keeping them for however long they happen to live then this would be something to keep in mind

 

[R3bauer]

Main downside with production breeds such as ISA browns and sexlinks is they tend to be more prone to reproductive issues and tend to live shorter lives on average. They also tend to drop off harder on egg production sooner. How big of an issue this is depends on your goals and management plan. If you plan on culling at 2 years than this is likely a nonissue. If you plan on keeping them for however long they happen to live then this would be something to keep in mind

Thank you! I appreciate the advice. I truly appreciate each and every piece of info I get

 

[Ridgerunner]

Edit to add: The BSL are a cross between Barred Rock and Rhode Island Reds.

So should be about the same size as BR and RIR and lay a lot of fairly large eggs.