Please help! Pullets or Roos?

[Mountain Peeps]

Pullets

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you so much!! I did not know that.@Michael OShay I have one more question...I've seen your posts on other pages about black sex links. My friend and I got two awhile back from the same breeder. He only had barred rocks, rir, and black sex links. We'll 1 of the chicks grew up solid black with no streaking and the other has a little red on the neck. Is that possible? Or did he give one of us a different bird? He said those are the only breeds he carries. I'm just wondering if my solid black one is really a sex link.

It's possible to have a Black Sex Link hen that is solid black. Most commercial Black Sex Links are produced by crossing a red gene rooster (usually a RIR or Production Red) with a barred gene hen (usually a Barred Rock), which accounts for the reddish streaks in the neck of the hens, however if a Black Sex Link rooster is bred by crossing a black gene rooster such as a Black Australorp with a barred gene hen, the female offspring will be solid black without the red streaking in the neck. Either way, like Red Sex Links, BSLs are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. Actually in very cold weather, my Black Sex Links have laid slightly better even than my Red Sex Links. You should get loads of eggs from those two BSL hens. )

 

[Michael OShay]

I'm sure you are right, but for us noobs, can you explain how you can tell that is a Production Red? It looks very mahoganny to me, and I can't see any light down, so I wouldn't be able to tell. Or were you just making the logical assumption it is a Production Red because the owner doesn't know its breed that well? (...would've had to pay extra from a breeder for Heritage RIR....)

The reason the bird looks so dark in the picture is because of the poor lighting. But even in such poor lighting, it appears to be missing the heavy black feathering that is typical of RIRs (at least show quality RIRs), as you can see in the picture below. It's always possible that the hen above could be a hatchery quality RIR as the differences between hatchery quality RIRs and Production Reds are often razor thin or next to non-existent.

 

[Michael OShay]

it appears to be missing the heavy black feathering

I meant to say "heavy black tail feathering." It's obviously getting late. I think I'll go get some caffeine. )

 

[The Colonel]

The reason the bird looks so dark in the picture is because of the poor lighting. But even in such poor lighting, it appears to be missing the heavy black feathering that is typical of RIRs (at least show quality RIRs), as you can see in the picture below. It's always possible that the hen above could be a hatchery quality RIR as the differences between hatchery quality RIRs and Production Reds are often razor thin or next to non-existent.

^^^ This X 2, heritage RIR, no. Great egg laying nice looking ladies, yes. Also, in most production reds, it is a slightly lighter shade of mahogany, making the bird look a little brighter than its somewhat darker counterparts almost chocolatey red. As Michael has helped me illustrate in the picture above.

 

[Wyandottes7]

^^^ This X 2, heritage RIR, no. Great egg laying nice looking ladies, yes. Also, in most production reds, it is a slightly lighter shade of mahogany, making the bird look a little brighter than its somewhat darker counterparts almost chocolatey red. As Michael has helped me illustrate in the picture above.

Agreed.

 

[KNelly]

Thank you so so much! You've taught me alot today!

 

[The Colonel]

Thank you so so much! You've taught me alot today!

No problem, feel free to ask more questions anytime. Everyone needs a little help every once in a while. Glad to be of assistance, I haven't been here very long, but you've got some good brains coming together above me. Your in good hands with this crew, been here long enough to know that.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you so so much! You've taught me alot today!

You're welcome. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. )