Question about breeding

[MissB629]

I have a RIR rooster and a lavendar orpington hen. When their eggs hatch will I be able to tell the hens from the roos by their coloring? Thanks

 

[Skyle]

No, the only way to sex at hatch is to use sex-linked genes such as silver (transforms red in white, not to confuse with dominant and recessive whites) or barred.
In these sex linked mixes the females will look like the father and the males will look like a mix between mother and father.
A famous example is the red sexlink cross: red rooster and silver hen. The females will be red and the males will be yellowish. Sexable at hatch.
A red roo mixed with a lavender hen will likely give you black chicks with red leakage.
The lavender color is the result of the lavender gene (diluitor) over a black chicken. It is recessive, so none of your chicks will be lavender, but they will all be carriers.

 

[MissB629]

Thank you so much!