Red sex link quality and cost questions

[keystonepaul]

Are the hatchery red sex links: red stars, cinnamon queens, etc, whatever they are called from one hatchery to the next better quality or, more accurrately, more refined than a backyard chicken guy or gal taking the appropriate roo and hens and making thier own? Is there more hybrid vigor (don't know how you'd quantify that) or more eggs produced (noticably) from the hatchery sex links to what I would produce? I guess simply can you tell my home made red sex link from the hatcheries various forms of red sex links. And can I get my own red sex link from my hens eggs, brooded under my own hens to 17 weeks for under $8 bucks? I had 18 production reds (and my six year old son) from Moyers in my Toyota echo (white and looking much like an egg- go figure) at a cost of $7.50 each including gas, but not my time. Other than not running the risk of introducing outside birds to my flock (which is a biggie I know) can I save something by hatching and raising my own production reds. Thanks for your time. Keystonepaul

 

[meriruka]

My very first chickens came from Moyers. They were great birds for a beginner and all survived despite my stupidity. You will get big eggs almost every day, even in winter, but I have to say that they do not live long. I think laying those big eggs every day is too hard on them.
I have since switched to heritage breeds that don't come from hatcheries and now I get less eggs but longer lived birds with fewer health problems.
You could probably hatch your own, but I don't recall my Red Stars ever going broody, so you may need an incubator to do it.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Stumper is a McMurray red star, she was hatched in 2002, still going strong.

 

[meriruka]

I don't want to give the impression that all Red Stars are doomed to die at an early age - just that based on the experience of my own & others, you may experience more issues.

You may be able to breed your own for less $ if your hens hatch them for you - that'll save on an incubator, heat lamp, bedding. You would just have to divide out the cost of the feed to see if you are saving.

As to quality, you could most likely improve the stock with culling and new bloodlines further on.....hopefully an experienced breeder will jump in and help with more detailed advice.

Edited to say Birch Run, that's an attractive & healthy looking bird........all my Red Stars were much "leggier".

 

[Sillystunt]

These birds are not a good breed to make money on. Their eggs are for eating but chicks go for 2 bucks here in Florida. They are just production reds, a cross breed and not pure. They are RIR and NIR bred togther.

Sex links are the same, they are crossed between 2 breeds to be able to sex from their color.

You can hatch out eggs from them but they won't be sex linked. What roo do you have?

There is no improvement for production red, they can't be shown and are a DQ. They already have been improved over the years for their egg production. Not more to do with them~

If you want to make money on a breed find a pure breed and go from there~

Don't get me wrong, i love my production reds, red stars, etc. they just are mutts that lay a great amount of eggs~
I did their page on the breed page....check it out!

 

[keystonepaul]

Thanks folks, but I think my questions remain unanswered- are my red sex links gonna be the same as a hatcheries red sex links of the same type roo and hen? or are theirs more refined in some way? Sillystunt, thanks, I do understand I would need the correct roo and some of the correct hens to get a production red and some random chicks.

Not looking to make any money - other than some egg money to manage the costs of my birds- sooo when I replace some birds every couple of years can I make my own as cost effective as I can buy a 17 week old from Moyers or somewhere else within driving distance. Thanks Keystonepaul

 

[embkm]

If you use the same breeds of hatchery birds for parents as the hatchery uses, I don't see why your "home-bred" sexlinks would be any different.

I was planning on possibly doing that for black sexlinks. Still haven't decided yet.