Red Sex Links - PICS ADDED

[ScotianChick]

Has anyone bred Rhode Island Reds with Silverlaced Wyandottes? I did and I thought I'd have an easier time figuring out what sex the chicks were due to colour. If you did this, please show me a picture so I can tell

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is a totally different cross (SS rooster and Delaware hen) but the principle is the same. The two yellow chicks on the right and the one in the upper left are male red sex links. The red one top right is a female red sex link. The other two red ones and the black ones are something else, not sex links.

The first time I did it, I thought the two yellow chicks to the right were one each, male and female, since one was a little more reddish than the other. I was wrong. The difference is much more pronounced. With RIR rooster and SLW hen, the difference should be very pronounced. If you had a Buff Orp rooster instead of a RIR, then it could be more difficult.

If you have others mixed in with them, like I did, all bets are off.

 

[ScotianChick]

This is just RIR roo with SLW hen. All of them look the same so far. Reddish with black on their backs and yellow faces. One just hatched this morning and it looks more yellow than the others I think... that one could be the boy.

 

[rsf31tmp]

Quote:
If you are lucky.....my last batch of SLW's had 9 boys and 4 girls.....I still have the hens today, but only one boy and he is bullied every day! lots of hens and three boys and he is boy #3

I have a Auburn Java over these hens? Hope for some sex-links!

 

[Ridgerunner]

You'll sure know the difference after these grow a bit. My first hatch was really educational.

Ignore the black. That is the lacing that should eventually show up on the adult feathers. The females should have that. I think the males also will but not sure how clear it will be. The difference in red and yellow is what is important.

Chick down color can be deceptive. I had one that hatched pretty much solid yellow and wound up with a lot of black patterning. It looked more black than white when grown.

I'll be looking forward to the pictures, both as hatchlings and as they grow. After this, you'll be the expert.

 

[ScotianChick]

Here are their backs:

And here is #5 who seems a lot more yellow.

#6 isn't ready to come out yet.

 

[Lark Rise]

They are adorable!
Our Ameracauna looked like that when it was a chick...I love the "eyeliner" look.

 

[ScotianChick]

I just put the little incubator fellow in the brooder. He kept getting wet, I figured if I didn't he'd never dry off. I think those four are girls and that one is a boy. First of all he's super whiny

but mostly he's very yellow and whitish. That says to me, that's a boy and the others are brownish/reddish so they are girls

 

[OkChickens]

I have RIR Rooster X Delaware hens and the females are redish brown and the males are pretty much all white. They are very easy to sex because of the colors.

-Nate