Red sex-links

[yogi]

I have six Red sex link pullets which I just love. Mine are an orangish/red with white tail feathers and white feathers around their neck. I have seen pictures of red sex-links which were all red. I don't like these.Can anyone tell me exactly what mine are called or where I can get them? Mine came from TSC but my grandson bought some from there last year which are all red on the surface and just a little white underneath. I like mine. Help?

 

[Fred's Hens]

TSC contracts with different hatcheries. It would be tough to know precisely which strain of RSL from which hatchery you got your favored birds.

I've had a couple different strains from different hatcheries and they were both good birds, yet slightly different. I prefer the ISA Brown, from Townline which is sold by many TSC stores in the upper midwest/Great Lakes area. I know my response isn't as helpful as you'd like, but it what it is. There are a few dozen strains of RSL sold by the various hatcheries to regional TSC stores.

You might inquire from the TSC which hatchery they used at the time of your purchase. They don't seem shy about answering the question, if the present staff knows.
Lately, however, our TSC stores have been selling bins of "assorted red layers", which tells the customers nothing at all. It creates a lot of confusion in people here. They just get confused about RSL, production reds, hatchery quality Rhode Island Reds, and then you toss in some red mixes called Cherry Eggers, etc, and the confusion in people's minds just grows.

 

[aoxa]

Like these guys? They are the average RSL. They will look like this once grown:

I haven't seen many RSL that were fully red. Those are usually Production Reds (which are not sexed at hatch like RSL). Some RSLs have less white than others. Even between sisters.

 

[yogi]

What are these called?

 

[ChickyBoy417]

Red sex links...also called red stars ^^

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hatcheries make up names for their RSL birds.

Cinnamon Queen, Golden Comet, Red Star etc, etc. Since no one knows anymore about them, other than the fact that someone put a red bird over a silver-white bird, the hatcheries can call them what they want. Most of them are really commercial birds that get sold through retail outlets such as feed stores, TSC, etc.

One such commercial strain is the ISA Brown, sold by Townline through TSC, Family Farm and Home, Rural King, etc.

Even among a single batch, some will be very white, with some red, while others will be almost all brownish red, with very little white. There isn't much uniformity.

 

[aoxa]

Hatcheries make up names for their RSL birds. 

Cinnamon Queen, Golden Comet, Red Star etc, etc.  Since no one knows anymore about them, other than the fact that someone put a red bird over a silver-white bird, the hatcheries can call them what they want.  Most of them are really commercial birds that get sold through retail outlets such as feed stores, TSC, etc.

One such commercial strain is the ISA Brown, sold by Townline through TSC, Family Farm and Home, Rural King, etc.

Even among a single batch, some will be very white, with some red, while others will be almost all brownish red, with very little white.  There isn't much uniformity.  

Correct you are!

My chicks are now 6 weeks old and some are far lighter than others. Some had chipmunk stripes, and some did not. They were all hatched from the same facility and were purchased through my feedstore just labelled: Brown Layers.

 

[Horseychicken]

sorry to ask, but are they nosiy? i live inthe city and am ge5ting 4 chickens. i was thinking one could be a red star/sex links. thanks!

 

[Horseychicken]

that si THE CUTEST freakin little chick ive ever saw... omigosh.

 

[Fred's Hens]

sorry to ask, but are they nosiy? i live inthe city and am ge5ting 4 chickens. i was thinking one could be a red star/sex links. thanks!

Excited for you. BTW, there's no such thing as quiet chickens. They are what they are. Birds, that ba-gawk and make other sounds and calls. Just sayin'.