Red Star or Golden Sex Link?

BudgieBoy

In the Brooder
7 Years
Apr 10, 2012
10
1
24
GTA, Ontario
Hello fellow chicken lovers!

What a fantastic resource this site is! My fiancee and I have been fortunate enough to raise two little chicks over the past couple months. We bought them just before easter from a farmer at a local flea market; in retrospect we should have made an effort to find a reputable breeder, but we were too excited to think of such things at the time. We were told they were around 2-3 days old, both supposedly pullets, however I've had trouble confirming their breed and sex.

This is what they looked like as little chicks; waking up after napping in my lap at less than 2 weeks old. We have made an effort to handle them daily in an effort to keep them very tame (they are my first chickens but I've raised lots of budgies and cockatiels).



We named the brown/reddish one Nutmeg, and the black one Pepper!
They are around 8 weeks old now. We recently started mixing some lay mash into their chick starter, but as-of reading some info on the forums today I think I might hold off on that for a bit longer. This is what they look like now:


I think that Pepper (the black one) is a Black Star / Black Sex Link pullet. As a chick she was solid black; she never had any white spots on her head which I understand would indicate a cockerel. She is lately growing beautiful golden feathers around her neck. Nutmeg (the brown/reddish one) is the one puzzling me. I’m thinking she may be a Red Star / Red Sex Link, or possibly a Golden Sex Link. Hopefully a pullet either way.

They both are growing small single combs, which I suppose is normal for their age. Both are extremely well tempered and love to lounge around my backyard. Their favourite spot is sitting in the shade under some large peonie plants in our garden. They strongly prefer to be together at all times; separating them by just 10 feet results in loud concerned peeping from both parties. They always give us a good chase when it is time to bring them in at night (their coop is still under construction) but once caught they are happy to perch on our hands and be carried around.

Anyway I was just hoping that some more experienced members might be able to confirm my ideas about Pepper, and help me figure out what Nutmeg is. Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.
Alex.
 
You have two pullets. One a gold/red sex link and the other a black sex link. You're gonna love them. Great layers both.

Neither are breeds. They are cross/hybrid/intentional mutts, etc. No matter. They'll be great layers and are two of my favorite birds.

No, no no on the layer mash. Wait wait wait until you actually have eggs. There is no magic in layer formula. It's just regular feed with a high lacing of calcium a layer needs to form eggs everyday. That high calcium at this age serves zero purpose and only poses a risk to the renal tract.

Congrats on your pullets. Enjoy.
 
Thats great, thanks for confirming for me! And we already love them, so I'm very glad I'll be able to keep them.

I've taken them off the laying feed. I guess I'll stick with the chick-feed crumbs until they start laying? They are naturally supplementing their diet as well, while they free-range around my backyard. Is there another type of feed I should give them between the starter and laying mash?

Thanks again for your response.
 
Iv gotta black sex link but it has white strip in front of of its neck does that mean its a rooster?
 

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