Semantic Questions About Red Sex Links

[Henrik Petersson]

In Sweden, we have something we call bruna värphybrider which literally means brown layer hybrids and is a collective term for hybrids such as ISA Brown, Lohmann Brown and Bovan. They all share a number of characteristics: Mid-sized with the exact same shape, size and color; the lay a CRAP-TON of light brown two-ounce eggs; practically never go broody; and also share the same temperament - extremely curious and active, spectacular foragers, almost totally fearless of humans and generally tough against chickens of other types. Also, thanks to their productivity, they die young.

Here's how literally all of them look:

Now, I read about chickens a lot on American pages, and I don't think I've once came across the term "brown layer hybrid", or indeed "layer hybrid". What I do see a lot, however, is "red sex link". And when I see photos of the latter, and read descriptions of them, they seem to be the exact same thing as our "brown layer hybrids".

So my question is: Are red sex links the same thing as brown layer hybrids?

 

[Kessel23]

Yep. We call them Red Sex links because the chicks of the hybrid cross are white if male and red if female. We also have what I would call barred sex links, sexed linked birds that use the barred gene in their cross like the Black Star. RSLs get different names depending on which breeds were used to make the cross. The one thing they all have in common is they can be sexed by color. I am not sure what the name of the red gene is that is involved but I know with Barred Sex Links it is the barred gene that makes them Sex linked. All RSL look very similar to your picture because all of the breeds that are used to produce them have similar body shapes and are Red birds and White birds. They are not technically identical because the crosses do come from different breeds. Some RSL strains do go broody often. Ones who come from a heritage RIR cross do go broody somewhat often. Both of my RSL hens go broody, they are both pretty bad moms though.

 

[Wezdin]

The two breeds are very close, and they look a lot like red stars too. I do not know if they are identical, but they are very similar

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Yep. We call them Red Sex links because the chicks of the hybrid cross are white if male and red if female. We also have what I would call barred sex links, sexed linked birds that use the barred gene in their cross like the Black Star. RSLs get different names depending on which breeds were used to make the cross. The one thing they all have in common is they can be sexed by color. I am not sure what the name of the red gene is that is involved but I know with Barred Sex Links it is the barred gene that makes them Sex linked. All RSL look very similar to your picture because all of the breeds that are used to produce them have similar body shapes and are Red birds and White birds. They are not technically identical because the crosses do come from different breeds. Some RSL strains do go broody often. Ones who come from a heritage RIR cross do go broody somewhat often. Both of my RSL hens go broody, they are both pretty bad moms though.

Thanks - nice to have my suspicion confirmed.

As for differences between them, I have noticed some small temperamental differences, but they may simply be due to individual differences between birds:
* ISA Brown - more mellow and laid-back.
* Bovan - fairly kind to other chickens.
* Lohmann Brown - extremely mean to other chickens. We had one that went broody once and raised chicks.

Another thought: I would guess all of them, or most of them, have RIR in them? They look very similar to me, plus RIR are known as prolific layers with a friendly and strong-willed disposition.