Sex link question

[Senna95]

I'm hoping to breed and raise some sex link chicks this year. I've got barred rock, white rock, and silver laced wyandotte hens, and new hampshire roosters. I know that the barred rock and silver-laced wyandottes will produce Cinnamon Queen and Black star respectively, but I'm a little confused on the white rocks:

From what I've read, they need to have the "silver factor". What exactly is this? Do all white rocks have this, or only some? And how do I find out if mine do?

Thanks...

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Firstly. NHR roo with SLW hens DO NOT make Cinnamon Queens !!! Stay away from the the Feathersite sexlink page for information if that's where you go that from, there's several bits of false information on that page and so many get misinformed. That cross will make sexlinks though still, its just that the Cinnamon Queens (as sold by Cackle) are single combed and red with white tails., if you use SLW hens with red roos, you sexlink pullets you get will be ROSE combed and will be red with black tails and probably have a messy indication of lacing.

And yes the Barred Rock hens with the Red or any other non barred roo will make black sexlinks.

And a for the "silver factor" this is what is required in hens for making red sexlinks, they must have sexlinked silver and in a pattern that it can be expressed in, like in the SILVER laced wyandottes, the "white" coloring on them is Sexlinked Silver, not white. The Silver Columbian pattern like in Delawares, Light Sussex, and Light brahmas is also good for making sexlinks when bred to a pure gold gened roo. However, with the White Rocks, they also have Recessive white which hides the underlying color, so there's no way to know what color they are under the white and if they have the silver gene until you breed them or unless you know their genetic history. So yes some strains have it and some don't. This is why in general, recessive white breeds shouldn't be used in a sexlink cross. Where did you get your White Rocks from ?

 

[Senna95]

Hmmm..... I believe that it WAS feathersite that I got my information from. I just finished reading a great post on sex-links on here by "tadkerson". It was a lot of help. You've probably seen it.

I guess the only way to find out if my white rocks carry the silver is to breed them to my NH roos. (I got them from Ideal Poultry BTW)

Thanks for the info.

Also....... I've got a couple of cucoo marans hens in with my black and blue (true) ameracaunas hens and roos. They should produce sex-link olive eggers, right?

 

[RAREROO]

Ok well you may be in luck then, because ironicly enough, I am also trying to track down a strain of. Silver Columbian based white rocks without dominant white, and I just a few days ago emailed Ideal and asked if the White rocks they sell as pure white rocks were the same strain they use in their Brown Sexlink cross and they said they were, so if they are telling the truth, then you should be able to make sexlinks with them that will be like Ideals Brown Sexlink. So now I'm axious to hear if you do get sexlinks, are your birds old enough to breed yet ?

And yes I have read Tims AWESOME page on sexlink breeding and have helped answer several questions on that thread. There the ultimate source of accurate sexlink info all in one place.

And yes if your Cuckoo Marans hens lay dark eggs, you should get blue and black sexlinked olive eggers, but if they are hatchery hens and only as dark as normal brown eggs, then you will green eggs rather than olive, but yes, sexlinked either way.

 

[RAREROO]

Here's another thread you may be interested in. See post 2 for a few types of Sexlinks I have personally bred.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=375015&p=1

 

[Senna95]

Hi Clint,

Thanks for all the info. My White Rocks are only about 3 or 4 months old right now, so it'll be a while. I'll keep you posted if you want.........

Happy Holidays!
Lisette

 

[RAREROO]

You're welcome and yes I would love to hear how they turn out. Do you have any pics of your white rocks now ?