Sex Link Sexing

[wrwilliams46]

I have a new flock of sex-links(12 roosters, 13 hens), and most of the roosters are almost ready to "graduate". I have one rooster(white coloured) who, other than the fact that he is white(which SHOULD make him/her male), LOOKS more like a hen(who are all red). No comb, small tail, etc.

Is it possible that the color gene didn't transfer properly, and this is ACTUALLY a hen, as opposed to a rooster...?

I want to keep 1 rooster with these hens, but if this could actually be a hen, NOT a rooster, I'd like to keep the extra hen, as opposed to turning him/her/it into dinner.

Any thoughts...? Is the sex-link color gene 100%, could this actually be a "bonus" hen, or just a rooster with hormone imbalances...?

 

[dheltzel]

It's more likely a late developing rooster than a hen that inherited the gene for dominant silver from her mom. Though some very weird things have happened with genetic mutations.

You know you are going to keep him/her, so let us know what happens. Maybe his sex organs never developed, leading to the hormonal imbalance you mentioned. In that case you could end up with a bird that acts like a hen, but can't lay eggs, sort of the worst of everything.

If you want to keep a roo, I'd keep the best looking/behaving in addition to this one, because if it is hormonal and he doesn't mature to a roo, you will probably want to eat him too. I suspect 2 roos with 13 hens will not present any problems and give better fertility than just one.

 

[Michael OShay]

If it is truly a Red Sex Link (red gene roo X silver gene hen) and it is white, then it is a rooster. As dheltzel suggested, it may just be a late developing rooster. If you want further verification of its identity, post a pic for us and we'll take a look at it.

 

[dheltzel]

If it is truly a Red Sex Link (red gene roo X silver gene hen) and it is white, then it is a rooster. As dheltzel suggested, it may just be a late developing rooster. If you want further verification of its identity, post a pic for us and we'll take a look at it.

Forgot about the very real possibility they mixed up chicks at the hatchery. It could be a Rhode Island White or White Rock (or others) and those are virtually impossible to tell apart as chicks. That would be ideal because then you might have a white hen.

I agree, post some pics and we can say a lot more about this bird. Close up head shot and full body shot would be best.

 

[wrwilliams46]

Pics for reference.

 

[wrwilliams46]

What the rest of the boys look like.

 

[wrwilliams46]

With the girls.

 

[Chris09]

She is't a sex-link.
Where did you get the birds from?

 

[wrwilliams46]

With the girls.

 

[wrwilliams46]

They are from Miller Hatcheries in Canada.