Sex- linked Information

[vpatt]

These particular bsl's are at the local feed mill. I can ask where they are from....I would expect they are from a hatchery.

I know they are not bred for egg laying but mine lays so often that I guess I expect that. Wish I had bought more of them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you can find out which hatchery they are from and what they are called, that can help. Hatcheries sell two different types of sex links and I don’t mean red or black. One type is made from crossing two breeds, maybe a RIR or New Hampshire rooster over a Barred Rock hen for a BSL or a RIR or New Hampshire rooster over a White Rock, Delaware, Rhode Island White, or Silver Laced Wyandotte hen for a RSL. These are a lot like the parents, a good dual purpose bird. They normally lay really well since the hatchery birds that are their parents normally lay well. They have larger bodies which means they are not really great at converting feed to eggs. They have to use more of what they eat to maintain their larger bodies. Most people are very happy with the egg laying ability of this type or Sex Link. I’ve gotten males from this type to use for meat just to fill out a order and meet the minimum.

Some hatcheries sell Sex Links that are the commercial egg layers. These are egg laying machines. They are smaller than the other type of sex links, about the size of a Leghorn so they are very efficient at converting feed to eggs. These are a little more prone to medical problems from egg laying, especially if you feed them a higher protein diet because they lay large eggs and have that smaller body. The more protein they eat the larger the eggs they lay. Some of these are RSL’s, some are BSL’s.

If you can read the hatchery write-up on these specific BSL’s you should be able to tell which type they are. The adult weight is a good clue too. If the adult weight is similar to a Leghorn they are probably the commercial Sex Links. If the adult weight is closer to a dual purpose bird, they are probably made from two dual purpose breeds. Some hatcheries sell both types, dual purpose and commercial egg layers. That’s why you need to know what that specific hatchery calls them.

 

[vpatt]

If you can find out which hatchery they are from and what they are called, that can help. Hatcheries sell two different types of sex links and I don’t mean red or black. One type is made from crossing two breeds, maybe a RIR or New Hampshire rooster over a Barred Rock hen for a BSL or a RIR or New Hampshire rooster over a White Rock, Delaware, Rhode Island White, or Silver Laced Wyandotte hen for a RSL. These are a lot like the parents, a good dual purpose bird. They normally lay really well since the hatchery birds that are their parents normally lay well. They have larger bodies which means they are not really great at converting feed to eggs. They have to use more of what they eat to maintain their larger bodies. Most people are very happy with the egg laying ability of this type or Sex Link. I’ve gotten males from this type to use for meat just to fill out a order and meet the minimum.

Some hatcheries sell Sex Links that are the commercial egg layers. These are egg laying machines. They are smaller than the other type of sex links, about the size of a Leghorn so they are very efficient at converting feed to eggs. These are a little more prone to medical problems from egg laying, especially if you feed them a higher protein diet because they lay large eggs and have that smaller body. The more protein they eat the larger the eggs they lay. Some of these are RSL’s, some are BSL’s.

If you can read the hatchery write-up on these specific BSL’s you should be able to tell which type they are. The adult weight is a good clue too. If the adult weight is similar to a Leghorn they are probably the commercial Sex Links. If the adult weight is closer to a dual purpose bird, they are probably made from two dual purpose breeds. Some hatcheries sell both types, dual purpose and commercial egg layers. That’s why you need to know what that specific hatchery calls them.

Thank you.

 

[Regin]

I have three choices either 1) Buckeye Cockerel or 2) Black Copper Marans Cockerel or 3)Black Ameraucana Cockerel

Over Dominique Pullets.

Will these combo's produce black sex link chicks?

I guess the Ameraucana cross should produce smaller pullets, but should the Ameraucana cross pullets lay blue or olive eggs?

 

[donrae]

I have three choices either 1) Buckeye Cockerel or 2) Black Copper Marans Cockerel or 3)Black Ameraucana Cockerel

Over Dominique Pullets.

Will these combo's produce black sex link chicks?

I guess the Ameraucana cross should produce smaller pullets, but should the Ameraucana cross pullets lay blue or olive eggs?

Those will all give you black sex link chicks. The buckeye's pullets will have more red leakage and lay regular brown eggs, heavier bodied.
The Marans' pullets will likely be mostly black, minimal if any red leakage, maybe darker brown eggs.
The Ameraucana's pullets should lay green eggs, if he's pure for blue egg genes. They'll be light bodied pullets.

 

[Regin]

Thank you!

 

[mymilliefleur]

I have three choices either 1) Buckeye Cockerel or 2) Black Copper Marans Cockerel or 3)Black Ameraucana Cockerel

Over Dominique Pullets.

Will these combo's produce black sex link chicks?

I guess the Ameraucana cross should produce smaller pullets, but should the Ameraucana cross pullets lay blue or olive eggs?

Yes you should get BSL (with some variations) like donrae said. I used a RIR over two Dominique hens last year (They are hatchery birds, and I'm beginning to doubt they are all Dominique as they have pea combs not rose combs) The chicks from one hen looked like a typical BSL except they had small pea combs, but all the pullets off of the second hen turned out red, some having pea combs and some straight, and the roosters white and with a little black. I wonder what genetics could have caused this.

Here's some pictures of the red pullets:

 

[Ebove06]

If you cross a black copper Maran rooster will a cuckoo Maran hen, will that create a black sex link? And if you cross a black copper Maran with a Rhode Island red, will you get a red sex link?

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you cross a black copper Maran rooster will a cuckoo Maran hen, will that create a black sex link?

Yes, the male is not barred and has birchen. The female is extended black and has barring. That easily makes a black sex link.


And if you cross a black copper Maran with a Rhode Island red, will you get a red sex link?

No. The Black Copper male has gold but the RIR hen does not have silver. She also has gold. That does not make a red sex link.

 

[RedRidge]

A few things to keep in mind when using RIR to create sex links or autosexed... unless you have true standard bred RIR, your genetics are not totally RIR. Most RIR in the US have leg horn in them. Your wheaten/wildtype and your Co genes may be the correct combination in addition to your barring genes.