Sex- linked Information

[JeffOeuf]

Yeah, I had thought of the combs, too. Looking for a tight comb. Not necessarily small, but not a stand-up single. Our winters aren't all that severe, but I want a hardy chicken that isn't susceptible to frostbite.

 

[GhostRider65]

Wyandottes have most cool looking combs I had a nice WW rooster, with a beautiful rose comb, no problems with frost bite here in NE Wis. and we have some terrible winters......... also have a SLW hen and she is very pretty, gave me a very nice pullet this year with an EE rooster, comb is small more flat, and she even gave me a nice green egg...... here she is........ my EE roo is a splash with alot of mahogany color in his wings... here they are... this might give you a bit of idea.......on the comb, cuz the cross comb type is the same, rose X pea

her as youngster

better picture of her comb.
the Dad

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think I'm catching on to this. Here's my plan and a question. I'm thinking about a Buckeye rooster over Silver Laced Wyandotte hens. If I understand what I've read, the chicks will be chipmunk patterned with the females showing gold or red in the non-stripe areas and the males being gold to white in the same areas. Am I right on that?

My other question is what the chickens from this particular cross would look like. I had a couple of commercial red sex-links that I was very fond of. They were great layers, very mild mannered birds, and their bright red coloring was very attractive. I've got a couple of Buckeye breeders near me, and from the pictures I've seen, a deep mahogany rooster would be an attractive animal to have around. I also love the look of Silver Laced Wyandotte. If I could have some Wyandotte hens and a Buckeye rooster that would throw pretty and productive red pullets, I would be a happy chicken farmer.

I'm not exactly sure what the chicks would look like at hatch but I'd think it would be pretty easy to tell the males from the females, especially if you have them side by side. I've never done that cross but I think you would like the adult colors and patterns. The hens should be dark red and the roosters basically white with those ivory-colored saddle and hackle feathers. I'm not sure how much lacing would show.

But my response is not about that, it's about the myth of sex links. There is no genetic link to them being sex links and them being good egg producers. Some hatcheries sell commercial sex links that have been especially bred by experts to lay a lot of eggs. These are small in body so they convert the feed more efficiently to eggs than a larger hen. These lay like crazy. It's what they've been bred for.

Some hatcheries sell sex links that are crosses of their dual purpose birds. Hatchery dual purpose birds are usually real good layers so their daughters are too. It does not matter if they are sex links or not. Any cross between two good egg layers should produce a good egg layer. If the parents are not good egg layers, the daughters probably aren't going to be either.

If those Buckeyes and Silver Laced Wyandottes are productive in the way you want then to be productive, their children will be too. If they are not, they won't be. Whether they are sex links or not does not matter.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Thanks, Ridgerunner. That makes a lot of sense. I had a couple of hatchery production sex-links, and that is what I was basing my idea on, but I see what you mean...the parent lines have been developed to deliver that particular cross, not that all sex-links are good layers.

Where in NW Arkansas? I'm just a little north of Springfield.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just southwest of Fayetteville outside of Prairie Grove.

All the sex links hatcheries sell should be good egg layers because they are either the commercial egg layers or they use dual purpose birds that are good egg layers. It's the sex links we make ourselves that become questionable.

I've made sex links using a hatchery stock Speckled Sussex rooster over hatchery Delaware hens. The chicks were real easy to sex and the pullets laid really well. The roosters were a good size to eat.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Just southwest of Fayetteville outside of Prairie Grove.
All the sex links hatcheries sell should be good egg layers because they are either the commercial egg layers or they use dual purpose birds that are good egg layers. It's the sex links we make ourselves that become questionable.
I've made sex links using a hatchery stock Speckled Sussex rooster over hatchery Delaware hens. The chicks were real easy to sex and the pullets laid really well. The roosters were a good size to eat.

Savoy? LOL coldest place in Arkensaw seen it with my own two eyes LOL had ice on the north side of a bluff in Savoy right past the bridge for almost a month later after all the ice(Jan/2000) had thawed everwhere else.

I agree with Ridgerunner what ever two crosses they use to make the sex link hybrid should at least equally match the performance of the parent stock or exceed it a little due to heterosis (hybrid vigor) whether it be egg laying abilities, growing meat on their bones or a dual purpose combo of the two.

Jeff

 

[Ridgerunner]

But Jeff, you'll get the same hybrid vigor whether they are mixed to make sex links or not. For example, my cross of a Speckled Sussex rooster over a Delaware hen produced some nice sex linked chicks. But if I had used a Delaware rooster over Speckled Sussex hens from the same parent flocks they would not have been sex links but would have the same poduction genetics and hybrid vigor.

Them being sex links has nothing to do with it.


Editted to add:

I just noticed you're in Vernon Parish. About 35- 37 years ago I did some fishing on Toledo Bend. I've never seen that many stumps in a lake, most right at the water line. You had to know where you are going or be in big trouble in a boat. Bass fishing was great.

Are those stumps still there?

 

[JeffOeuf]

Ridgerunner,

Have you been on Truman? They didn't drop any of the timber when they closed the dam. Stumps everywhere, and like you said, most right at the normal waterline. I put my boat in there ONCE.

 

[catdaddyfro]

But Jeff, you'll get the same hybrid vigor whether they are mixed to make sex links or not. For example, my cross of a Speckled Sussex rooster over a Delaware hen produced some nice sex linked chicks. But if I had used a Delaware rooster over Speckled Sussex hens from the same parent flocks they would not have been sex links but would have the same poduction genetics and hybrid vigor.
Them being sex links has nothing to do with it.
Editted to add:
I just noticed you're in Vernon Parish. About 35- 37 years ago I did some fishing on Toledo Bend. I've never seen that many stumps in a lake, most right at the water line. You had to know where you are going or be in big trouble in a boat. Bass fishing was great.
Are those stumps still there?

Yes I agree, maybe I didn't say it right in my message or missed something eleswhere which is very par for the course for me. LOL
ETA it helped that I went back and read ALL of the post right

oopsie LOL Got ya Ridgerunner

The stumps in the lake, NO they brought in rigs and cut those nasty things out of the most part made a great place for skiers and tubers and boarders and so Bass boats could HAUL @$$, LOL
It sure took a lot of business away from the boat motor parts sellers (props, and lower units) LOL

now Vernon lake is infested with such stumps but it sure makes for great fish beds therefore great fishing too.

Jeff

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ridgerunner,

Have you been on Truman? They didn't drop any of the timber when they closed the dam. Stumps everywhere, and like you said, most right at the normal waterline. I put my boat in there ONCE. 

No, not Truman, just Toledo Bend. I had some friends that had a camp on the lake, but that is long gone.

Before I left Louisiana I did practically all my fishing in the marsh out of Campo's dock In St. Bernard Parish. I went after Reds and Specks instead of Bass. When I left in 2007 I sold my boat.