Tractor Supply's Oddly Labeled Chicks

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

My husband stopped at TS on his way home to check and see if they had any of the breeds I want.

This week they have RR, Commercial Blacks?, and Yellow Star Links?

What is a Yellow Star Link?

I asked my husband if he meant Yellow Sex Link or Golden Sex Link, but no he is certain they are Yellow Star Links.

Has anyone else been to a tractor supply and seen Yellow Star Link chicks? Is a commercial black a black sex link just oddly named?

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

I answered my own question about the Commercial Blacks - this is the description on the Mt Healthy's website.

Quote:

 

[donrae]

Your yellow star links sound like some type of sex link.

I'd seen the commercial black description before and think it's great they are being honest about the birds. Basically, they're telling you you're going to get a good egg layer and it won't be red or white. They're not a "breed", just a production line the hatchery's put out. Really, most of us just want healthy birds that lay eggs, sounds like they're filling a need!

 

[animallover505]

they may be red star roos...They are yellow as chicks.

 

[my sunwolf]

Could be a variation on "Golden Comets," a term for golden production birds that are usually sex linked at birth; basically, a type of red sex link that they slapped another fancy label on. They will probably be very friendly and really good layers.

 

[donrae]

they may be red star roos...They are yellow as chicks.

Red sex link roos should be silver colored at hatch. Check out these pics
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/261208/sex-linked-information

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

Could be a variation on "Golden Comets," a term for golden production birds that are usually sex linked at birth; basically, a type of red sex link that they slapped another fancy label on. They will probably be very friendly and really good layers.

Oh I didn't get any of them. I've had sex links before, worse chickens I've ever had. They produce like crazy, but they don't hold up in the winter as well at my australorps did and they slow down laying at a relatively young age. They also dropped like flies once the fox started coming around, plus there is barley any meat on their bones so it's not even worth cooking them once they stop laying. I will take my heritage birds any day over a hybrid layer. The hybrids are great for backyards not so good for free ranging on a farm.

 

[my sunwolf]

Oh I didn't get any of them. I've had sex links before, worse chickens I've ever had. They produce like crazy, but they don't hold up in the winter as well at my australorps did and they slow down laying at a relatively young age. They also dropped like flies once the fox started coming around, plus there is barley any meat on their bones so it's not even worth cooking them once they stop laying. I will take my heritage birds any day over a hybrid layer. The hybrids are great for backyards not so good for free ranging on a farm.

I've actually had great luck with the sex links, but they did tend to be too friendly towards everything, including predators. They also tend to have issues... respiratory, vent gleet, thin shell. However, they'll lay eggs through almost any kind of stress. Mine laid all through the winter better than any of my (hatchery quality) heritage birds, and are still going strong but are only 3 years so we'll see as they get even older. By 3 years my hatchery quality heritage Barred Rocks were kaput. They are pretty decent at feed conversion. Not like you'd want to straight eat the meat of a 3-5 year old hen anyone, they do just fine in soup like a heritage breed. Though maybe I'm just biased, I have a soft spot for sex links and production birds. I agree that true heritage birds bred for production are better, but if you want lots of personality and big brown eggs, RSL and production birds are definitely the way to go. Just my two cents, and I'm done derailing now.

 

[animallover505]

Yeah, I have 5 gold comets, and they are great!