What Breeds are Sex-linked?

[megan13]

Hi. I'm very confused a lot which breeds are actually sex linked. I've looked online and I understand you have to cross certain breeds and all that. But I'm not breeding chickens.

I just want to know if I go to the store and look at chicks, which breeds are sex linked. I know there are black sex links and red sex links, but it seems like there are more and it's very confusing. And last time I ordered sexed pullets I got a rooster so I want sex links this time to make sure that doesn't happen again. Thanks in advanced for your help.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi. I'm very confused a lot which breeds are actually sex linked. I've looked online and I understand you have to cross certain breeds and all that. But I'm not breeding chickens.

I just want to know if I go to the store and look at chicks, which breeds are sex linked. I know there are black sex links and red sex links, but it seems like there are more and it's very confusing. And last time I ordered sexed pullets I got a rooster so I want sex links this time to make sure that doesn't happen again. Thanks in advanced for your help.

Sex links are not a "breed" - the sex linkage is created when two breeds are crossed - Red Sex Links are commonly sold as Red Star, Golden Comet, Cinnamon Queen, ISA Brown, Lohmann Brown, Golden Sex Link and any number of other marketing names that are attached to them (after all "Red Sex Link" just doesn't sound as neat). Common market names for Black Sex links would be Black Star, Black Beauty, etc. (seems there are not nearly as many names for BSL as there are for RSL). These common names would be what you would likely see listed on the tags for sex link chicks being sold in a retail store.

There are some breeds which are considered "auto-sexing" - meaning that they are able to be sexed, on sight, at hatch like a sex-linked cross-breed chick. Common breeds this would include would be Welsummer, Cream Legbar, Bielefelder etc. The difference in the two is that sex linked chicks are the result of mixed breeding (ie a RIR rooster over a Barred Rock Hen) whereas auto-sexing chicks are hatched by mating two birds of the same breed such as a Welsummer roo over Welsummer hens -- they "breed true".

I'm sure all this has done is add to the confusion, because it can be overwhelming trying to sort it all out.....but if you see any of the names listed in the first paragraph those will be sex linked chicks.

 

[megan13]

So there are only red and black sex links? And if I get a Welsummer pullet chick it is garenteed to be a girl?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So there are only red and black sex links? And if I get a Welsummer pullet chick it is garenteed to be a girl?

Not exactly -- those that are likely to be found in the farm store setting (ordered from a hatchery) are going to fall into those two categories. There is a fascinating thread here on BYC regarding sex linking and how you can use it in a breeding program that touches on all sorts of other crosses that can be created, but for the most part, when dealing with hatchery/farm store you are going to see standard red and black link crosses.

Welsummers that are marked as pullets *should* be pullets, but I would still give them a second look and take it with a grain of salt as hatchery grade stock often has bits of "this and that" bred into them here and there that can make the auto-sexing a little less reliable. What you *should* see on Welsummer pullets is nice, defined eyeliner and nice, defined "v" head mark and overall definition of the chipmunk pattern - especially if you have the benefit of a cockerel chick to compare with. I will say that I picked up four Welsummer chicks from the local farm store this spring - they were being sold "straight run" (which seemed kind of funny to me given that they are auto sexing, but if I can pick out the genders I want w/out paying the "sexed bird" price I'm not going to complain, lol). There were obvious male and obvious female chicks, but also a few that would be in my "iffy" category -- I chose from those I felt were obvious females and I ended up with four pullets.

For someone who is just not up to the risk of being burned by more "oops" cockerels, I would encourage purchasing commercial sex links *or* getting an autosexing breed from a good, reliable breeder who has the experience and knowledge of their specific breeding lines to be able to competently identify who is who. I would also encourage them to still be familiar with the gender differentiation for the particular cross or breed they are purchasing so that they can double check for themselves as knowing what a chick should look like can go a long way towards saving yourself a mistake if someone has put a chick in the wrong bin, etc.

 

[Michael OShay]

The sex link labels in the hatcheries become very complex but the breeding is quite simple.

Hatcheries produce Red Sex Links by crossing red gene roosters (Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, or Production Reds) with silver gene hens (Rhode Island Whites, Delawares, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Light Sussex, and sometimes silver factor White Rocks). When the Red Sex Link chicks hatch, male chicks are whitish, female chicks are reddish. Depending on the hatchery, these Red Sex Links are marketed under a lot of different labels including Red Star, Brown Sex Link, Gold Sex Link, Gold Star, Golden Buff, Cinnamon Queen, Bovans Brown, Golden Comet, Isa Brown, Brown Shaver, Red Shaver, Babcock Brown, Warrens, Hyline Brown, Gold Lines, Lohmans Brown, etc.

Hatcheries produce Black Sex Links by crossing red gene roosters (RIRs, NHs, or PRs) with barred hens (usually Barred Rocks). When the Black Sex Link chicks hatch, male chicks have a white spot on top of their black heads, female chicks have no white spot on top of their black heads. Depending on the hatchery, these Black Sex Links are sometimes marketed under labels other than Black Sex Link, such as Black Star, Bovans Nera, and Rock Red.

Both Black and Red Sex Links are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybridization. )

 

[megan13]

Thank you very much for your help. I've just lost faith in the hachery's ability to vent sex when I ordered pullets and got more Roos then hens! I'm very excited to get my sex linked or auto sexed breeds. And getting my girls to raise them. Yay!

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you very much for your help. I've just lost faith in the hachery's ability to vent sex when I ordered pullets and got more Roos then hens! I'm very excited to get my sex linked or auto sexed breeds. And getting my girls to raise them. Yay!

You're welcome. That's the beauty of sex linked and auto sexed chickens; no guess work required as to gender. )

 

[enola]

Concerning the auto-sexing breeds..... When choosing breeding stock, if any 'iffy' colored chicks are used, it only takes generation or two to lose the auto-sexing ability.