What do I have?

[joecontreras]

I have one cockeral (Black Sex-link) and six pullets (four RIR and two Black Sex-links) and we just incubated and hatched eight of their eggs. The hatch result was five black chicks (three of them had white spots on their heads and two didn't) and 3 were yellow, not reddish yellow but bright yellow.

I have looked around and it seems I should have not gotten any yellow chicks from this and confused if they retain any of the sex-link characteristics or not. Anyone with any ideas on the yellow ones? This is our first time hatching eggs. We got the adults as chicks last year and managed to raise and keep all of them alive and loved it so we wanted to breed and hatch more.

 

[dsqard]

This is from Wikipedia: Sex-links are cross-bred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in many varieties, few of which are a true breed. Two common varieties are the Black sex-link (also called Black Stars) and the Red sex-link (also called Red Stars). Blacks are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a Barred Rock hen.
So to answer your question, you have adorable mixed breed chicks!

 

[joecontreras]

I was sure it was a mixed breed but was thrown off by the bright yellow chicks. I expected red or black or even light red but not yellow. They are definitely adorable. Some of the black ones even have full white breasts and some have full white tails. I think they are going to be georgeous adults!

 

[donrae]

I also have a bsl cockeral. Haven't hatched any out from him yet, but my understanding is he will throw fifty percent barred, fifty percent nonbarred. I'm thinking the yellow chicks are from the rir, maybe, and whatever else crossed with the barred rock to make your sex-links. I'm betting they'll turn out reddish gold or orangish. That would be cool on a barred bird!