Why buy a sexlink?

[Toast]

I own red sexlinks, and bought them because they were supposed to be gentle and efficient layers. But instead of buying new replacement layers each year, we were wondering if we could get a rooster and just keep making our own chicks? If the red sexlink is a crossbreed, that wouldn't work, would it? So I was thinking of getting whatever the parent is.. I think a RI red hen and just raise those instead. Would that work? Really, what is the advantage of a sexlink? Does it pull the advantages of both breeds or something??

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I saw eggs on ebay. Now I heard that if you where to breed them there eggs wont be true sex links

 

[silkiechicken]

To make sexlinks, the commecial places have their own strains of the males and females seperate, they cross them to get the efficent egg layers you bought at the store. You can get parent strains and do the same, but often not quite as good as the commercial companies who have had many years perfecting them. The main advantage of a sexlink is the fact you can get 100% girls because the boys and girls look different at hatch. This is important for those who do not want to risk having a rooster.

If you want to breed and raise your own, you can do production reds no problem.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I'd buy them because they're great layers. If I was wanting a specific breed or a purebred chicken, I wouldn't bother.

 

[speckledhen]

The only advantage is that they can be instantly sexed at hatch. They do lay very well, but my RIR hens and Barred Rock hens lay just as well. Can't do better than an egg each day! A black sexlink is a RIR rooster over Barred Rock hen. Both of those breeds are great layers.
Here's the info on sexlinks, concise and easy to read, from feathersite:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sex-links/BRKSexLink.html

 

[ksacres]

Quote:
Hybrid vigor is one advantage of sexlinks. They won't breed true, but they will breed. If you have no issue with birds of various colors there is no real reason why you couldn't hatch your own replacement birds.

 

[kyfarmer]

i just like they eggs they lay i dont care if they breed or not they run with all my chickens so if i did breed them they be so mixed up lol

 

[speckledhen]

Well, hybrid vigor is certainly no myth. I've heard that they will burn out more quickly after laying like gangbusters for a couple of years, but I do not know if that's true or not. I also think they are generally smaller in body size than say a purebred RIR, so not sure if they'd be good for meat really. Is that the case, the body size? I don't have any sexlinks myself and was wondering if my impression about that was true.

 

[mel58]

I don't have a lot of experience, either, but have had 4 red sex links, 2 rir reds and half a dozen red sex links males I got by mistake

the sex links are definitely lighter than the rirs I've had. I can clip the RIR and keep them from flying over pens. can't do that with the sex links, they are so light they can still get over. also when they moult really badly you can tell they are smaller (and shorter). but have never actually weighed one.

that goes for hens. the male red sex links got pretty big but I've never had RIR rooster so can't compare. not as big as my marans roosters by any means but big enough to be worth the trouble butchering (didn't get a chance because of my stupidity and a coon).

 

[GreggsEggs]

I have Black Sex Links and I like them.
Sex Links are often used as commercial layers, because they are efficient producers of large brown eggs. They have excellent livability, and hens weigh about 5 1/2 lbs. and can be processed for meat when their use for laying is over. Adult males (roosters) will weigh about 9lbs.

Now as for their size and weight compared to RIRs, sex link hens are only about 1 lb lighter and roos are both pretty close too.