Issue with Hatching Sex-Linked Chicks, Rhode Island Red Rooster, White Leghorn Hen, AllWhite Chicks

[Gaurdian Minifarm]

We are trying to produce our own Golden Comet type production layers. To do this, we purchased Rhode Island Red roosters and White Leghorn hens. We have had two hatches so far and have only had white chicks hatch. Has anyone else tried this? From what we understand, this means we have all males; the females should be red. Is there something we are missing?

 

[JaeG]

Leghorns won't work as they are dominant white rather than silver.
Here's an article that has lots of good info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rs-what-they-are-and-how-to-breed-them.65934/

 

[Redhead Rae]

You need to use White Rocks or Delawares. Leghorns don't work.

You can also use your red male over barred females (dominiques, barred rock) to get BSLs. I have dominiques and have BSL from both New Hampshire and Black Cochin roos.

 

[The Moonshiner]

To make red sex links you need to cross a gold based rooster to silver based hens.
White leghorns aren't what is needed. They are dominate white and will not work for sex links. The dominate white is passed to the chicks making them mostly white. Your chicks can be males and females. They're not sex linked so they will not look different.

 

[Gaurdian Minifarm]

Thank you for your help. That is such a bummer. We did our research before trying this, but obviously we missed something. Everybody we read after on the internet included White Leghorns as one of the many potentials. These should still be excellent layers, correct?

 

[Redhead Rae]

Thank you for your help. That is such a bummer. We did our research before trying this, but obviously we missed something. Everybody we read after on the internet included White Leghorns as one of the many potentials. These should still be excellent layers, correct?

Yes, since the hens of this mix will be leghorn hybrids, they will be WONDERFUL layers. We have 12 such birds and they lay VERY well most of the year. They are on hiatus at the moment as they are molting.

 

[Gaurdian Minifarm]

Yes, since the hens of this mix will be leghorn hybrids, they will be WONDERFUL layers. We have 12 such birds and they lay VERY well most of the year. They are on hiatus at the moment as they are molting.

Thank you. That is what I thought. We picked the Leghorn because it is one of the best layers, and we thought it would produce a better production layer than the other options.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Thank you. That is what I thought. We picked the Leghorn because it is one of the best layers, and we thought it would produce a better production layer than the other options.

Just be careful when sexing them as they mature. Look for hackle and saddle feathers on the roos. Don't sex based on combs and wattles. My leghorn cross hens have HUGE combs and wattles.

 

[Gaurdian Minifarm]

Just be careful when sexing them as they mature. Look for hackle and saddle feathers on the roos. Don't sex based on combs and wattles. My leghorn cross hens have HUGE combs and wattles.

Thank you. That is not surprising seeing that Leghorns have such massive combs; they almost always look like a rooster at first glance.

 

[Gaurdian Minifarm]

Do you all think a White Wyandotte would produce a sexlink? Are they a dominant white gene or do they have a silver base? Thank you again for all your help. We really do want a sexable production bird; we are trying to find Silver Laced Wyandottes in our area. We are drawing a blank but have found some White ones. We just want to make sure that would work before committing.