Age of Gold sex link Pullets

[Hlivestcok]

I have recently purchased some Golden Sex link pullets. I am trying to find any information on how to determine the age of the pullets. They are suppose to be 15-17 weeks old but they are quite small and I'm wondering if there is any way to verify if they are this age or close to it?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Many of us can give you a very educated guess, as we've had sexlinks many times. Can you load a photo? Thanks.
It's all about the combs and wattles. If they don't have any? They're likely less than 14 weeks. If they have red combs and wattles? They're likely 16 weeks. These aren't huge birds, as they are bred for laying.

 

[Hlivestcok]

 

[Fred's Hens]

11-12 weeks. Pretty birds.

 

[Hlivestcok]

and the reasoning behind that is because the combs and wattles are not developed?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, in part. I've raised these birds for many years. Telling their age is pretty easy, since I see them develop over and over again.
In fact, I've a flock of ISA Browns that look just like them, right now. Their development is identical. They were hatched the early part of April.

Chalk this up to simple human error. I don't think it was deception as much as simply not keeping good track. They are very pretty birds and will lay up a storm for you soon, but at week 16, the combs and wattles will "flame" and your birds have not done that. Plain and simple. If they were nearing 17 weeks, you'd be seeing lots of red combs, lots of squatting and even a few pullet eggs. I assume you're not seeing that yet.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Another factor is that perhaps they were grown slowly. Intentionally. Many raisers like to limit their protein after week 10, to slow them down. Slower growing, slower maturing layer, especially the high wired sex links, is usually recommended by the poultry genetics corporations that developed them. This purposeful retarding of maturation helps provide them time to grow in the skeleton and muscle before point of lay. It's simply healthier, in the long run, for these birds.

 

[Hlivestcok]

Thanks for all the information. Do you happen to have a picture of what a 15-16 week old should look like? Also what should I be feeding them because I anticipated for them to be laying soon so I bought a laying ration that is 20% protein?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks for all the information. Do you happen to have a picture of what a 15-16 week old should look like? Also what should I be feeding them because I anticipated for them to be laying soon so I bought a laying ration that is 20% protein?

There you go. 18 weeks old, give or take. Combs and wattles all out and red. Bodies begin to thicken and they transition from pullets egg to extra large, brown eggs.





At 22+ months, they have a very mature look to them and are laying daily, like clock work, even with the decreasing light hours of September-December.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I would still be feeding them Grower. If they are 12 weeks, which I believe to be the case, it is too soon for the high calcium of Layer. Feed out a bag of Grower first, that'll take them 3 weeks? Then, your layer will be just fine. No problems.