Sex-links do not live long?????

[4HillsSumatras]

I was reading a post yesterday about what are the best Lg. brown egg layers. Seems like everyone loves Barred Rocks. Put someone posted about Sex-links only living a couple of years. Is this correct? We just purchased 6 red Sex-links a couple of months ago just for the eggs. They were 1 year old whem we got them. If this is so I might have made a bad choice. We love the eggs and we get 6 a day but if I am going to have to replace them in 2 years or less I might want to get some BR's from someone.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Sexlinks live as long as any other chicken. They generally lay the best the first couple of years and then gradullay drop off after that. Some folks that want the highest production will 'cycle out' the hens every two years.

 

[speckledhen]

They live just as long as other birds, unless their high production does them in by internal laying issues, which are usually fatal. I've had plenty of hatchery birds die from it, but no breeder quality ones yet. Most hatchery stock has broodiness bred out of them in favor of egg production and sexlinks are bred to lay, lay, lay, at least for a couple of years.

 

[4HillsSumatras]

Thanks for the info. I must have misunderstood what I read. I still think I might have made a bad decision getting these birds.

 

[Goose and Fig]

No- I'm sure you'll be happy with them. I started adding chicks when my layer birds were 1 1/2 years old so I'd have an overlap for continuous eggs. Every breed slows down- and if you want to keep getting the same amount of eggs.....

 

[catdaddyfro]

You will be happy with yor sex-links. They are great layers of big brown eggs for along time. All hen slow down after thier first few years, and I don't blame them either cause they've been workin' hard. As far as the short-lived thing I think this might be from some hen stories from adopted layers out of egg houses these hens get old fast. And the egg binding thing is usually caused from rushing these production pullet into laying as early as possible. Inother words they're just plum tukerd out. Happy laying.

 

[lauralou]

I have a couple of sex links, and I love them! They are very reliable egglayers. When my other girls are molting, or broody, or just being prissy, nonegglaying brats for whatever reason, I can always count on eggs from my sex links.

 

[Karrie13]

I have 7 gold sex links and love them! They are great birds and the friendliest of all my girls. They lay beautiful eggs.

I also have 4 black sex links and I must say they are not nearly as friendly as my gold ones, in fact they can sometimes be just plain mean.

 

[speckledhen]

There is no reason not to have them. They should do well for you.

 

[4HillsSumatras]

Thanks for all the post. I wont get rid of them but I don't think I'll get more.