Sex-links. Docile? Egg Production? Temperature tolerant?

[cruxmama]

I have a very small mixed flock, of five birds total. One each of Black Austrolorp, Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Golden-Laced Wyandotte, and Delaware. We get them, hoping to have 5 pullets, but figuring we would end up with 4 pullets and a roo. As it turns out, my Delaware is, indeed, a roo... but my Wyandotte might be as well.

If it does end up that we have 3 hens and 2 roos, we will be rehoming the roos and looking to get two new pullets; and as much as I would love to get two started pullets of certain breeds, I am thinking if they didn't grow up together they wouldn't be able to help each other through the transition into the flock? That being the case, it might be wiser to get two sexlinks and raise them together (or one sexlink and a Speckled Sussex, knowing that the latter might end up being a boy)...

That said, the breeds we picked were chosen for a combination of docility, egg production, and hardiness to heat and brief periods of cold (we live in the FL panhandle). Which sexlink varieties would you all recommend we look into? Docility is absolutely critical; we have two young children who will be handling them daily...

 

[mymilliefleur]

I raise black sexlinks, and have always found them to be very sweet and docile (and great egg layers to boot). They have done just fine in our 90+ degree summers and single digit winters. I'm sure they will be a great addition to your flock.

 

[Michael OShay]

I've raised both Red and Black Sex Links over the years and both varieties are generally docile, but where young children are concerned I would go with the Black Sex Links. They are very hardy, and usually friendlier than the Reds, and generally don't seem to mind being handled. My Reds usually tolerated my children handling them, but never really liked it, and never made good lap pets. As far as rate of lay goes, both varieties are egg laying machines, churning out more than 300 large brown eggs per hen per year, but in really cold winter weather my Black Sex Links tended to slightly outlay the Reds (although the FL panhandle shouldn't affect either variety), and their eggs tended to be slightly larger than the Reds' eggs as well (I got more double yolks from my Blacks than my Reds). My Blacks have also tended to have a longer laying life than my Reds. Both varieties are wonderful and I don't think you can go wrong either way, but given your specific criteria (especially with two young children handling them), I would recommend going with the Black Sex Links.

 

[cruxmama]

I raise black sexlinks, and have always found them to be very sweet and docile (and great egg layers to boot). They have done just fine in our 90+ degree summers and single digit winters. I'm sure they will be a great addition to your flock.

I've raised both Red and Black Sex Links over the years and both varieties are generally docile, but where young children are concerned I would go with the Black Sex Links. They are very hardy, and usually friendlier than the Reds, and generally don't seem to mind being handled. My Reds usually tolerated my children handling them, but never really liked it, and never made good lap pets. As far as rate of lay goes, both varieties are egg laying machines, churning out more than 300 large brown eggs per hen per year, but in really cold winter weather my Black Sex Links tended to slightly outlay the Reds (although the FL panhandle shouldn't affect either variety), and their eggs tended to be slightly larger than the Reds' eggs as well (I got more double yolks from my Blacks than my Reds). My Blacks have also tended to have a longer laying life than my Reds. Both varieties are wonderful and I don't think you can go wrong either way, but given your specific criteria (especially with two young children handling them), I would recommend going with the Black Sex Links.

Thank you both so much! I will look into the Black sex links. I think I recall seeing them here locally in the Spring, so I probably won't even have to mail-order them

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you both so much! I will look into the Black sex links. I think I recall seeing them here locally in the Spring, so I probably won't even have to mail-order them

You're welcome.

 

[mymilliefleur]

You're welcome.

X2.