Sex Link

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Sex Links are poultry whose sex can be easily determined upon hatching. There are two varieties, black and red. The Black Sex Link female is a completely black chick while the males are black with a white spot on the top of their heads. The Red Sex Link female hatches out a buff or red and the male white.

BSL hens mature to a beetle-black with red/golden feathers on their neck and/or breast. BSL roosters mature to a Barred Rock pattern with a few red/and or gold feathers. They both have black legs (though sometimes the black is mixed with yellow/green) and black beaks.

RSL hens mature to one of three different colorations:

• Buff with white or tinted undercolor (such as Golden Comet, Rhode Island Red crossed with Rhode Island White)
• Red with White or tinted undercolor (Cinnamon Queen)
• Red with Red undercolor (Delaware crossed with Production Red). In this

color pattern it is almost impossible to distinguish daughters' color from father's color. RSL males mature to white with gold, red and/or black saddle, neck and wing feathers. Both have yellow legs and horn colored beaks.

BSL are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire Red rooster and a Barred Rock hen.

RSL are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire Red rooster and a White Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island White or Delaware hen.

BSL and RSL are sometimes referred to as Black Stars and Red Stars and both lay brown eggs.

Camilla, a BSL hen.

Linda Lee and Perle, two RSL hens.