Sex-link


Sex-links are crossbred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in several varieties. As hybrids of laying or dual-purpose breeds infused with extra vigor via heterosis, sex-links can be extremely good egg-layers which often produce 300 eggs a year or more depending on the quality of care and feed. The color of their eggs vary according to the mix of breeds, and blue-green eggs are possible.
Chicks of a single breed that are similarly sex-linked are called autosex chickens, a term developed to differentiate between sex linkage in purebred chickens versus sex linkage in crossbreeds.

Sex-link types

Many common varieties are known as the black sex-link and the red sex-link. More specific variety names are common as well.
One example of a red-linked breed is the Red Shaver, and ISA Brown sex-links are found in Canada.
White birds should not be used in sex-linked crosses because white color allele is sometimes dominant and sometimes recessive.

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