Nautigirl Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I have chicks hatched from Rhode Island Red x White Sussex. One is brown and definitely a hen but the other two are paler with darker stripes. Are these cockerels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyRoo Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I believe sexing hens is pretty much a guessing game until they get slightly older, unless they are an auto-sexing breed. I'd read that commercial breeders use professional 'sexers' to determine their sex and then the success rate was about 90%. There's some information about it here: https://www.backyardchickencoops.com.au/chicken-sexing-in-an-eggshell and here: https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chickens-101/how-to-tell-the-sex-of-baby-chicks/ I believe the cross-breed you're referring to after often called Goldlines, Amber Stars, or Amber Link hens (someone correct me if I'm wrong) - so you might be able to do some further research specifically about those breeds to find out more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I presume you are trying for sex linked offspring. I presume you have a RIR cockeral and a white sussex hen? The classic mating is a RIR cockeral and a Light Sussex hen, and I am not totally sure that it will work for a white sussex. It is essential to have the RIR as the male otherwise the cross will not work. Anyway, if it was the classic cross, we would expect white offspring to be male and buff/yellow to be female. Based on what you have I think there is a very good chance that the 2 paler ones are boys, but I can't be 100% confident, genetics really isn't my thing except at a basic level. It could be that if you have used a white sussex hen, rather than a LS hen, the offspring are a bit less clear cut in terms of colouring (slightly clutching at straws here!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
