| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| StrawHouseRanch |
Posted - Mar 29 2013 : 8:55:40 PM
I'm adding to my flock this Spring. I have 5 barred rocks now, and intend to add 5 more chickens. I keep hearing good things about black stars, and were wondering if any of you have any or experience with them? I love my barred rocks with their chatty nature and docile temperament. It seems like the Black Stars are similar, but I want to make sure. From what I've read, the black sex-links may not always be a cross of the same breeds, but rather similar breeds, which might make a difference in their personalities and appearance. Thoughts? Comments? Insight?
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 7:38:57 PM
Congrats ladies. Chicks are so fun and soft and cuddly.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
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www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| nubidane |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 7:26:49 PM
Good for you Paula! We just picked up 8 chicks, 4 Aracaunas, 2 Columbian Rock Crosses & 2 Comets.
We really could care les about the breed, they are all just so friggin adorable! Hubs is worse than me.. If it was up to him, we'd have 50!
"We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” – R.R. |
| StrawHouseRanch |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 7:21:26 PM
Thanks everyone for your honest input. I wouldn't feel so enriched by each of your experiences otherwise. You all are wonderful sisters and are the first ones I thought to ask about these new little chicks I'm considering bringing home. I'm going to pick up 5 black "chicks" on Saturday and only hope I can raise them to be as healthy and productive as my sweet barred rocks have turned out to be....photos coming soon of course! 
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
| nubidane |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 7:01:11 PM
Amen Laura
"We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” – R.R. |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 11:46:25 AM
I didn't assume you thought chickens have pedigrees, I was speaking in general. I usually do.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Apr 03 2013 : 11:43:34 AM
Differing perspectives and opinions is what a forum is for.
Laura :)
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Apr 02 2013 : 1:15:46 PM
Laura, never said they have "Pedigrees", this I know, I have been farming since birth , as 4 generations before me, every one has their opinion, as you have yours and I have mine...I do not speak without knowing the facts, been doing research on chickens for many, many years to get a great egg production hens, and a great meat birds, I also know that if you don't get your poultry for a good reliable source, you will be throwing money away...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Apr 02 2013 : 10:58:32 AM
"Sex-Links" and "Stars" are the same thing, and there are several other names for them as well, what they are called all depends on who is selling them lol The mostly-white rooster from the red sex link/red star/whatever other name one calls them comes from the silver mothers. The barred rooster in the black sex link/black star comes from the barred mother. The sire is almost always a Rhode Island Red or something very similar.
BTW chickens don't have pedigrees or bloodlines like horses, cows, and sheep. Breeders breed for type not lineage. :)
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| StrawHouseRanch |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 8:53:19 PM
Tina,
Thank you for the great info. I have read in some places that Black Star and Black sex-link are the same thing. But I had my suspicions. Now it sounds true, that you are for sure going to get pullets, but not sure what kind of background or personalities you might get.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 6:36:07 PM
neither sexlinks or stars breed true because they are a mix of breeds...they are differant from each other because the mixes are differant from each other...the male gene in both cause the mostly white rooster in the reds, and mostly red rooster in the blacks, but they are both differant breeds (thou mixed), sex-links have been around for many, many years, and the stars were introduced just a few years back
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 5:01:33 PM
laura, thanks for such great info.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| crittergranny |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 4:46:37 PM
I might add that I have a lot of chicks that are hatched from black star and red star eggs and they seem to come out either white and white with a few black speckles or a little gold shading or black and white barred. These are the colors in subsequent generations both male and female. I have been hatching these here at home for about 6 yrs. I have never gotten one that has come out red or black like the first generation. My daughter raises chickens and knows a lot more about chicken coloring than I do and she says that white feathering is the hardest to "cover up" with other colors in breeding. I will say that most of the barred chicks I get from these chickens can be seperated male and female because the males are lighter in general than the females.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 4:32:22 PM
Black Stars and Red Stars are both sex link chickens. They are called that because the Red star males are white. The Black Star roosters are black and white barred. (Thus coloring is sex linked) But this is only in the chicks one orders because they will all be either red or black on future generations.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/black_star.html
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 08:10:38 AM
I have had sexlinks for my egg hens for many , many years, I flip back and forth between red and black so I always know whos the older/younger hens, they lay all year without artifical light, in the cold,cold of winter, and the hot of summer...they are consistent in size and calm personality...I tried stars one year, and was not happy at all with them...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Mar 30 2013 : 07:07:16 AM
I have some black stars and always have had a few around. I like them very much. Some of them are very pretty and colorful with orange hackles and black shiny bodies. Halloween colors...lol.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
