I'm new to raising chickens. What's the difference between Gold Star, Golden Comet, and Golden Sex Link chickens. Is one breed more gentle ? What hatchery should I try? Buddy in east Georgia

-- Charles Haddon Jr. (Buddybud@csranet.com), October 17, 2001

Answers

Buddy, I don't know anything about the chickens you mentioned, but, if it is the color you want, have you thought about Buff Orphington chickens? They are beautiful and are also good layers and meat birds. I am going to order more next spring. They are also a docile bird. I order from Murray Mcmurray hatchery. Sorry I don't know anything about the others. Take care.

-- Faye (rcart@millry.net), October 17, 2001.

Hi Buddy,

Faye is right about Buff Orpingtons. They are a friendly bird and lay white eggs. Check out www.mcmurrayhatchery.com We have used them for a few years and we've been pleased.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), October 17, 2001.

I don't know about Gold Star but Golden Comets are good all around chickens and I've had Golden Sex Links that were great. The latter are a cross between Rhode Island Reds and White Rocks, I think, and are neat because the pullets are red and the roosters are white. Also, the Buff Orpingtons, as you were told above, are wonderful chickens. I vote for them.

-- rosalie (deatline@globalsite.net), October 17, 2001.

Buff Orps are brown egg layers. (big and light brown) ?? :-) At least mine are. They are great in my opinion. The Gold Star is more of a production bird, I believe, and will lay more often, but not get as much meat as an Orp. (All my skinny egg laying Leghorns are flighty and uptight. They usually peck the other birds, so I do not buy many of them) I do not know if the Gold Star is uptight or not. I am not sure on the others.... anyone else??

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), October 17, 2001.

Buddy, In Georgia try K & L Poultry Farm, 772 Morris Rd., Aragon, GA 30104, phone 706-291-1977, fax 770-216-1746, email sales@klpoultryfarm.com & web site www.klpoultryfarm.com. I use them because they are closer to me (Newberry, S.C.) and they have very good prices. Good Luck, Bart

-- Bart (Dominickwb@dot.state.sc.us), October 17, 2001.

Charles, I've had both Golden Comet and Buff Orpingtons. The Buffs are by far the better of the two in my opinion. They lay lots of large brown eggs. The Comets lay at least as many eggs but in my experience, they are thinner shelled than those from the other breeds I've had. The Buffs are much larger birds with lots of meat. They are also very docile and friendly birds. Buffs seem to do much better in a free renge situation than the Comets. They seem to find a lot more of their own food. To me, they are also much prettier birds than the Comets. Better in every way in my opinion. Good luck.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), October 17, 2001.

I stand corrected. Yes, the buffs orpingtons lay brown eggs. I was thinking of the buff minorcas laying white eggs. Sorry for the confusion.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), October 17, 2001.

My dekalb is a great big gold hen. She's kind of mean, but she will hopefully produce big chicks.

-- Wendy Antes (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), October 17, 2001.

Charles, all the chickens you mention are sex-link crosses, usually four-way crosses. They are bred for egg production, which is fine, but if you want a breed that will breed true, they might not be what you want. Expecially now, with travel restrictions on live animals (and who knows what coming by next spring) I think it is important to consider getting and maintaining a *breeding* flock. It may become difficult if not impossible to purchase chicks from hatcheries across the country. Even a large hatchery that happens to be near you may have to shut down if most of their business is mail-order. So far, the situation seems to have been temporarily resolved, sort of, but I wouldn't want to be counting on it staying that way.

And I add my name to those recommending Buff Orpingtons. They are one of my favorite breeds.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), October 17, 2001.

I have a couple of buff orphingtons too and have had them before. I just love the breed. They are nice big docile hens who lay well for a long time. My sis in law had the sex links and although they were eventually good layers they didn't start laying until they were 9 months old!!! I don't know about the others...I would get buff orphingtons. They are a golden color!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 17, 2001.

Click for

Sex Link Info

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), October 18, 2001.

I think I heared that gold links and gold stars are the same. I have several gold links. They start laying much earlier than the other breeds of chickens I have and are fairly consistant layers. I have noticed that they are a little meaner to each other than the other breeds.

-- Cathy A. (calcott@pressenter.com), October 20, 2001.

Buddy - I think you'd be happier with the Orps than the sex link chickens. They are calm and laid back. Mine are like big fluffy puppies. They (one in particular) will follow me around, peck at my shoelaces, and let me pick them up to pet them. There's a few skittish ones, but out of the 90 or so, they're very enjoyable birds. I much prefer them to the 22 other birds I have of the four other breeds in the yard (Aracauna, Ancona, Barred Rock, RIR, & white Leghorn). My husband just loves them. He says they're the nicest birds he's ever been around, and his parents & grandparents both raised chickens (mostly Hampshires).

-- CJ Glass (glasss2001@hotmail.com), October 28, 2001.