Sex linked chicks

by Dorothy
(Lancaster, California USA)

I am looking for people who have actually and reliably produced sex link chicks. I breed and raise chickens mostly as a hobby, but do sell some eggs and chicks to help pay the feed bill. About 6 months ago I started researching sex link chicks and thought I had it figured out.

For instance, a Rhode Island Red rooster bred to a Barred Rock hen is supposed to produce black sex link chicks with the pure black chicks being pullets and the black chicks with a white spot on their heads being the cockerels. But I just talked to a local large scale breeder and they said that the color sexing (black sex link, red sex link, etc) only works if you buy special breeder stock for that purpose (no, they don't sell the special breeder stock, but told me which hatchery does).

I already figured that you need very pure bred birds as parents for color sex links to work, but didn't think it needed to be a special strain within this breed. Have you heard of this? Is this what you do?

Help!