The Red Star (also called the ISA Brown) sex link chicken is our Best Brown Egg Layer. These brown egg layers are easy to raise, lay lots of large brown eggs, and have a good feed-conversion ratio.
Mature hens have reddish brown feathers with flecks of white throughout. Males are all white with nice yellow skin.
At approximately 22 weeks these hens will start to lay and they will keep on laying — right through hot or cold weather. We're sure this hardy breed will become a favorite of yours. No wonder it's called the Red Star.
A "sex link" chicken is one that can be sexed by its coloring at the time of hatch. They will not retain the same characteristics in future generations.
This breed may be available for future dates.
The table below shows availability for the next several weeks.Click here to show all hatch dates for this season.
Please note you will select a ship date during the checkout process.
Q&A
How old are the chicks when shipped?
They are day-old chicks when shipped.
At what age does egg production fall off. Thanks
All breeds are most productive their first two years before they start to slow down in production rates.
With sex-linked chicks, how does a straight run process work?
When ordering a straight run of Red Stars or Black Stars, we do our best to send 50/50 (males/females).
will they lay every day?
Laying ability can vary greatly depending on nutrition, hydration, stress, environment, hours of light per day, etc. Under ideal conditions the average is 280-365 eggs a year.
Are you NPIP certified?
Yes we sure are!
Is a pure breed or a cross bread?
The Red Star is a hybrid, or cross breed. The Red Stars are Sex-Link chickens which means at time of hatch the chicks can be sexed by their color. They will not retain these same characteristics in future generations.
What breeds make a Red Star? Is it a Rhode Island Red rooster and a Delaware hen?
The Red Stars are a commercially bred strain of chicken developed over several generations. It is not two specific breeds that are used to create the Red Star.
Do Red Star hens become broody, or do you have to incubate the eggs? Also what is the liveability meat conversion for the roosters?
The Red Star is a production breed. They normally will not set on their own eggs, but also are not recommended for reproduction because they are hybrid and the chicks will not have the same characteristics as the parents.
We don't have an exact meat conversion for the roosters, but they do get fairly large and make a good meat bird in about 4-5 months.
Which is best layer, the Red Star or the Black Star? Do either peck or eat their eggs?
The Red Star is our best brown egg layer. There isn't a particular breed that is know for pecking or eating their eggs, any type could.
How many pounds will the red star weigh ?
Red Star males average 8 lbs., and Red Star females average 6 lbs. at maturity.
Do you need a rooster for the hens to lay eggs?
No, hens do not need a rooster in order to lay eggs. However, eggs laid without a rooster will be unfertilized.
Is the Red Star the same as the Cinnamon Queen or Golden Comet?
Each hatchery comes up with its own name for their hybrid. We named our sex-link hybrids Red Stars and Black Stars. Other hatcheries may use Cinnamon Queens, ISA Browns, Golden Comet, Cherry Pickers, or other names for their hybrids.
Different hatchery hybrids may not be crossed with the same breeds, but they are all produced for their excellent egg production.
Can these chickens be bred? I know it's a weird question, but some chickens can't reproduce. Can this one?
They are not recommended for reproduction. This breed is a hybrid and will not retain the same characteristics in future generations.
How do you tell the sex of a Red Star chick?
Female Red Star day-old baby chicks are a reddish-orange, and males are white.
Are your chicks given an immunization for Marek's before being shipped?
We offer two vaccinations during the checkout process on our website. The Marek's Disease and Coccidiosis vaccinations are available for chick orders.
I'm at week 15 and eggs are real small. Will the eggs remain small?
All hens will lay small eggs when just beginning to lay. Hence, the term "pullet eggs." As they mature and get used to their new egg laying process, the egg size increases.
How soon will Red Stars lay eggs after delivery?
Red Stars generally begin laying at 18-20 weeks of age.
What's a straight run
Straight run means "just as hatched, unsexed".
Great ServiceAlways super service, healthy birds. Just recieved my 15 plus 1 extra today, and they will be replacing birds that I got from y’all 2 and 1/2 years ago. All alive and healthy! Thanks Kyle
KYLE
Aggressive, infertile flockI've had chickens off and on for over 25 years, but the Red Star chicks I got from Murray McMurray are the most aggressive chickens I've ever had. When I tried to introduce some heirloom fledgling chicks into my free range Red Star flock, they immediately flew on them, attacking them and trying to kill them! When I put out feed, they jump up on the bucket and fight with each other, even though they free-range most of the day. And when I put a bunch of eggs in the incubator, I had a 99% hatch rate of the Ameracaunas, and ZERO hatch rate for the Red Stars. As far as their laying ability, I get about 5 eggs a day out of 10 hens. Not a good ratio, in my opinion. They are healthy, pretty chickens, but I honestly am thinking of putting them in the stew pot. I won't buy these again.
Mix & match for 6 chick minimum order. Learn More
