Hybrid layer
Golden Comet / Red Sex Link
Also called Red Sex Link, Red Star, Cinnamon Queen, Golden Buff
Golden Comets and other red sex links are hatchery hybrids bred for brown-egg production, with chicks sexed by color at hatch. Hens lay large brown eggs at a high rate from an early age. Names and exact crosses vary by hatchery.
At a glance
200–320eggs a year
6eggs a week
17–20weeks to first egg
4–7 lbhen weight
5.5–9 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardyhigh
- Goes broodylow
- Fine in a small runhigh
- Egg colour
- brown
- Temperament
- active; calm and friendly with people
- Noise
- quiet
- Origin
- United States (hatchery hybrid)
- Comb
- single
- Bantam size
- No
- APA standard
- Not recognized
- Purpose
- eggs
Good for
- beginners
- maximum egg production
- cold climates
Watch out for
- hybrid: will not breed true
- high-production hybrids have a shorter lifespan
- sizes and parentage differ between hatcheries
Looks and feathers
Sex-linked hybrid: chicks can be sexed by down color at hatch. Hens buff-red; males white with darker markings. Exact parent breeds vary by hatchery (Meyer cites Rhode Island Red and Leghorn heritage).
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1Golden Buff Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 2Red Sex Links (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 3Golden Comet (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 4Managing Chickens From Chicks to Peak Egg ProductionUtah State University Extension (J. Okoh, E. Perry; October 2025)
- 5Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.