In April 2024, we officially began working with Black, along with a few other varieties. Many of our Blacks first originated from Black, Paint and BBS (currently on hold) breeding. This page is specifically dedicated to our Black Silkies from our Black to Black pen—not the other variations of Black.

The Importance of Black

Black is a must have for every breeder. Many varieties are black based and can be bred to Black to improve color, consistency, and overall quality. They were one of the first varieties accepted by the American Bantam Association (ABA), making them one of the oldest and most established Silkie varieties. Because of this, Black Silkies generally have fewer faults compared to newer varieties or project varieties—like, say, a Mille Fleur Silkie or Mottled Silkie (both being newer project varieties).  

Blacks from established lines tend to have fewer faults than other varieties.

You can think of it as a stereotype, but what I’m saying is mainly true for every breed. This is generally true for the very first accepted varieties of a breed (ex: White).

"True" Black

Here at Her Chickies, we’re working toward producing "True Blacks"—a label that signifies years of breeding Black to only Black, ensuring consistent offspring with no genetic anomalies. While many of our original Blacks were not from Black, we have gradually moved onwards to a line that has consistently only been bred from Black birds with very few anomalies (ex: leakage and pigment holes).

Some will say that Black is just Black, and while I do agree, I also disagree. A clean Black should be just that—a clean Black. But all too often, breeders that claim to have clean Blacks will have offspring that are partridge, Blue, etc. 

True Black is moniker for excellence among Black. It's what we are working towards in all of our Black pens.

Recessive Genetics

Our pen has been extensively tested for recessive white and lavender. All of our breeders have either tested clean for both genes or are derived from our clean breeders.

Recessive white and lavender frequently turn up in varieties where they don’t belong, so making sure our birds are genuinely clean is a top priority at Her Chickies.

However, like many other breeders, we are still working to eliminate any traces of leakage and pigment holes.

----

Notice:

By using, accessing, or interacting with herchickies.com, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by our Terms of Use Agreement. If you do not agree with these terms, you should immediately discontinue use of the website. 

The information provided by Josie is the result of dedicated research, hands-on experience, and careful documentation. 

If you choose to reference or share this content, please provide credit by properly citing my work, Josie Chang and Her Chickies. In no way, shape, or form may this content be used to promote or advertise your own birds, farm, or business.