Black Star

Black Star is a common hatchery name for a black sex-linked laying chicken, not a heritage breed that breeds true. Most Black Star chicks come from crosses using a red rooster over a barred hen, which lets hatcheries identify pullets and cockerels by their down pattern soon after hatching. Adult hens are usually black with red or copper flecking around the neck and breast; males are more obviously barred. The birds were developed for dependable brown egg production and easy chick sexing, which makes them familiar in backyard catalogs and small flock sales.

These hens can lay heavily when fed like production birds, so they benefit from layer ration, reliable calcium, and enough nest space to reduce egg damage. They are generally straightforward in mixed flocks, though temperament depends on the parent strains used by the hatchery. A Black Star rooster bred back to Black Star hens will not recreate the same uniform chicks, and the sex-link advantage is lost after the first generation. People wanting a consistent supply of Black Star pullets usually purchase from a breeder or hatchery that maintains the original parent lines.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White