Hybrid layer
Black Star / Black Sex Link
Also called Black Sex Link, Black Star
Black Stars, or black sex links, are hatchery hybrids bred for egg production; chicks can be sexed by color at hatch. Hens lay large brown eggs about five to six days a week and keep laying through heat and cold. They are rarely broody.
At a glance
200–280eggs a year
5–6eggs a week
20–24weeks to first egg
6.5–7 lbhen weight
8–9 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardyhigh
- Heat toleranthigh
- Goes broodyrare
- Fine in a small runhigh
- Egg colour
- brown (light to medium brown)
- Temperament
- calm, friendly, docile
- Origin
- United States (hatchery hybrid)
- Comb
- single
- Bantam size
- No
- APA standard
- Not recognized
- Purpose
- eggs
Good for
- beginners
- egg production
- hot or cold climates
Watch out for
- hybrid: will not breed true
- not recognized by the APA (not for showing)
Looks and feathers
Sex-linked hybrid: hens mostly black with gold/mahogany on hackle and breast; males black with white barring.
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1Black Sex Link Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 2Star (breed page)My Pet Chicken
- 3Black Sex Links (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 4Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.