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11 Black Chicken Breeds

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Chickens come in all sizes and colors, so finding the right ones for your farm may seem a little overwhelming at times. If you are looking for a unique variety of black chicken breeds to add to your backyard chicken farm, then look no further.

Every breed of chicken offers various characteristics that may or may not be right for your farm.

Here are several of the most beautiful and farm-friendly black chicken breeds that are around today.

BreedPurposeSizeEgg ColorBroody?Demeanor
Black OrpingtonDual Purpose8-10 poundsBrownYesFriendly
Black AustralorpDual Purpose6.5–8.5 poundsBrownYesDocile
Black SumatraEgg, Exhibition4-5 poundsWhiteYesFlighty, Friendly
Black LangshanDual Purpose7.5- 9.5 poundsBrownYesQuick, Friendly
Black Jersey GiantDual Purpose10-13 poundsBrownYesFriendly
Ayam CemaniEgg, Ornamental3.3–5.5 poundsCreamNoDocile
Black MinorcaEgg Production7.5 – 9 poundsWhiteNoFriendly, Fiesty
CrevecoeursEgg, Ornamental6.5 – 8 poundsWhiteNoGentle, Docile
Black AnconaEgg Production4.5 – 6 poundsWhiteNoFriendly
Black CochinDual, Exhibition8.5- 11 poundsBrownYesDocile
Black Silkie BantamOrnamental, pet32-36 ouncesCreamYesFriendly
Appearance of a black chicken

1. Black Orpington Chicken

Black Orpington chickens hail from Great Britain and were created by cross-breeding the Minorca, Black Plymouth Rock, and Langshan chicken breeds.

They are dual-purpose birds, used for both their meat production and their ability to produce eggs. They are considered large-sized chickens, weighing between 8 and 10 pounds at adulthood.

Black Orpingtons are solid black with black legs and they lay medium-sized brown eggs. The hens do tend to become broody and they will sit their own eggs regularly.

Black Orpington chickens are very friendly, so much so that they may get picked on by other chickens in the coop. (source)

2. Black Australorp Chicken

Australorp chicken on a farm.

Black Australorps originated in Australia and are descendants of the Black Orpington chicken breed. They are smaller than their predecessor, reaching somewhere between 6.5 and 8.5 pounds at adulthood.

Black Australorp chickens are considered to be one of the top dual-purpose chicken breeds in existence today.

Black Australorps are docile and hardy chickens that have black feathers along with black legs.

They have remarkable egg laying abilities and they are great options for meat production as well. They lay large brown eggs and the hens tend to be broody. (source)

3. Black Sumatra Chicken

Black Sumatra chickens are absolutely breathtaking solid black chickens that are primarily used for showing and egg production. They lay medium-sized white eggs and the hens are known to be broody at times.

Black Sumatra chickens are hardy birds that are often a little flighty, thanks to their ability to jump up to 6 feet with or without having their wings clipped.

Black Sumatra chickens, because of their unique appearance, are an excellent exhibition breed.

The males have long, luscious tail feathers that flow like water and look absolutely divine, especially with their green sheen. These chickens are on the smaller side, weighing between 4 and 5 pounds when grown. (source)

Headshot of a black Sumatra rooster

4. Black Langshan Chicken

Langshan chickens originated in China and found their way to the United States at the end of the 19th century.

They are tall, speedy, and weigh between 7.5 and 9.5 pounds when full grown. They are dual-purpose chickens, used for both meat and egg production.

Black Langshan hens tend to be broody and they will set their own eggs.

The solid black variety of Langshan chickens have a gorgeous green sheen to their feathers and they lay brown eggs. They have white legs and solid black feathers.  (source)

5. Black Jersey Giant

Black Jersey Giant chickens are quite large, weighing between 10 and 13 pounds when fully grown.

They originate from New Jersey and are the result of crossing Langshan, Orpington, and Java chicken breeds together to achieve an ideal large chicken. They are considered a dual-purpose bird, raised mostly for their egg and meat production.

Black Jersey Giant chickens are covered in solid black plumage and they have black legs. They can lay up to 200 large brown eggs annually and they tend to be rather broody.

They are friendly, calm, and extremely hardy chickens thanks to their large size. (source)

Jersey Giant Chickens hens

6. Ayam Cemani

Ayam Cemani chickens are rarely seen chickens that originated in Indonesia.

They are on the small side, weighing between 3.3 and 5.5 pounds when they are fully grown. They are primarily used for egg production or ornamental purposes.

Ayam Cemani chickens have solid black feathers, black skin, and they even have black organs! They lay beautiful cream-colored eggs but they are not broody at all. (source)

7. Black Minorca Chicken

Black Minorca chickens are exquisite solid black chickens that are used primarily for their egg production.

They lay large solid white eggs but they do not tend to be very broody. They can weigh somewhere between 7.5 and 9 pounds at adulthood.

Black Minorca chickens are hardy chickens that do well in warm climates but not as great in cold areas.

They are not a fluffy chicken, instead, their feathers fit snuggly up against their bodies giving them a sleek and slender appearance. They are friendly chickens but they can be feisty and full of personality at times. (source)

8. Crèvecoeur Chicken

Crèvecoeur chickens have gorgeous solid black feathers that cover not only their bodies, but their heads as well! They have wild looking crests of feathers that sit on top of their heads and make them look extremely unique and mysterious.

Crèvecoeur chickens is a breed of chicken that originated in France and exist in limited quantities today in America.

They lay medium-sized white eggs but they do not tend to be very broody. They weigh between 6.5 and 8 pounds but they are still used mostly for egg production or ornamental purposes. (source)

9. Black Ancona Chicken

The Ancona chicken hails from Italy and made their way to the United States in the 19th century as well.

They weigh between 4.5 to 6 pounds at adulthood and they lay small to large-sized white eggs. Ancona chickens are not solid black, but their plumage is mostly solid black with some white-tipped feathers intermixed.

Their legs are yellow-colored and they are a hardy bird as well as prolific egg layers. Most chicken farmers use them for egg production as their small size means they are not ideal for meat.  (source)

Ancona hen with large red comb

10. Black Cochin Chicken

Black cochins might just be the most adorable chicken in the entire world. They originate from China but thankfully made their way to the United States and were formally recognized in 1874.

Along with their solid black feathers, they are super fluffy with feathers that cover both their legs and feet!

Black cochins are very friendly and extremely calm chickens, a great addition to any chicken farm.

They are rather big, weighing between 8.5 and 11 pounds when grown. They lay medium-sized brown eggs, but they are not prolific layers although they are considered to be a dual-purpose bird. (source)

Black Cochin Chickens sitting on the ground

11. Black Silkie Bantam

Black silkie bantams are tiny chickens that have gorgeous solid black feathers that are silky smooth to the touch.

These birds are extremely friendly and are very broody, often setting other chickens’ eggs for them. They are mainly used as ornamental pets since they are so small and produce such tiny eggs.

Black silkie bantam chickens not only lay small cream-colored eggs, but they are also very small chickens, weighing between 32 and 36 ounces!

Their unique super-soft feathers are solid black and completely cover their feet. These feathers are not weather-resistant and they are not considered hardy birds. (source)

Final Thoughts

There are several absolutely exquisite black-colored chickens that exist in the world today.

Whether you are looking for a small black chicken to be a pet, a new show bird, or a dual-purpose bird that will produce eggs and is great to use for meat, you should have no problem.

Just make sure that you choose at least one black chicken breed that tends to be broody since a few of the ones on this list are not!