CHAPTER XVII 



BLACK WYANDOTTES 



Black Wyandottes lirst caiuo as true sports of the original Silver 



variety — Early history — Mating Black Wyandottes — The difficulty of 



getting red eyes, yellow shanks and beaks, and sound black color 



Black Wyandottes were recognized as a Standard variety in 1893. In 

 explaining the degree of popular favor that the variety subsequently 

 enjoyed, it has been pointed out that the eight years which followed the 

 admission of the Silver Wyandottes, before the Blacks were admitted 

 to the Standard, "proved an effectual time handicap and the popular 

 White, Golden and Silver varieties, with the dozen and one other at-home- 

 and-abroad distractions had completely absorbed the attention of breeders." 

 The fact is, however, that the status of the Black Wyandotte has been 

 due to other factors. 



Shank and eye color and its influence on the breed's popularity. 

 American judges, from the beginning, were insistent on demanding black 

 under color in this variety,- and sound black under color and yellow 

 shanks in the same individual are produced with great difficulty. The 

 first Standard description, therefore, allowed dark colored shanks, a char- 

 acteristic that is not typically Wyandotte. 



In England, where surface color is of major importance and under 

 color of such minor importance that notable male winners may have 

 cotton colored under plumage in their hackles, the breed characteristic of 

 yellow shanks was quite within the range of practicability, and the Black 

 Wyandotte was typically a Wyandotte, distinct at first glance from the 

 black-shanked Orpington. Black Wj'andottes in England, therefore, went 

 forward, until they became second in popularity to the Whites. Indeed, 

 at the Crystal Palace, London, show of 1908, there were 140 Black 

 Wyandottes exhibited, which was a larger total than made by the 

 birds of any other Wyandotte variety. The English were breeding a 

 rich yellow shank, a yellow beak and a red eye, and were laying 

 stress on a bright, lustrous, greenish-black surface color. 



The English Black Orpington with its black shank and black eye was 

 now making great headway in America. It was possible to breed these 

 birds pure black in plumage and sound black in under color and they met 

 American ideals. Thus the road was paved for the dark-eyed and dark- 

 shanked Black Wyandottes, and birds of this character enjoyed a 

 run of popularity, splendid classes being seen at the Boston and 

 New York shows. In 1912 there were 55 Black Wyandottes exhibited 

 in competition at the Palace show. New York. 



The committee that had the revision of the 1915 Standard in hand, 

 was influenced to change the Standard to call for yellow shanks and 



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