The Black Oak is a purpose-bred, dual-purpose line developed at Oak Meadows Hatchery with a focus on meat performance, resilience, and breeding consistency. Rooted in genetics from Shaver Poultry, this line has been refined over generations to serve as one of the primary parent lines for our Dirt Parrot broiler. Hens are selected for solid black plumage with a clean, uniform appearance, while roosters carry deep black feathers with bold red hackles—a signature look that sets this line apart. These birds are well-suited for both production and pasture, offering strong growth rates, excellent fertility, and balanced body conformation. When paired with our Silver Oak line, Black Oak birds produce consistent and versatile broiler offspring. Crossing Silver Oak roosters to Black Oak hens yields barred broilers that resemble the Silver Oak line. Reversing the cross—Black Oak rooster over Silver Oak hen—results in a sex-linked chick, where females hatch black and males appear silver or barred. No matter the pairing, the chicks grow out evenly and reliably. Whether you're building your own broiler program or adding visual appeal and vigor to your breeding flock, Black Oak delivers performance you can see—and trust in the pasture. We recommend the Breeders Academy as a great resource for learning all about how to breed your own chickens. https://www.breedersacademy.com
