Technically it can't be "wrong" to breed the Blacks for comb because they have no Standard. All Dorking color varieties originally exist in both rose and single combs. Thus, regardless of current Standard exigencies, they are historically accurate. On the other hand, it's cool that Sand Hill is offering all of these different colors, and then it isn't so cool. The variety is nice, but it divides everyone's efforts. It renders the sharing of stock impractical and necessitates more and more serious breeders, which are few and far between in any breed.
In speculative history, i.e. the Columella accounts, the Whites and the Red are neck and neck. In more confirmed historical sources, the Whites are the preeminent. In the US, the Silver greys and the Coloreds eventually become more important the Whites, with the SG's finally claiming the day. In world history, the Whites and Reds are the most prominent. In US history, the Whites, SG's and Coloreds. Cuckoos were present here in a minor way, but they were more prominent in England then here--by far. The other color varieties were never of any great importance on either side of the pond. THey exist, true, but I would imagine that most of them exist via crossing the primary colors with whites, which will produce most of the other colors.
Until the Dorking is reestablished as a breed, I fear that these minor colors may detract more than promote. They are in a very poor state of development, and to improve them is going to take a lot of effort. One could at least suggest the argument that that efffort is better directed at the historically more prevalent and better developed varieties. If we were to do anything as a community, we could work on Standardizing the SG, Coloreds, and Reds in RC which will make them more adaptable to northern climes.
