Soft Black Feathers???

[Mayhaps Moss]

Hello!
I have kept both Orpingtons and Barbu D'uccles in my chicken keeping venture, and I have made a (maybe) interesting observation. I have kept three black chickens over the years; one Orpington hen, an Orpington rooster, and now a Barbu D'uccle hen. All of them have had far softer feathers compared to others of the same breed and age.
So, my question is has anyone else observed something similar in black-feathered chickens? A coincidence?

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I got two black chickens earlier this year -- they both seem to be Sultan cross-breeds -- and their feathers are indeed incredibly soft... like a down pillow, but better. Hmm....