Ayam Cemani


Ayam Cemani is an uncommon and relatively modern breed of chicken from Indonesia. They have a dominant gene that causes hyperpigmentation, making the chicken mostly black, including feathers, beak, and internal organs.

Etymology

Ayam means "chicken" in Indonesian, while cemani means 'thoroughly black.

Origin

As a pure Indonesian breed, the breed originated from the island of Java, Indonesia, and have probably been used since the 12th century for religious and mystical purposes.
The breed was first described by Dutch colonial settlers, and first imported to Europe in 1998 by Dutch breeder Jan Steverink. Currently, this breed of chickens is kept in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Ayam Cemani may have also been brought to Europe by Dutch seamen.
The Congolese-Belgian philanthropist Jean Kiala keeps the largest collection in Africa with 250 breeding pairs. These are preserved in a breeding program by the African Ornamental Breeders Association in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Description

Their beaks and tongues, black combs and wattles, and even their meat, bones, and organs appear black. The blood of the Ayam Cemani is normally colored. The birds' black color occurs as a result of excess pigmentation of the tissues, caused by a genetic condition known as fibromelanosis. This gene is also found in some other black fowl breeds.
The roosters weigh 2.0–2.5 kg and the hens 1.5–2.0 kg. The hens lay cream-colored eggs, although they are poor setters and rarely hatch their own brood. Eggs weigh an average of 45 g.