Ayam Cemani Chicken Origin, Characteristics, Meat, Eggs Production, Price

The Ayam Cemani is a unique Indonesian chicken variety from Java. In the Indonesian language, the name Ayam means chicken, and Cemani can be translated in two ways: either it means completely black, or it emerges from a place called Cemani in the Javanese province of Banten.

In its homeland, the chicken is lauded for the supposedly magical blood, with its mysticism tied to that. The Ayam Cemani's most unique feature is its entirely black color, which includes its plumage, comb, body, musculature, major organs, and even skeleton.

Through a rigorous breeding program, North American breeders are striving hard to improve the pure Ayam Cemani breed and maintain its beautiful black appearance.

Even when 2 entirely black parents are used their offspring are frequently born with a white wingtip, toes, or chest. Because the black coloration is dependent on a genetic trait, some people are born silver or with dark gray coloration around their mouths.

Cemani chickens are raised in Indonesia for both egg and meat production. Many religious Javanese in Java assumes these chickens have mystical powers. While in traditional medicine they are highly valued for their ability to treat cardiopulmonary illness, they are also used in folk medicine to treat these diseases.

On the Indonesian island of Bali, they are used for cockfighting, which is an ancestral cultural tradition that is considered a religious ritual rather than a recreational activity for fun. The Ayam Cemani is classified as an ornamental chicken breed in the U.S. and Europe.

Ayam Cemani Chicken Origin

During the early 1900s, a Dutch colonist residing in Java identified and described the Ayam Cemani chicken variety. In the 1990s, they were introduced in Europe and North America and became a popular breed.

Ayam Cemani Chicken Characteristics

A rooster can weigh approximately 4.4 to 7.7 pounds, while a hen can weigh between 3.3 to 5.5 pounds. Because it is stylish and long-tailed and has long limbs and pointed spurs, it is similar in appearance to the Jungle Fowl, with which it is genetically similar. Its blood is the only component that is not black. Due to a fibromelanosis gene, the Ayam Cemani has a complete lack of any pigmentation, both externally and internally.

Ayam Cemani Chicken Meat

The meat of the Ayam Cemani is black, just like the rest of the body, giving it a distinct appearance when compared to other chicken breeds. According to some people, the Ayam Cemani has a rich "gamey" flavor than other chicken breeds.

Ayam Cemani Chicken Eggs Production

The Ayam Cemani are sociable birds, and their hens lay 60 to 80 off-white-colored eggs in their 1st year, increasing to 60-120 to next year. They are not perpetual layers, and a normal laying cycle lasts about 20 to 30 eggs before the hen stops producing eggs for 3 to 6 months. 

Ayam Cemani Chicken Price

Because of their scarcity, these exotic birds were once valued at more than $2000 per bird. However, prices have dumped considerably in recent years and you can now purchase an Ayam Cemani chick for as little as $50. 

However, it is still difficult to locate hatcheries that provide them, and the chicks are frequently imperfect, not genuine, or not completely black when they are born.