Overview Of Ayam Cemani Bird Specie

The Ayam cemani is one work of wonder that will have your belief in the extraordinary rejuvenated. Basically, this is a chicken breed from Indonesia that comes plumaged in all black. That’s not abnormal, is it? The amazingly abnormal part is that it is black all over from head to toe to even its insides. You got that right even its internal organs contain a pitch black color instead of the normal reddish to a white color we are used to. The bird due to its uniqueness is mainly kept for ornamental purposes and also for its meat which is said to be so tasty and is wallet breaking in costs. It has also been used for centuries in its native Indonesia for rituals as well as being a subject or aspect in dark arts.

Background

The Ayam cemani is a Javanese bird that has been noted and appreciated for its unique and amazing coloration of black which is dominant all over its body including the innards. The beak, tongue, feet and also the crest have a distinctively jet black appearance that is so uncommon in chicken. This coloration comes as a result of a dominant gene responsible for hyperpigmentation and in this case, it supports the black color. This condition is known as fibromelanosis and has been reported in other fowl breeds as well. In Indonesia, it was used for rituals and religious purposes as it was thought to be special due to its unique characteristicIt was spotted by Dutch colonial settlers who developed a keen interest in it seeing its unusual characteristics. It is said it was brought to Europe courtesy of the Dutch settlers and seamen who brought it along with them from their conquests in Indonesia. Notably is a breeder who imported it to Europe in the late 1990s. So far it has spread to other parts like Germany and Sweden where it is adored as a form of natural art and also kept for ornamental purposes as well as for the table.

Characteristics

The most notable characteristic of this fowl is its perfect dark shade that engulfs the whole of its body including its plumage, its wattle, feet, tongue, and even its eyes. Its internal organs like the bones and flesh are also dark. Rumors push a notion that its blood is also black but on checking the blood is normal red. The black shade of the blood is due to the color of its internal organs. The plumage may have a shiny hue that will have a greenish hue.

Males weigh approximately 1. 8 – 2 kilograms while the females range from 1. 2 -1. 5 kilograms on maturity. The bird is of medium stature having a compact body shape. It stands alert like a game bird looking alert. The eggs contrary to popular notion are not black like the bird’s body. It comes in a whitish color to a cream shade. The bird is docile and can be described as friendly to human beings and are also hardy in relation to various climatic variations. They are healthy and are said to have a robust health and can adapt to any condition easily.

Egg-laying and broodiness

The Ayam cemani is not a good egg-layer and will lay up to 80 eggs in a year and with an average of one egg per week. They start laying eggs at approximately 5-6 months of age but once they lay from 20 to 30 eggs they go dormant again to maybe a period of 3 months then they rejuvenate. The eggs as indicated earlier possess a white to a cream color and weigh roughly 400 grams. They are poor brooders but with chicks, they are good keepers and will rear their young ones perfectly.

As a point to note, the Ayam cemani is colloquially referred to as the Ferrari of fowls and owes this from its expensive price tag apart from its unusual characteristics.