Last Updated on September 13, 2020 by Pauline G. Carter
Why the name Ayam Cemani? In Indonesia, the word, Ayam means ‘chicken’. Cemani is the name of the village in Java from where the Ayam Cemani Chickens originate. This bird, unbelievable though it may seem, is completely black in color, from top to bottom.
It has been defined this way because it has a genetic ‘condition’ that makes them completely black. No wonder it’s a status symbol, presumably bringing luck to whoever can be lucky enough to have one. Indonesia is a country where chickens are seen around everywhere, pecking the ground, free-ranging or making it to the dinner table at some stage.
But amongst these chickens, one is not commonly found; you won’t find the Ayam Cemani pecking around the streets of Indonesia, because it is extremely rare and very expensive. The Javanese people love their chickens, and they particularly will give a chicken such as the Ayam Cemani special care and treatment.
Ayam Cemani Chicken | Breed Profile
| Country of origin: | Indonesia |
| Primary use: | Ornamental |
| Weight: Male: | 2.0–2.5 kg (4.4–5.5 lb), Female: 1.5–2.0 kg (3.3–4.4 lb) |
| Temperament: | Flighty |
| Recognized Varieties: | Black |
| Egg production (annual): | 80 |
| Egg color: | White |
| Egg size: | Small |
| Comb type: | Single |
Characteristics Of The Welsummer Chickens
The Ayam Cemani is truly a fascinating bird, simply just looking at it. Apart from the entire body being black, their combs, eyes, skin, beak, feathers, and feet are all black too. The meat is black as well. They are hardy birds, not flighty or nervous behavior is seen.
As far as Ayam Cemani chicken eggs are concerned, the hens are not huge egg layers either, producing around 60-80 eggs in a year compared to other chicken breeds, some of which can lay around 230 in a year. The eggs are creamy colored, sometimes having a slight pinkish tinge to them — the weight in at around 2 to 3 kg.
Behavior / Temperament
The Ayam Cemani’s, apart from being beautiful, are friendly birds. The chicken lays creamy-colored eggs, and these aren’t black! The Ayam Cemani does not sit well on its egg, and therefore they don’t really roost either.
So really, the only way to hatch out Ayam Cemani chicks is to incubate them. Even though they possess such hypnotic beauty, they are hardy birds, low-maintenance, and easy to handle.
The pros and cons of the Ayam Cemani Chicken …
Positives
- Hardy
- Beautiful and unique
Negatives
- Rare
- Expensive
- Not a meat producer
Is the Ayam Cemani Chicken the right choice for you?
The ‘magical’ Ayam Cemani chickens are rare jewels in the poultry world. If you want to own one of these, prepare to fork up from $3000-4000 per chicken. The owner of Cemani Farms has explained that many people look to buy the Ayam Cemani bird simply because of its so-called spiritual properties which it possesses.
They want to use the ‘black blood’ of the birds. But actually, the blood is not black; it is a dark red colour. On construction sites in Indonesia, an Ayam Cemani bird might be offered as a token of good luck for the future of the building. Some buyers almost want to change their mind when buying the bird if the bird does not exhibit the color of blood they want to see in the bird.
The meat of the bird is not eaten. Some farms in the USA that sell the birds reckon that a couple of chefs have approached them to show interest in what the bird has to offer in the culinary department.
If you can manage to get your hands on Ayam Cemani chickens for sale, they are simply stunning to look at; they are friendly and hardy – in fact, they are such a ‘good choice’, they have become rare and expensive, this magnificent ‘Lamborghini of Chickens’.