The Black Chicken Of “Ayam Cemani” Which Is Very Famous With Its Exotic Black Color
When you first hear the word ‘black chicken’, what is on your mind?
Is it chicken with all black color? Or chicken with black feather only?
Well, there are actually various types of black chicken in the world which have different characteristics. Some of them can be black in all the whole body – inside and outside are black. Some of them can be black only in their feather, so that their meat is still same with normal chicken.
Now, we are talking about the all totally black color chicken – inside and outside are black. Do you know what kind of this chicken is?
You might have heard a name of a chicken type, Ayam Cemani. All right, ayam cemani chicken or ayam cemani is well-known for its luxury of exotic black color. This is the most unique chicken on the earth, and also one of the most expensive kind of poultries in the world. This chicken is from Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia so that if you are looking for ayam cemani chicken for sale, you can easily find this chicken there.
Besides in Central Java of Indonesia, you can also find Ayam cemani in other areas in Indonesia. Even, people from different countries now have been trying to breed this kind of chicken because they know that it will be advantageous for them to market the chicken for fancy chicken lovers in their area.
This is why the poultry farm business of ayam cemani cannot be underestimated. In Indonesia, there are so many people whose hobby is collecting ornamental or fancy chicken. One of them which they are mostly favored is black chicken. And just guess, what kind of black chicken they usually choose to collect? Yes, we already talk it earlier. It is Cemani chicken.
What is the characteristics of Ayam Cemani?
Ayam cemani has a dominant gene which causes hyperpigmentation. It makes the chicken entirely black such as its feathers, beak, claws, skin, eyes, even internal organs all are black. The exoticism and elegance black color of this chicken has a very high value in Indonesia.
Ayam cemani chicken is usually small to medium sized with totally black appearance, inside and outside. Beak, comb, tongue, wattles are all black. If you skin this chicken, you will also find their meat, bones, and internal organs which are entirely black. How about the blood? Well, ayam cemani chicken black is not purely black. It is normal but remarkably dark like dark red. The tongue of ayam cemani can also be not dark. It is sometimes very dark in grey.
The only part of this chicken which does not have black color is only its eggs. The cemani hens are layer of cream colored eggs with a slight pink tint. There is also still misunderstanding among Indonesian who think that due ayam cemani is all black, the eggs are also black. This opinion is totally wrong. The egg color of ayam cemani is still same with other type of chicken.
Ayam cemani chicken is a very active species and hardy breed of chicken. Because local people of Indonesia believe in the mystical powers of this chicken, the price is quite expensive. People currently raise this chicken for ornamental, meat or egg production purpose.
Why is the chicken black?
With all black appearance, this Indonesian chicken is popular for its solid black (chicken plumage), skin, comb, meat, organs, and even their bones! This happens because of genetic condition known as a mutation which affects how pigment-producing cells work. This physical condition, skin pigment change, is usually caused by a genetic change. People usually call it fibromelanosis. As a result, the pigment of a species changes into dark color, usually black. And this is what happen to Ayam Cemani.
Due to its all-black appearance, a lot of people consider this poultry as a ‘sacred’ animal. Some people in Indonesia, even many, still believe with the mystical powers of it. They believe that ayam cemani chicken or ayam cemani can bring good fortune and luck to the owners. Due to this reason, ayam cemani have been used quite a lot in sacrifices and other rituals. This chicken has probably been used for centuries for such rituals or religious importance or mystical purpose in Java Island of Indonesia.
People’s belief towards ayam cemani
People’s belief in the mystical powers of ayam cemani is a reason why ayam cemani chicken has high price. But there is something we should clarify about this ‘mystical’ terms. Islam teaches us not to believe in something besides The One, Allah SWT which is called ‘syirik’. The punishment of ‘syirik’ is truly terrible and Allah The Almighty will not forgive those who already fall into this darkness.
This is why, we as a chicken breeder only serve the purchase of chicken for certain purpose such as to breed, to hatch, to pet, or to collect. We do not serve any purchase for such ritual or sacrifice purpose. We have been running our business for years since 1999 and we have experienced this ‘syirik’ case. From that year till this year, there are still many Indonesian people who order either black cemani chicken or black cemani chicken egg for ritual purpose. It shows that they still believe in something we should not. Even, they believe that cemani chicken lay black eggs.
When we reject someone’s offer of cemani chicken for ritual, it doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate or respect our customer. In the contrary, we want to help our customer. We want to save our customer so that they don’t fall in the wrong way. We don’t mean to patronize them. What we do is because we only believe in The One, Allah SWT The Almighty. May Allah always protects us.
Next question, do ayam cemani chickens lay black eggs?
There are many people believe that ayam cemani has black color egg as we mentioned above. They also believe that the black egg will bring fortune to the owner. So, does cemani chicken lay black eggs? The answer is NO – absolutely no. Even though cemani chickens have full-black color, they don’t lay black eggs. So far we do field observation, black chicken eggs actually do not exist. This is only people’s assumption about cemani chicken and its magical power.
As what we mentioned above, the only part of cemani chicken which is not black is only the eggs. The black color of egg yolk of ayam cemani appears when the embryo of a chick also appears. It shows that the egg has good quality and in a good condition so that it can hatch.
Can ayam cemani chicken cooked into delicious food?
The demand of ayam cemani which is recently increasing makes this chicken becomes rare. The last update says that there is no more than 3500 cemani chicken left in the world. This is why this black chicken price is so high. People’s belief in the mystical powers of ayam cemani (which is actually incorrect) is the reason. Another reason is ayam cemani is good to consume because black chicken benefits are so many. Ayam cemani meat, or any other black chicken meat from other species, is the source of antioxidant which is helpful for your health. It is also the source of protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, iron, phosphorus, calcium, amino acids, and many other nutritions contents which are beneficial to your health.
In some countries, ayam cemani chicken is commonly cooked into delicious foods. In Indonesia, you can also find several restaurant that serves black chicken meat of cemani chicken even though it is not many. People begin to explore this kind of poultry to be delicious cuisines such as cemani chicken soup, cemani chicken grill, cemani soto, etc. If you want to cook cemani chicken yourself, you can search for black chicken recipe to create innovative menu of ayam cemani.
If you want to cook cemani chicken yourself, you can search for black chicken recipe to create innovative menu of ayam cemani. There are many benefits you can obtain by consuming ayam cemani. You can eat ayam cemani meat or its eggs. Once you taste this black chicken meat, you will feel little weird but amazing sensation. And for the eggs, again, cemani chickens don’t lay black chicken eggs, so there will be no difference with eating common egg. But, it is obvious that cemani chicken has benefits for your health. Don’t be doubt to consume it.
The scarcity of cemani chicken has opened opportunity for some people, especially poultry farmers to breed this black chicken for sale. In Indonesia, ayam chemani is mostly cultivated in Temanggung, Central Java. In other areas, it may be difficult to find cemani chicken. This is why we try to help those who want to get this black chicken by ordering with us. If you want to know more about us, please find us at fanpages: HOBI TERNAK or our instagram: hobi_ternak.
Related:
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They photograph very well in good light.
Hi Mr.Sherman! Thank you for your response!