Ayam Cemani Breed Information
and Owner’s Guide
Written by Chris Lesley
Updated: June 6, 2020
The Ayam Cemani is an unusual breed.
These chickens have an otherworldly appearance and
are completely black.
They are kept more as ornamental chickens than as productive
backyard flock members. Having said that, they are very
easygoing, and hardy, so they can be kept by just about
everyone.
Keep on reading to learn more about this mystical chicken…
Contents and Quick Navigation
Ayam Cemani Chicken Overview
Appearance and Color
What Is It Like To Own A Ayam Cemani?
o Personality
o Egg Production
o Noise Levels
Care Guide
o Health Issues
o Feeding
o Coop Setup and Roaming
Ayam Cemani Chicken Breed History
Should You Keep This Breed? (Summary)
Ayam Cemani Chicken Overview
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The Ayam Cemani is one of the rarest chicken breeds around.
It is believed that there are only around 3500 worldwide! This
is partly why Ayam Cemanis are so expensive.
The name Ayam translates from Indonesian to chicken, and the
word Cemani comes from the Javanese language meaning black.
Ayam Cemanis are fibromelanistic chickens which means that
everything is black: feathers, skin, muscles and bones. There is
not a speck of color on this all black chicken. The black is caused
by fibromelanosis which produces excess amounts of
pigmentation (melanin) within the tissues. However, their feathers
display a stunning iridescent green and purple in the sunlight.
In their homeland they are treated as a magical being. They are
thought to be a good luck charm that fights off evil. They are also
supposed to bring good fortune and peace of mind to their owner.
Unfortunately, they are not the best egg laying breed. These
chickens are cyclical layers and tend to only lay around 60 eggs
per year!
Ayam Cemani
Beginner Friendly: No.
Lifespan: 6-8 years.
Weight: Hen (5.5lb) and Rooster (7lb).
Color: Black
Egg Production: 1-2 per week.
Egg Color: Cream.
Known For Broodiness: No.
Good With Children: No.
Cost of Chicken: Unsexed ($200) Sexed ($400).
Appearance and Color
The Ayam Cemani is a solid black chicken.
This means that their eyes, comb, wattle, skin, and feathers have
an all-black appearance to them. The only non-black part of this
breed is their blood.
Because this breed’s genetics have not changed much, they still
have the typical Jungle fowl appearance. They stand tall and
have sleek feathers, long tail feathers, and sharp spurs.
This is a small but muscular and well developed chicken. Their
body is upright and their legs should be clean of feathers. As
Ayam Cemanis are a gamebird their feathers should be tightly
packed. In the sunlight these black feathers show a beautiful
green and purple iridescence.
Size and Weight
Ayam Cemanis are a small to medium-sized chicken.
Roosters will range between 4.4-7lbs and hens will be 3.3-5.5lbs.
What Is It Like To Own A Ayam Cemani?
Ayam Cemanis are active chickens that enjoy roaming.
Roosters can be flighty but the hens are normally calm and docile.
They do not need lots of care apart from the usual concerns of
food, shelter and protection. They can be kept in a run; however,
they would really prefer to free range and will benefit
tremendously if they can wander.
Overall she is a quiet yet busy chicken that is best kept in a
flock of her own kind.
Personality
The Ayam Cemani is quite an easy breed to deal with.
Even though historically they were used for rooster fighting in
Bali, their temperament is relatively docile.
Whilst they are very easy to handle you should not expect them
to act as a lap chicken. They do not care to be lap chickens but
will tolerate being picked up and held for short periods of time.
Ayam Cemanis also tend to do well with flock mates.
Egg Production
The Ayam Cemani is a poor egg layer and they tend to go off lay
quite frequently.
This chicken is a cyclical egg layer. This means they will lay 20-30
eggs then go off lay for an extended period of time. It can be
anywhere from 3-6 months before they start the cycle again.
They only tend to lay between 60 and 80 eggs per year. If you are
looking for a breed that can lay lots of eggs then the Ayman
Cemani is not the breed for you.
A common misconception is that they lay all black eggs. However,
the Ayam Cemani actually lays a cream colored egg. Hens will
start laying eggs around five to six months of age.
Egg Production
Eggs Per Week: 1-2 Eggs.
Color: Cream.
Size: Medium.
Noise Levels
Ayam Cemani hens are very quiet.
Roosters, however, love to share their voice with the world. They
have a very distinct crow and in their homeland they were
commonly used as a foghorn.
Care Guide
Health Issues
Ayam Cemanis are a healthy breed.
Their gene pool is quite extensive with a good amount of breeding
stock in Europe and of course Indonesia.
Having said that, you will still need to watch out for the typical
poultry diseases or parasites – lice, mites, and worms are all a
concern.
Another thing to watch out for is heat stress. Because of their
black skin and feathers, they can be more prone to heat stress
than other breeds. Heat stress can lead to respiratory distress,
dehydration, and in some cases death. You will need to provide
them with plenty of shade and fresh water.
Feeding
Throughout most of the year you can give this breed a 16% layer
feed.
They will need slightly more protein when molting, so switching
up to 20% is recommended.
You also need to make sure that they have access to plenty of
calcium. This helps to support them and keeps their eggshells
strong. A good source of calcium is oyster shell.
Coop Setup and Roaming
Although these birds are fairly small, they are still considered to
be a standard size, so each chicken will need 4 square feet of
coop space. If you have a particularly large run or they are
allowed to free range you can give them slightly less coop space.
For roosting space you should give them each 12 inches.
They do not require anything special for the nesting boxes.
A ratio of one box per three chickens is recommended although
you will probably find that everyone wants the favorite box at the
same time.
If you are keeping them in a run then they each need at least 8
square feet. This will give them enough space to exercise which
also helps to reduce any antisocial behavior.
Ayam Cemani Chicken Breed History
The ancient origins of the Ayam Cemani are not very clear.
This breed can trace some of their ancestry back to the Kedu
chickens of Java.
It is also possible that some of their genes can be traced to the
Ayam Bekisar chicken from the Javanese islands. It has been
suggested that these chickens originated on the island of Sumatra
but there is no hard evidence of this. One thing that is certain is
this breed has never been a common folk’s chicken.
The Javanese people used this breed for various religious
purposes. It is thought that this breed helps people with
cardiovascular and respiratory issues. It is unknown how long
they have been used for traditional medicines, but it could date
all the way back to the 12th century.
While they are known to be used in traditional medicines, they
are also seen as good luck charms. In addition, it is believed
that they possess magical powers and can be a communicator
between the spirit and the living world.
The Ayam Cemani was first introduced to Europe in 1998 by the
Dutch breeder Jan Stevernik. However, it was not until 2017 that
the breed was introduced to the United States.
Currently, this breed is one of the rarest breeds there is.
There are only around 3500 Ayam Cemanis worldwide.
Should You Keep This Breed? (Summary)
Ayam Cemanis remained virtually unknown to the west until the
1990s.
However, their all black coloration, and mystical appearance has
helped them skyrocket in popularity.
They really cannot be called a good homesteading chicken
because their egg laying is poor. Most people keep these chickens
for their memorable appearance instead.
If you do want to add a Cemani to your flock then be prepared to
wait. Top breeders have waiting lists that are usually fully booked
for at least 6 months ahead. If you have your heart set on an all
black chicken but cannot find an Ayam Cemani then you should
consider the Black Silkie.
