“It’s a black chicken.” The first and most obvious observation one might make when they encounter the Ayam Cemani. And indeed, it is a black chicken. In fact it is the the blackest of all black chickens… in a phrase, the Ayam Cemani is…well, the new black.
North of Australia off the southern coast of Thailand, the islands of Indonesia float magically in a mix of volcanoes, jungles and wildlife. Home to elephants, tigers and Komodo dragons, it is no wonder that a chickens who’s heart is black, literally, should find make it’s home in this land of mystical beasts.
The Ayam Cemani has black feathers, black legs, a black beak, black comb, black wattles, black eyes, black ears, black toes, black toenails, black skin, black muscles, black… well, you get the point. This hyperpigmentation, caused by a mutated gene affecting pigment producing cells (fibromelanosis), results in the most intense black coloring of any chicken in the world. So valued are these birds in their native culture, they are often part of religious rituals due to the believed mystical power of their black meat.
Mystical powers aside, it is hard to not be impressed with this medium-sized chicken. While some might imagine an all black chicken to be something bordering on “plain,” the Ayam Cemani has the power to put even the most cynical observer into a trance. Described by New York Magazine as the “Lamborghini of poultry,” it is a sight to behold. As a young student recently said when first seeing the Ayam Cemani: “wow, that chicken is really black.” Yes Virginia… it is.
Coming soon to Sunbird Farms, the Ayam Cemani will be available in Spring 2016…for are your mystical uses. Contact us now to reserve your chicks: orders@sunbirdfarms.com
(featured picture, courtesy of Greenfire Farms)
