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A very unusual and relatively recently described breed of black chickens, Ayam Tsemani, originated on the island of Java. In the European world, she became known only in 1998, when the Dutch breeder Jan Steverink brought her there. However, it was described a little earlier: by the Dutch settlers who came to Indonesia.
There is a reasonable suspicion that the Indonesian population has used these chickens for centuries for religious ceremonies, considering them to be endowed with special properties. In Thailand, they still believe that Ayam Tsemani are endowed with mystical powers. And the more pragmatic and less superstitious residents of Bali use roosters of this breed for cockfights.
Origin version
Tsemani are descended directly from another breed of chicken – Ayam Bekisar – which is a hybrid between green jungle hen roosters and Bankiv jungle hen females. Perhaps there was a crossing of “green” roosters with domestic chickens, but in fact a domestic chicken is the same as a banking chicken.
It looks like a hybrid Ayam Bekisar.
Its ancestor on the rooster side is the green jungle hen.
Ayam Tsemani are victims of a genetic mutation that gave them a rare disease: fibromelanosis. The activity of the dominant gene responsible for the production of the melanin enzyme in Ayam Tsemani chickens is increased 10 times. As a result, almost everything is black in these chickens, including meat and bones. Their blood is red.
The area of occurrence of Tsemani is the district of Temanggung in Java. In Ayam, Javanese means “chicken” and Tsemani means “completely black.” Thus, the literal translation of the name of the breed Ayam Tsemani means “black chicken”. Accordingly, there are many Ayamov breeds in Java. Accordingly, in the name of the breed, the word “ayam” can be omitted. But of all these breeds, only Ayam Tsemani are completely black chickens.
Sometimes you can find reading “s” as “k”, and then the name of the breed sounds like Kemani.
Today, black chickens are kept in Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, the USA and a little bit in Our Country.
Description
Black chickens of the Ayam Chemani breed, even in their homeland, do not belong to any of the productive areas. And in Europe, they firmly occupy a place among decorative breeds.
Their egg production is even less than that of meat breeds. In the first year, laying hens bring only 60-100 eggs. Given the size of these chickens, the eggs are large. But since the concept of “large” in this case is not tied to weight in grams, but to the size of the bird, it can be assumed that in fact the products of these layers weigh a little. The exact data is not given anywhere.
The meat characteristics of the Ayam Tsemani chicken breed, based on live weight, are also small. Roosters weigh 2-3 kg, laying hens 1,5-2 kg. But there is information (apparently, from breeders who have eaten pedigree culling) that the meat of these birds has a special taste and aroma.
Silk chickens are bred on an industrial scale, they breed well. But they only have black skin. Even in this photo you can see the translucent white meat. The real carcass, which belonged to the Ayam Tsemani breed of chickens, is in the photo below.
Real Ayam Chemani chickens are really completely black. But it is unlikely that anyone will slaughter a bird for sale, the price of which, even in its homeland, reached 200 US dollars. And in the United States itself, at the dawn of its appearance, the price per copy reached $ 2500. Unfortunately, taking into account the dominance of the mutated gene, it is possible to make sure that a really purebred Chemani is purchased only by slaughtering a chicken. If not only the skin is black, but also the internal organs with bones, then it was a true Tsemani.
Favorite Internet hoax
The mutation affected all areas of the body in Ayam Tsemani chickens and roosters, except for two: the blood and the reproductive system. The blood remained red because of the hemoglobin. And these chickens lay eggs of a beautiful beige color, contrary to the photo processed by Photoshop found on the World Wide Web.
The photo shows a non-uniform coating of eggs in black. And below is a photo of the original eggs of Ayam Tsemani.
Standard
The main requirement for Ayam Tsemani chickens and roosters is a completely black organism. These chickens have black everything: comb, earrings, lobes, face, even the larynx. Black dense plumage in the sun casts a purple-green color.
The head is medium-sized with a straight leaf-shaped crest, large for the skull. Earrings are large and round. The beak is short. Chemany’s eyes are also black.
Neck of medium size. The body is narrow, compact, trapezoidal. The body is raised in front. The chest is rounded. The back is straight. The tail of chickens is directed at an angle of 30 ° to the horizon. Cocktails have a more vertical set. The tails of Chemani are magnificent. The pigtails of the roosters are long, well developed.
The wings fit snugly against the body. Having wild forms of chicken in their ancestors, these birds have a good ability to fly. The legs of chickens and roosters of the Ayam Tsemani breed are long, feet with 4 fingers.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of these birds include only an exotic external and internal appearance. Everything else is a complete disadvantage:
- high cost of eggs and chickens;
- low productivity;
- warmth;
- lack of incubation instinct;
- low activity of roosters;
- fearfulness.
When keeping Chemani, you will have to thoroughly insulate the chicken coop and enter the room very carefully. Birds in a panic can cripple themselves.
Breeding
In laying hens Cemani, the incubation instinct is very poorly developed. They sit poorly on eggs and hatch chickens even worse. This was one of the reasons for the extreme rarity of birds even in their homeland. Previously, there were no incubators, and collecting eggs in the jungle is below average pleasure.
Or, on the contrary, find a secluded place for yourself, lay eggs and throw them away, instead of hatching chickens.
For purebred breeding, a group of 5 hens and 1 rooster is selected, while for other egg breeds, the size of the rooster harem is 10-12 layers. The eggs are collected and placed in an incubator. Incubation requirements are the same as for other breeds. In general, Chemani, except for color, is fundamentally no different from other chickens.
After 3 weeks of incubation, beige eggs hatch into completely black chickens with a grayish breast. Later they become completely black.
The survival rate of chickens is 95%. They are fed just like any other.
Content
With adults, the situation is more complicated. The wild instincts of Ayam Tsemani chickens and roosters make them seek salvation every time the owner visits the chicken coop. You need to enter the chicken coop very slowly and carefully so as not to frighten the birds.
For walking, these birds require an aviary closed from above. Otherwise, they will have to be caught in all forests and fields.
Quite high perches can be equipped in the chicken coop for this breed, where they will spend the night.
Chickens and roosters Ayam Tsemani are not able to endure the cold and for a safe wintering, the chicken coop necessarily requires warming. It is better to conduct insulation from the outside, since all chickens have the habit of periodically “trying the wall for a tooth.” If they find that there is something that can be pecked out, they are able to peck out all the insulation. Since polystyrene or mineral wool usually acts as a heater, chickens can clog the stomach and die.
The minimum layer of bedding in the chicken coop should be at least 10 cm. Gradually, by winter, the thickness of the bedding is adjusted to 35 cm.
The diet of Ayam Tsemani does not differ from the diet of other breeds of chickens. To get top dressing in the summer, they need walking. A small closed lawn with grass will be enough for these chickens.
Reviews
Conclusion
Description and photos of chickens of the Ayam Tsemani breed are of genuine interest not only among poultry farmers, but even just outsiders. It would be even more interesting to see these birds walking in the yard of a private house. But so far, not many can afford such a luxury. Considering that Chemanis are unlikely to ever move from ornamental birds to productive ones, their number will never be too large. But, undoubtedly, over time, there will be more breeders of this breed, and the price of hatching eggs will be more affordable.