Chickens are an animal we all know and love, whether that means keeping them as pets or eating them. But did you know the different kinds of chickens? Chickens can come in all different shapes and sizes, and though they are delicious, they’re also very interesting to learn about! Specifically, the Ayam Cemani Chicken is what we’re going to talk about today!

The Ayam Cemani Chicken is an all black chicken, on the outside and the inside. These chickens are completely black because they have a rare genetic condition called fibromelanosis, this causes an overpopulation of melanin which causes over hyperpigmentation which is what causes the black color to show in the feathers and on the insides of the chicken. The black color shows on their feathers, bones, meat, organs, and even their skin

These chickens are native to the island of Java in Indonesia. Where they are from is how they get their name! In Indonesian, “Ayam” means chicken, and “Cemani” in Javanese means thoroughly black. The Ayam Cemani chickens have been used as a religious and mystical purple for Javanese culture.

The diet of Ayam Cemani chicken consists of a high protein diet that is also stays balanced. They need their diet to be about 20% protein. They normally eat fresh fruits and/or vegetables, mealworms, and additionally some pellets that can mimic a high protein diet for these chickens to help them thrive and have good eggs.

Though it is expected that these chickens would have black eggs, their eggs are normally a cream color and/or light tan. Everything else on the chicken is black, besides the egg shells they lay. It is said that these chickens are a sign of good luck and power.

These chickens are super interesting, and it’s fun to know about how different kinds of chickens look and or act differently from the normal everyday chicken we see! Knowing the symbols and meaning behind different types of chicken is something fun to learn.