Search

Black Chicken: Get To Know Ayam Cemani

Meet the totally black chicken. This rare breed from Indonesia is a total blackout.

Its feathers, skin, tongue, comb, wattle, muscles, bones and even organs are black! The feathers produce a metallic green and purple sheen.

The unique looks of this chicken are due to fibromelanosis, a genetic condition that causes hyperpigmentation.

The unusual-looking breed appears to have come from the Cemani village on the island of Java. Ayam means “chicken” in Indonesian.

As such a rare breed, Ayam Cemani have not yet been approved by the American Poultry Association.

The black chicken is said to be friendly, hardy, low-maintenance and easy to handle.


 

Mature males weigh 6 pounds, while mature hens weigh 4 pounds.

One thing that isn’t black: its eggs, which are actually cream-colored with a slight pink hue.

 

 

Related Post

Get Hobby Farms content
delivered straight to your inbox!

Copyright © 2026 EG Media Investments LLC. All rights reserved.