A rare chicken breed in Indonesia is famous for having a completely black body, including its blood, tongue, and comb. Their price can reach up to $2,500.
Black is not an uncommon color in the animal kingdom. Some species, such as bears, gorillas, dogs, and cats, can also be black. However, a chicken breed with a fully black body is a different story.
At this point, many might think of the black chicken breed known as “gà ác,” but this breed is much rarer and more expensive than the black chicken.
This breed originates from Indonesia, where it is known as “Ayam Cemani”. In China, it is referred to as “metal chicken”, and in Vietnam, it is called “devil face chicken” due to its fierce appearance.
The devil face chicken not only has black feathers and meat, but its comb, beak, internal organs, and even its eggs are also black.
This chicken is called “devil face” due to its fierce appearance.
In Indonesia, black chickens are considered a symbol that wards off misfortune for their owners. In China and Vietnam, many people hunt for this breed as a treasured pet.
This is one of the few animal species affected by a pigment disorder known as fibromelanosis, alongside the black Silkie dog, the Mông black chicken of Vietnam, and the Svarthöna chicken from Sweden.
Leif Andersson, a geneticist at Uppsala University in Sweden, stated that the unique color of this chicken breed is due to complex arrangements in their genes. This can be traced back to a bird species believed to have existed hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.
“The fundamental mutation causing fibromelanosis is very special, so we are sure it occurred once in the past,” Andersson said.
The downside of this breed is its very poor reproductive capability, with the survival rate of chicks under one week old only reaching 50%. Due to the high cost of raising them and their relative rarity, this breed commands a very high price.
The rare and expensive Ayam Cemani chicken originates from the island of Java in Indonesia. In 1998, this black chicken was first introduced to Europe by a Dutch breeder. It quickly attracted significant interest from experts, genetic researchers, and the public, especially poultry enthusiasts, due to its appearance and genetic structure. It has since been bred in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and some Asian countries.
They ‘traveled’ to Europe in 1998. In Indonesian, the word ‘Ayam’ means ‘chicken’ and ‘Cemani’ means ‘completely black.’
The feathers, beak, tongue, legs, and claws of Ayam Cemani are all pure black. Even their meat, blood, and bone marrow are black.
According to scientists, fibromelanosis in the chicken promotes the development of black pigment cells. Ayam Cemani is so unique that it has been dubbed the “Lamborghini of poultry.”
Ayam Cemani is one of the most expensive chicken breeds in the world, with prices reaching up to $2,500 each (equivalent to over 50 million VND).
In Asian countries, people believe that Ayam Cemani meat is good for women before and after childbirth.
Many people even believe that Ayam Cemani brings good luck and that their crowing brings prosperity.
Despite being “black from the inside out,” this species lays eggs that are cream or brown – the only thing that is not black. If you’re wondering why an Ayam Cemani chicken is so expensive, the answer is quite simple. In reality, this breed is very difficult to lay eggs. They only produce about 80 eggs a year. Their unique appearance and the high demand for their delicious meat also drive up their price.
The taste of this black chicken is described as not much different from regular chicken meat, but it is slightly saltier and has a softer texture. Additionally, their meat contains many antioxidants that help protect eyesight and has lower cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is considered one of the healthier choices.
