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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 since 1998, when she was brought there by the Dutch breeder Jan Steverink. However, it was described a little earlier: by Dutch settlers who arrived in Indonesia.
There is a reasonable suspicion that the Indonesian population has used these chickens for religious rituals for centuries, 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 inhabitants of Bali use roosters of this breed for cockfighting.
Origin version
The Tsemani descend directly from another breed of chicken - Ayam Bekisar - which is a hybrid between green jungle hen cocks and female bank jungle hens. Perhaps there was a crossing of "green" roosters with domestic chickens, but in fact, a domestic chicken is the same as a bank chicken.
This is what the hybrid Ayam Bekisar looks like.
His ancestor from the side of the roosters is a green jungle hen.
Ayam Tsemani is victims of a genetic mutation that has awarded them a rare disease: fibromelanosis. The activity of the dominant gene responsible for the production of the enzyme melanin in Ayam Tsemani chickens is increased 10 times. As a result, almost everything in these chickens is painted black, including meat and bones. Their blood is red.
The area where the Tsemani appeared in the Temanggung district in Java. In Ayam, translated from Javanese, it 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 Ayam breeds in Java. Accordingly, the word "ayam" can be omitted in the name of the breed. But of all these breeds, only Ayam Tsemani are completely black chickens.
Sometimes you can find the 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 in Russia.
Description
Even in their homeland, black chickens of the Ayam Chemani breed do not belong to any of the productive areas. And in Europe, they firmly occupy a place among the decorative species.
Their egg production is even lower than that of meat breeds. In the first year, laying hens produce only 60-100 eggs. Given the size of these chickens, the eggs are large. But since the concept of "large" in this case is tied not to the weight in grams, but to the size of the bird, it can be assumed that in fact the production of these layers weighs a little. The exact data is not indicated anywhere.
The meat characteristics of the Ayam Tsemani chicken breed, based on live weight, are also small. Roosters weigh 2-3 kg, layers 1.5-2 kg. But information comes across (apparently, from breeders who ate breed culling) that the meat of these birds has a special taste and aroma.
Silk chickens are bred on an industrial scale, they reproduce well. But only their skin is black. Even in this photo, you can see the white meat that shines through. A real carcass belonging to the Ayam Tsemani breed of chickens, in the photo below.
Real chickens Ayam Chemani are really completely black. But hardly anyone will cut 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 $ 2,500. 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, it means that it was a true Tsemani.
Favorite Internet hoax
The mutation affected in Ayam Tsemani chickens and roosters all areas of the body, except for two: blood and reproductive system. The blood remained red due to hemoglobin. And these chickens carry eggs of a beautiful beige color, contrary to the photos processed by Photoshop found on the World Wide Web.
The photo shows an uneven coating of the eggs in black. And below is a photo of the original Ayam Tsemani eggs.
Standard
The main requirement for Ayam Tsemani's chickens and roosters is a completely black organism. These chickens have everything black: the comb, earrings, lobes, face, even the larynx. The dense black plumage in the sun shines with a violet-green color.
The head is medium-sized with a straight leaf-shaped crest, large for the skull in size. The earrings are large, round. The beak is short. Chemani's eyes are also black.
The neck is medium in size. The body is narrow, compact, trapezoidal. The body is raised in front. The chest is round. The back is straight. The tail of chickens is directed at an angle of 30 ° to the horizon. Cocktails have a more upright set. Chemani's tails are lush. Roosters' plaits are long, well developed.
The wings fit snugly against the body. Having wild forms of chickens in their ancestors, these birds have a good ability to fly. The legs of chickens and cocks of the Ayam Tsemani breed are long, feet with 4 toes.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of these birds include only exotic external and internal appearance. Everything else is solid flaws:
- the high cost of eggs and chickens;
- low productivity;
- thermophilicity;
- lack of incubation instinct;
- low activity of males;
- fearfulness.
When keeping Chemani, you will have to thoroughly insulate the chicken coop and enter the room very carefully. Birds in a panic are capable of crippling themselves.
Breeding
Tsemani hens have a very poorly developed incubation instinct. They do not sit well 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 a below average pleasure.
Or, conversely, find yourself a secluded place, lay eggs and throw them, instead of incubating chickens.
For purebred breeding, a group of 5 chickens and 1 rooster is selected, while for other egg breeds, the size of a 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, apart from color, is fundamentally no different from other chickens.
After 3 weeks of incubation, completely black chicks with grayish breasts hatch from the beige eggs. They later turn completely black.
Chick survival rate is 95%. They feed them just like any others.
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 enclosure closed on top. Otherwise, you will have to catch them in all forests and fields.
In the chicken coop for this breed, you can equip fairly high perches, where they will spend the night.
Chickens and roosters Ayam Tsemani is not able to endure the Russian cold and for a safe wintering the hen house necessarily requires insulation. It is better to carry out the 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 to peck, they are able to peck out all the insulation. Since foam or mineral wool usually acts as a heater, chickens can clog the stomach and die.
The minimum layer of litter in the chicken coop should be at least 10 cm. Gradually, towards winter, the thickness of the litter is increased to 35 cm.
Ayam Tsemani's diet does not differ from the diet of other chicken breeds. To get top dressing in the summer, they need a walk. A small enclosed lawn with grass should be sufficient for these chickens.
Testimonials
Conclusion
Description and photos of Ayam Tsemani chickens arouse genuine interest not only among poultry farmers, but even just outside observers. It would be even more interesting to see these birds walking in the courtyard of a private house. But so far not many can afford such a luxury. Considering that Chemani is unlikely to ever move from the category of decorative birds to a productive direction, 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 is more affordable.
