AYAM CEMANI - BREEDING & DISCUSSION.

[jamesphelps]

AYAM CEMANI - BREEDING & DISCUSSION.​

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Ayam Cemani Chickens, direct from Greenfire Farms 2014.​

PHENOTYPE INTRODUCTION.​

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The Ayam Cemani chicken breed hails from Indonesia (Maritime Southeast Asia). Direct importation from Indonesia is prohibited, therefore Greenfire Farms, the only verified legal importer of the breed, obtained its breeding stock from the Netherlands.

There are three phenotype possibilities for the Ayam Cemani here in the United States. The 1) "Indonesian" Phenotype, 2) the "European" Phenotype, and 3) the "American" Variety.


"American" Cemani are known to have color bleed and other unexpected/undesired qualities. This is indicative of recent cross breeding/hybridization of the "American" Cemani making it less desirable for people looking for the best possible phenotype expression from their birds.

 

[Pyxis]

Hello! Do you breed this beautiful breed also? We have a fairly active thread for breeders of ayam cemanis here, if you'd like to join us:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...i-breeders-club-open-forum/1970#post_16052692

I do see that you've said that 'American' ayam cemanis are less desirable - I'm not sure why. Birds with less black are of course less desirable than the full black birds in this breed, but they are usually just culled from the flocks of breeders. They're not hybrids, just not perfect color representatives of their breed, as happens in almost all breeds. We're working towards improving that. You have pictures posted of some stock direct from Greenfire - even they have birds that have color leakage and are not all black at this time, and won't guarantee the color of any chicks they sell. I have a picture somewhere that I can dig up if you'd like to see it of a bird from one of their pens whose wattles are completely red. Unfortunately the breed is most definitely a work in progress here in the US, but we are working towards making it better.

Or I suppose possibly you are referring to one line of the cemani in the US at this time that is not as good as the other lines and could quite possibly have been hybridized with another breed a few generations back, making them not purebreds. Most breeders don't use this line as the birds from it wouldn't be accepted in their breeding programs anyway.

Then there are the scammers on eBay that are purposefully selling mixed breeds to make money. I can assure you that we are not all like that and in fact many of us are very upset that this happens.

 

[jamesphelps]

Hi Pyxis -- yes the American Phenotype would be what is sometimes called "Ayam Cemoni" by the proponent of the TMA line. At the peak of the gold rush many people mixed their GFF lines with TMA to increase numbers. As a result there are a large number of GFF/TMA hybrids in the market now. I will definitely check out the link you posted. Thank you.

 

[jamesphelps]

Greenfire farms Ayam Cemani Hen, 2015.

 

[jamesphelps]

 

[jamesphelps]

 

[Pyxis]

I actually have three TMA line birds - they're all really nice in terms of fibro saturation. Here are a couple pictures:

I don't think there's anything wrong with that line by itself as long as it's scrupulously culled and bred for the correct traits like the other lines. I do have some GFF birds also, and the one in my avatar is one of them.

I think the real line you are thinking of that has the most problems in the US is the Mike Bean line; there is speculation that leghorn was recently crossed in. They have larger combs like leghorns and tend to end up with almost no mulberry and mostly red in the comb and wattles. I have one hen from this line too, but I don't breed her, even though she is completely black. She looks very much like a leghorn in type to me and I don't want to breed that in.

 

[jamesphelps]

Your TMA line looks very nice. The hen is bigger than the TMA hens I have seen though. Body shape is similar to GFF's new 2016 line. That's great! The Roosters comb is interesting is not standard like TMA, it almost looks like a toned down Bekisar comb. How does his crow sound? Is it a cry as opposed to a crow?

 

[jamesphelps]

Here is an interesting one:

The Jurassi Chicken, an Ayam Siam, Gai'Chon Cemani derivative.

 

[jamesphelps]

Fleet footed, able bodied forager. Males are cooperative in protecting the flock.