the Blackest Ones: on exploring the significance of Cemani mutations

[Resolution]

Like India, Thailand and China, Indonesia would appear to have a significant number of native chicken races developed in antiquity to the exclusion of other breed races.




There is some fantastic scientific information streaming out about the origins of domestic fowl. The significance of genetic diversity amongst chickens is invaluable.
We learn about the validity of breed and breed types by learning about their origins.
Of particular interest to us is the molecular data coming from China.
For example, we know that the largest diversity of chicken breeds originated in South East Asia, specifically, in regions bordering the the Gulf of Tonkin.

Mainland Red Junglefowl

Philippines Red Junglefowl



Molecular data has shown us that not all chickens originated in those countries bordering the Gulf of Tonkin. Quite separately, in an independent domestication event many thousands of miles across the sea to the south, domestication of another junglefowl was also underway. That centre of distribution was the island of Java.

Note the geographic location of the island of Java and look to the north and west to locate Vietnam. From Vietnam you can switch views the map above to gain a better comprehension where the Gulf og Tonkin is in relation to Java.

The two forms of red junglefowl are so similar in appearance it is difficult to distinguish them. What separates them is time and space. They were once a single species and at some point in prehistory, climatic events (probably theMount Toba Event ) destroyed vast stretches of forest biomes that once covered all of Southern Asia (Indian sub-continent), South Eastern Asia and Indonesia. That series of catastrophic events isolated two respective populations of Red Junglefowl. One population survived in southern Indonesia (Java) and the other in mainland continental Asia. The two are still phenotypically very similar. They are not distinct species. Indeed, populations of Red Junglefowl in Sumatra are a melting pot of the two respective populations that radiated back into forests that have regenerated over the tens of thousands of years since the super-volcanic event that separated them to begin with.

With the aim of elucidating in greater detail the genealogical origin of the present domestic fowls of the world, we have determined mtDNA sequences of the D-loop regions for a total of 21 birds, of which 12 samples belong to red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) comprising three subspecies (six Gallus gallus gallus, three Gallus gallus spadiceus, and three Gallus gallus bankiva) and nine represent diverse domestic breeds (Gallus gallus domesticus). We also sequenced four green junglefowl (Gallus varius), two Lafayette's junglefowl (Gallus lafayettei), and one grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii). We then constructed a phylogenetic tree for these birds by the use of nucleotide sequences, choosing the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) as an outgroup. We found that a continental population of G. g. gallus was the real matriarchical origin of all the domestic poultries examined in this study. It is also of particular interest that there were no discernible differences among G. gallus subspecies; G. g. bankiva was a notable exception. This was because G. g. spadiceus and a continental population of G. g. gallus formed a single cluster in the phylogenetic tree. G. g. bankiva, on the other hand, was a distinct entity, thus deserving its subspecies status. It implies that a continental population of G. g. gallus sufficed as the monophyletic ancestor of all domestic breeds. We also discussed a possible significance of the initial dispersal pattern of the present domestic fowls, using the phylogenetic tree.

male Indonesian Red Junglefowl Gallus bankiva

One subspecies of the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus gallus) suffices as the matriarchical ancestor of all domestic breeds

Akishinonomiya Fumihito

*Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 115 Tsutsumine-aza, Konoyama, Abiko-shi, Chiba Prefecture 270-11, Japan

ABSTRACT

The noncoding gcontrol region of the mitochondrial DNA of various gallinaceous birds was studied with regard to its restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequences of the first 400 bases. Tandem duplication of the 60-base unit was established as a trait unique to the genus Gallus, which is shared neither by pheasants nor by quails. Unlike its close ally Gallus varius (green junglefowl),the red junglefowl Gallus gallus is a genetically very diverse species;the 7.0% sequence divergence was seen between those from Thai- land(G.g.gallus and G.g.spadiceus)and the other from the Indonesian island of Java (G. g. Bankiva). Furthermore, the divergence increased to 27.83% if each transversion is regarded as an equivalent of 10 transitions. On the other hand, a mere 0.5-3.0% difference(all transitions)separated various domestic breeds of the chicken from two G.g.gallus of Thailand, thus indicating a single domestication event in the area inhabited by this subspecies of the red junglefowl as the origin of all domestic breeds. Only transitions separated six diverse domesticated breeds.

Nevertheless, a 2.75% difference was seen between RFLP type I breeds(White Leghorn and Nagoya)and a RFLP type VIII breed(Ayam Pelung).The above data suggested that although the mitochondrion of RFLP type V was the main contributor to domestication,hens of other RFLP types also contributed to this event.

Nevertheless, the people of Java domesticated their native Indonesian Red Junglefowl Gallus g. bankiva , thousands of years before the first domestic fowl from the mainland of Asia arrived on that great island. The oldest breeds of Java represent this uniquely Indonesian genetic lineage. They are RFLP type VIII breeds.


There are two native junglefowl species on the island of Java, the Indonesian Red Junglefowl Gallus bankiva and the Javanese Green Junglefowl Gallus varius.. Whereas female Indonesian Red Junglefowl were, at one point in time ~ 12,000 years ago, the only domestic fowl on the island of Java. Indonesians actually had the two native species of Junglefowl to work with to generate their domestic fowl. Male Green Junglefowl were hybridized with certain strains of RFLP type VIII breeds to produce ceremonial creatures, generated for their voices and plumage rather than their fighting capacity, meat or eggs. These hybrids were somewhat fecund with hybrid males fertilizing female RFLP type VIII strains that in turn contributed genetics to local and regional strains of fowl. Consequently, Mutations unknown amongst those domestic fowl descended of mainland Red Junglefowl native to regions around the Gulf of Tonkin, were probably present from the earliest days.

Getting back to the Ayam Cemani.
Recombination of some of these enigmatic mutations derived of some level of more or less regular contact with hybrid sires led to the development of unusual land race breeds uniquely suited for life in the environmental realities of Indonesia. Whereas recombination between RFLP type VIII breed females and male Green Junglefowl probably initially created certain mutations, these ancient breed types proved poorly suited for the level of production and disease tolerance of mainland Asia derived forms.
The Javanese simply couldn't produce enough of their unique mutations to meet demand for them. For example, black boned mutations were particularly desired by Chinese ethnics and traded widely all around the South China Sea and on to Japan and beyond. Recombination between mainland Asia derived chickens with the traditional Indonesian breed types was inevitable. Eventually, it was discovered that mainland Asiatic breed types were more amenable to close inbreeding than the Indonesians, especially those of hybrid origin where genetic outbreeding is already an issue, producing a significant percentage of sterile birds. They were able to lock mutations onto the mainland derived forms and then breeding them to type at higher numbers than experienced with the archaic Indonesian breed types.

Eventually, Europeans arrived and carried with them a new breed type, hitherto unknown in Asia, the Mediterranean egg production breed types. After a few centuries of Dutch colonialism, the Mediterranean breed type physical characteristics came to be preferred over old Asiatic types. But typically for the Indonesians, recombination of the best of both world went to work and in a few centuries, land races like the Kedu emerged. These were often highly localised breeds of unusual vigour or appearance, the Dutch valued as much as traditionalist Javanese and Sundanese islanders. Some strains would continue to have matriarchal ancestors of the original RFLP type VIII breeds and sires of the Mediterranean type breeds. These recombined composites would come to be the foundation of many Dutch breeds that we consider very old. We have to remember that the poultry industry as it were was thousands of years old in Indonesia before the first European arrived.

That said, the Dutch relied on poultry for a greater percentage of their nutrition than the Indonesians who continue to keep fowl for ceremonial reasons including fighting and singing. Strictly utilitarian or ornamental import of the domestic fowl usurped the animistic tradition at the very foundation of domesticated fowl.

Violaceous Bekisar the hybrid between Green Junglefowl male and red junglefowl female.


http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994PNAS...9112505F​

 

[CanuckBock]

Great info. I wonder how it translates to mammals.

Mammals, well that could incite a complete thread hijack...

All I will say here is that I was the first person to DNA colour test a DNA profiled (parentage proven sire, dam, and full brother) Australian Cattle Dog. Terribly long but interesting story (for me), told shorter; the quicker and slick method...

<<Apologies on some of the photo qualities...yeh, some pics are 14 years young...some are photos scanned too.>>

Red from Blues; HyBlade on left, full brother Dusty on right​

March 2000; Two Blues (Blue, Black and Tan-homo for agouti a"t" or black-and-tan allele) ACDogs produced two Red pups (both male) and seven Blue pups. Impossible in the (agouti) A-series since "red" (commonly a"y" - sable or fawn sometimes with black hair tips) is dominant to blue (a"t"). How can two recessive Blues throw two dominant Reds was the puzzler? DNA profiled, so here we now could say, NOT a mismating...very important when we are dissecting a puzzle that could simply be...this roo and this hen never produced these chicks--easy to dismiss.

In 2000, I took on one of the red pups, HyBlade. In 2001, I sent in a cheek swab (very CSI!) for DNA testing and results were that HyBlade was B/B and e/e. Labrador Retrievers that are e/e are "golden" labs.

What I figured out is that HyBlade was a Blue, Black and Tan ACD that could NOT express black (eumelanin) pigments completely...so basically he was White (the blue dog colour in this case was a mix of black and white hairs), NO Black, and Tan. A Blue, Black, and Tan ACD in his pyjamas; HyBlade was TAN AND WHTE.

Makins on left, HB on right​

All the tan points you saw in a Blue, Black and Tan ACDs were there on HyBlade (eye brows, cheeks/muzzle, throat, diamonds on the chest, feet on up legs, and belly) and they were just a smidgen darker than the rest of his coat colours. Basically the term TAN or RED being phaeomelanin pigments made the most sense to me...no eumelanin was allowed but we did see BLACK hair tips. The black hair tips were puzzling as it was like the melanocytes did not switch fast enough from eumelanin to phaeomleanin...a lag time that produced black tips on the red hairs. Usually e/e dogs had no black on them...they were red/yellow.

Keep in mind, that black pigments are produced faster than red pigments...I like to remember which pigment is made the quickest by looking at the feathers in the Mille de Fleur variety: tip of the feather goes from NO pigment (white)--->eumelanin (black)--->phaeomelanin (red). So when told that after no pigment to express the pigments...makes perfect sense to see a white spangle, then black then slower pigment red on MDF feathers.

MDF Booted Bantam Vulture hocks
​

HyBlade was whelped with a JET BLACK nose that faded as he grew up. Called a "snow nose" and common in Siberian Huskies.

​

HyBlade's nose would darken up in summer and pale out in winter.

​

Like the warmer temperatures made his pigments darken. We see expression of this phenomena completely backwards in Siamese c@ts ...the extremities which are furthest from the body core (tail, feet, face, etc.) would be the "coldest" and are the darkest.

HyBlade had a right eye ring on his face (dark red eyelashes on the ringed eye and lighter eyelashes on the non-ringed eye) and he also had some black pigment inside his mouth along the gum line and one toe nail remained black striped his entire life. I was told some rather interesting causes for his "snow nose." Plastic dishes would make his nose brown (he drank and ate out of stainless steel) and other outlandish things like I must feed him sea weed/Dulse (Palmaria palmata) to darken his snoot...in the ACD standard, no matter WHAT colour the dog, the nose was to be black. His was NOT...

​

HyBlade and one of my females Makins (Blue, Black and Tan) were the stars of my genetic canine colour seminars and the three of us taught over 450 Biology 30 high school students. Much to our delights, not a single student failed their biology exams after attending one of our presentations...dogs in school helped make genetic study REAL and memorable! It brought to light how the differences in one gene can make such a huge stark visual image. Makins and HyBlade are both homo for a"t" but HB is e/e and Makins is not.

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Odd man out...HB is the only not black nose in my herd of five...even the two crossbred ACD rescues have BLACK noses!

I showed HyBlade in confirmation and he easily earned his Championship title in just two weekends of showing...12 points, 6 majors under six different sanctioned judges. Gorgeous boy, just a little strange coloured for a red ACD.

This is Fixins, Makins' daughter. She is a Red Speckled Australian Cattle Dog.​

I showed and titled HyBlade because I had been told by people (even a biologist of all things) that I need to KILL him...yes, that "snow nose" of his was incorrect and he should die for that. Hilarious! On all 450+ surveys from the Biology students, I asked the question if HyBlade's "not black" nose was a concern to them...not one student EVER replied the "not black" nose was a problem to them.


So before I get my fingees smacked hard for having answered some of the question on how this relates to mammals...I will now revert back to the topic of black pigments and how this relates to chooks.

Things of interest to the black chickeners...HyBlade was MALE (was he lighter because of his gender like is seen in male chooks?), his pigment FADED over time and fluctuated with seasonal temperatures, and he was DNA proven e/e.


If I may pass on only one thing to people in pursuit of colour perfection...no good animal is EVER a bad colour.

Since we in poultry may have any breed (shape) in any variety (colour pattern), while I understand the drive to get the blackest of blacks...but please never become so wrapped up in your obsession where things like temperament, longevity, disease resistance, fertility, vigour and production take a complete back seat to phenotype (looks; shape and colour). There is way more to a GOOD Ayam Cermani or Silkie than just how black they be!

No good chicken is a bad colour...I GET your journey to get black black chickens...a worthy endeavour, but balance your expectations and enjoy the ride getting there too. Have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[tadkerson]

 

[CanuckBock]

Quote: I went back and deleted my previous posts and I would ask all others to delete my post that is quoted. I will not debate the subject and will allow others to read the papers on the subject. Please disregard my post. Tim

Heel low:

Tim, I wish you had not been led to feel you needed to do this.

Having taught 7 year olds how to use Punnett Squares to solve blue dilution x blue dilution mating outcomes...I may say without a doubt that there are many ways to "skin a c@t."

I am new here but can see instantly that Tim has a style of teaching his own. He will reach persons I won't. Good show!

We all absorb things differently. We should be allowed to belch out our own styles to help others learn. Hmm, the world was flat for a lot longer than it was ever said to be round, eh?

Creative visions, colouring outside the lines with sights outside the box, methods that bend and sometimes break the rooles will often reach a wider span of the audience and bring them into the fold we hold so dear; the learning of inheritance genetics. Controversy, discussions, debates, and opposite sides of the coin are why "bad news" sells more papers! LOL

It is not so easy to just quote old time sensibility...like begets like, hatch plenty of chickens and cull hard, maximum chicks from minimum parents, begin with a "good start," and instinctively knowing when a bird has balance, proportion and reads well. Breeding is an artform full of luck more than a science but studying science sure helps enlighten the Fancier when backed into a corner facing a pickle and not knowing which route to take.

Warming up to genetics is very SCARY for many. The moment the "little letters" and superscripts start frothing forth, many brains switch to OFF mode and people stop absorbing. New approaches to old problems will spark interest in topics flogged over like dead horses...no dog food here!

Sigrid teaches colour genetics like making soup...I did the same before I even read her books or saw her posts on The Coop. The e-series to me was pork, beef, fish, veg, chicken soup broth....garnishings like green onion for barring/cuckoo, parsley for mottles, parmesan grated for lacings, etc. Whatever your take on the topic so long as it inspires others to have a go at grasping the understanding the problems faced.

People NEED to be encouraged to sink their teeth into studying inheritance genetics.

Back in 2007, being told by a 90+ year oldtimer stringman that having the occasional "white sport" pop outta my MDF Booteds, was great but it would have been far better if old man Gordon Ridler had been able to say to me, "You need one dose of recessive white to make your top coats pop on the Mille de Fleurs." How wise and wonderful was Mr. Ridler to have figured this all out on his own...brilliance...but an understanding of some inheritance genetics allow many of us to reserve our "ah ha" moments for improvements over having to repeatedly "re-invent the wheel!" We get to climb up on the shoulders of those that came before us and that is our starting place...way way way up thar! The sky's the limit, eh?

So why IS the sky blue?

I love genetics because in a few key strokes, no matter what language you speak at home...C/c means hetero for rec white. Add that to me "recipe" for MDF and we are rocking and rolling right along again.

I am hardly qualified to teach genetics but I do. To all walks of life and ages; from children on thru to adults that were told by "Idiots" themselves that they were DUMB and had no chance in heck of learning genetic inheritance. Sure it takes more time, takes efforts to debunk all the negativity that abounds about genetics and understanding it. But it is so worth it when a child stands up and spews stats of 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash. You are NOT overly intelligent if you can complicate genetics.

You ARE intelligent if you can make it simple to understand. The use of complicated big hard to spell right words does not make you a genius. Far from it. The KISS principle rocks!!!

I will quote a paragraph from my fav author and mentor, Dr. Clive Carefoot in his book, Creative Poultry Breeding, page 75:

Quote from Dr. Clive Carefoot:
Using unconventional styles to teach will often reach out to persons that the conventional methods cannot touch. Some learn by hands on, some are visual, some have to take things physically apart and work problems out in their hands, some need to be challenged and told they are doing it wrong and need to prove it can be done THEIR way, some read and get it, some have to be shown over and over and others strike out on their own, learning on the run. As many ways to learn as there are students I suppose.

The point is teaching has to be received and used by the student; tested, tried and true. The biggest compliment to the teacher is when the student exceeds the capabilities of the teacher. Teachers are stepping stones to greatness...therefore a teacher often gets kicked in the process...ha ha ha...sometimes we even stuff a foot of our own in our gobs too, trying to get them to GET IT! Thankless endeavours.

Move along now Grasshopper, you've out grown the nest...fly be free and explore to learn more than I can show you! Let me be and eat yer dusty dander...LOL

​

In 2009, I invented the use of Lego (nfI) blocks inside plastic Easter Eggs to teach colour genetics; pheno and geno! Published the method in an article in the Feather Fancier. Never seen another person do it yet and still marvel that nobody else has chosen to use this method. I use plushy ducks, coloured up pink and blue, to teach gender inheritance in mammals and then birds/reptiles and some fish (different so could be scary!)

So who's afraid of the big bad furry duck...come on...afraid of a plushy duck? Suck it up Buttercup!

​

More plushy ducks to teach blue dilution on Punnett Squares!

Finger painting to revisit our primary colours and learn about dilution and extension of colours. Learning gets messy!

​

​

Whatever reaches the masses and makes inheritance genetics common place...that should be our mutual goals. I know it is one of mine!

Please continue to carry on Tim...you have my personal blessings...love your creative thought provoking style.

You can always straighten out the rules IF you BEND them a widdle bit with a little more hot air to steam them back to the straight and narrow. I beak off all the time and learn the best lessons one learns are when things go terribly off course. If you don't test the limits, how do you learn where the breaking point is? Gotta break a few eggs, even go so far as to whip them into shape to make an omelette, right? Luv omelettes!

Don't be too safe, don't be overly cautious; that's far too boring and genetics so ROCK our worlds, upside down and backwards pretty please!

People use to dismiss epigenetics (how gene activity is altered without changes in the DNA sequences) as hocus pocus and now we see the swing towards more acceptance to explain how starving parents can make a race of more efficient food converting offspring. We are not GODs ourselves and we mere weakling humans that are trying to decipher what the Creator did in a week's time (and resting on a Sunday even).

Whatever works...the one sole focus in ANY discussion or post or thread should be the ongoing improvement of the masses towards the understanding of how one goes about improving the quality of the poultry we possess.

Please be kind to one another and let the brilliance in others shine! We all need to work together for the betterment of the masses as a united front. We attract a lot more flies with honey than...and it IS all about getting noticed...right??

Peace, love, joy in learning, and above all, continue with the pursuit of happiness.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[sharkman]

For Cemani to get the black in the mouth and tongue, the bird needs to have two copies of the FM gene plus the gypsy face modifier.

If this is true then why has no one been able to breed to 100% black tongues? It seems even 100% dark black combs are in roos is not even possible. I hear most people say black tongues are only in a few %. If it was a straight genetic thing like that if you breed a black toung to a black tongue it should be in a high % or the babys?

 

[bluenkimchi]

I'm from Poland... but I guess you asking where I live  
I live in Thailand do when you happen to be on holiday one day you are more then welcome to visit me on my small farm
I think they call them here Mongol chicken I don't know why but I saw some Thai chicken keepers calling similar roosters like that - but theirs have usually red ish comb.

I love pay a visit someday...I'm originally from Thailand before moving to the USA as a kid.

From what I undertstand, in Thailand, they have 3 different types of black meat chickens. There are ka dam phuphan, Yunnan silkies and black Mongolian. The Yunnan and black Mongolian looka similar and have straight combs and a body more similar to the layer type of chickens, while the ka dam phuphan has thai gamefowl influenced and are for the majority are pea comb and more gamefowl in phenotype.

The more reddish comb can be that they have less of the fibro-melonisis genes. Even yours trio with darker combs will produce some offspring with reddish/mulberry colored combs.

And since you're now living in Thailand, you have a better chance to obtain some really Indonesia ayam cemani. I've seen some nice ones on FB of ayam Cemani in Thailand. I think the majority of Cemani and other chicken farmers are in northern Thailand, like Chang Mai, Chang Rai,Nakhon and surrounding areas?

 

[Kularius]

That's awesome....you got the real deal

....we here have settle for the European imported stocks and these can't compared....even their looks have changed too...majority of European ayam Cemani are soft feathers/fluffy and have a body more similar to layer type of chickens, rather than the gamier body type of real Indonesian stocks.

My guess is that once imported into Europe, thet may have been crossed with ?

Love to see pictures if you don't mind sharing them of your ayam Cemani

Here they are
They are still young - only 4 months old but growing very nice and beautiful... and I'm not in rush

 

[Resolution]

Here's what one may expect (in Indonesia) from a good clutch of Kedu landrace eggs. Four or five colour types hatch from most pairings. After hatching, the respective colours are segregated into different colour types. Respective segregates are traded or sold under the name of their colour. Often times, the number of tines in their combs will define them further and this distinction will be added to their descriptive name. These Pelung Kedu are of a distinct breed type-comparable to saying a gamefowl is Bancavoid or Malayoid or a Leghorn is Mediterranean. Pelung is the breed type, Kudu is the region in which they were "improved" during Dutch Colonial period.
Pelung breed type are easily distinguishable from all others breed types. They are lanky, quite large with long backs and horizontal conformation ( you chicken judges please correct me as to the correct terminology and vernacular please.) But their combs and wattles are enormous. The legs and neck are very long akin to that of gamecock races but the posture is horizontal and the wings are not particularly substantial. Nevertheless, the Pelung Kedu is a landrace. Colour types one produces rarely breed true to colour - conformation yes- but colour only rarely and voice somewhere in the middle. It's not in the interest of the Indonesian poultier to only produce one colour from a clutch. It can be done by taking individuals of one of the colour types and select breeding them in complete genetic isolation. Because of phenotypic polymorphism hard wired into their genetics, it will take a while to select breed them to type. It can be done but one has to be patient. This why the New Batavia is significant to western poultiers and its descendant the Black Java even more so. Each represents a different level of selection- a different level of utility expressed with consistency.

Ayam Pelung Kedu
1. Traditional Indonesian land race breed type the Pelung Kedu met certain requirements unique to Indonesians-while adapted for conditions of life there.

Kedu New Batavia
2. Dutch Colonialists required different levels of utility from the Pelung Kedu and imported a Mediterranean breed type to accomplish this objective via selective breeding.

3. The Dutch Colonialist exodus from Indonesia carried New Batavia to England; the northern eastern coast of South America, the Dutch West Indies and eventually to North America, particularly the eastern seaboard.

Black Java
4. North Americans select bred New Batavia stock genetics into the great American Black Java, a distinct, well defined breed produced through successive generations of selective breeding.

Kedu Cemani subbreed

Ayam Hitam Limahong

5. Concurrently, Indonesians select bred New Batavia stock with a Malay/Philippines breed type called Hitam Limahong (Black Pirate) selected for black plumage or particularly bright plumage and fierce disposition. It's not a strictly Indonesian breed type but it has been used increasingly in efforts to select for Cemani.

Just as the Dutch colonized Indonesia, the Spanish colonized the Philippines.

Merchant class Chinese ethnics moved between colonial ports. The black boned fowl was/is more economically significant to Chinese ethnics than to either Indonesian or European consumers. Generally speaking, the Chinese use black-boned fowl for medicine; Indonesians for ceremonial sacrifice and Europeans as exotic curiosities. Hindu Sultans carried the Cemani to Sumatra where it was recombined with fighting games to produce the Sumatran.

Yeonsan Ogye (Black Crow Fowl)
6. Hindi and Chinese merchants imported Hitam Batavia Limahong to Korea where they became the genetic foundation of the Crow Fowl.

Tomaru Niigata
7. Korean merchants carried Black Crow Fowl to Japan where they were recombined with the Dutch Indonesian New Batavia. The composite would become the genetic foundation of the Tomaru

"hsian tulang naga" (Dragon Bone)
8. The genetic repository of all this stock - that is recombination via self-selection of mates without selective breeding- what would happen to a flock of any of the above black boned fowl left to their own designs produces the "Hsian Naga" (Dragon Bone), known as Daitomaruigari Cemani in Japan. This stock was generated during Japanese occupation of Java and came be to favored as fighter, long tail and long crower amongst the generation of Japanese educated Indonesians that would eventually demand their independence from all colonialist rule.

*Note the rounded hackles and iridescent centers, the prominent facial marking- all characters shared with bekisars and naturally Green Junglefowl. This blonde colour and the black crow flight feathers taking up the majority of the surface of the wing are common to hybrid derived land races.
Too, they accrue the extra coverts and tail feathers with delayed moulting of the green junglefowl. Compare the tail of the green junglefowl and that of the red. Count the retrices and coverts surrounding them. This is all the more significant given the number of generations that have passed since the green junglefowl hybrid progenitors contributed their genes- several hybrid roosters breeding hens to the exclusion of non hybrid males for some period of time- followed by breeding interse between the hybrid's recombined offspring- the gene pool is a close- one or at least the formula of genetics are essentially similar- females of the Red Junglefowl(s) primarily breeding red junglefowl roosters- for some number of generations- followed by breeding interse and together with red junglefowl domesticates- to the exclusion of hybrid genetics for many more generations- that's essentially what's happened- certain combination of genes accrued from the green junglefowl have been shanghaid and injected into the domestic red junglefowl- and then selected to appear like the hybrid and its mutations to the exclusion of progeny that look like the red junglefowl.

So just count tail feathers on these archaic breeds- and yeah at this point all domestic chickens have twice as many tail feathers as the red junglefowl- gives you an idea of how much influence the green jf hybrid sire has had- much more so in Indonesia where secondary contact with hybrids is a consistent. So the Indonesian breeds.

Green Junglefowl

Indonesian Red Junglefowl

Wild Fijian descendents of hybrids between Green and Red Junglefowl= Fijian race Pacific Junglefowl

I must digress for one moment. A week or so ago I wrote something in a private email to a valued contributor on this forum that I regret. It was something to the effect that it frustrates me that western poultry enthusiasts determine what is valid about the origins of breeds in contrast to what peoples native to regions chickens come from might have. That was just stupid. It was insensitive, rude and counter productive given that the individual is very knowledgeable, much more than I on the majority of the genetics in question here, the genetic hereditary information, which I barely have a comprehension of. The genetic origins of breeds- the cultural origins I comprehend readily but the genetics in question are a complete mystery. I wish I could take what I wrote back but I can't. I'm writing this opus now, partly because the forum member wrote to me for information about black boned fowl. And I write this little missive because I can't help but find myself distracted with the fact that a person much more knowledgeable than myself who could really be invaluable in the discussion of selective breeding is absent. If you are out there, I sincerely apologize.

Moving on...

Ayam Pelung Kedu type Hsian .

A shrewd poultier will purchase Pelung Kedu Hsian to produce Cemani as Cemani are exceedingly expensive and difficult to come by. Cemani, tend to hatch most consistently from Hsian colour type. People will be quick to define Hsian as "partridge". In future postings I'll attempt to explore what is known about this phenotype as there is a disconnect in my mind between what constitutes "wild-type". Regardless, for now, it should be noted that the Hsiang Kedu subbreed is for all intensive purposes, the equivalent of 'wild type' amongst Cemani hatchings. Many Pelung Kedu Hsian are the result of recombination between the modern Hsian Naga
and the old traditional Ayam Pelung. That recombination would be akin to breeding a Cornish Game back to an Asil.

Jual

Jeruk Sayap

Pasir Putih Sayap Hitam

Merah Darah




The above are photos of some of the different strains of what we could define as "pure" old type, traditional Pelung Kedu breed type. Cemani morph can and do hatch from any of these but selection for the Cemani morph has jumped the rail so to speak in that since the 20th century, selection for the Cemani mutation has relied heavily on recombination with the aforementioned Philippines breed type, itself derivative of recombination of Tonkin chicken breed type with Philippines Red JF and an old Mediterranean breed type imported by the Spanish. I know that's a bit complicated and even convoluted- but what we have here are mirror phenotypes working simultaneously through the selection of respective peoples ( native Indonesian and Chinese ethnic Indonesian), both producing the Cemani morphotype. When the morphotypes are recombined with one another they do not necessarily produce more Cemani but these composites are the blood stock of Sumatran, Korean and Japanese black boned fowl that have been further refined and bred to type for centuries. What I'm trying to impart here is that the black boned Pelung is one kind of "Cemani"; the black boned Pelung Kudu is another sort of Cemani; the Korean's Yeonsan Ogye Crow Fowl is yet another.

When someone says they have Cemani we have to reflect on the genetic origins of respective strains produced by different subbreeds.


Each selection group or breed type is equally valid. They provide(d) different functions for different cultures at different times in history.


The Katai fowl are selected from the fertile female descendants of hybrids themselves produced through exhaustive selective breeding regimes breeding a maternal lineage back to generation after generation of male progeny produced via matriarch X son ; matriarch X son/grandson ; matriarch X son/grandson/great grandson and so on.
That first fertile female is going to be select bred for eight or nine generations back to her own male progeny- until all her daughters are fertile. These produce little bantam-sized fowl.

Hutan Tulang Bali
9. There is a diminutive version of the Hsian Tulang Naga Naga, often slightly crested called Hitam or Hsian Tulang Naga or Tulang Bali.



Sayap Hitam

A Cemani rooster bred to one of the rare fertile eight or nine generation outcross females from the first hybrid sire- will often produce miniature Cemani called Sayap Hitam Cemani. They will often have incredibly dark flesh and bones but due to the artificial selection regime of back crossing - the females are genetically homogenous. Bred to the Cemani rooster - by necessity a parallel lineage with some shared ancestry, the Sayam Hitam Cemani often exhibits frizzled silky plumage.
It doesn't fare well running about along the village roads and amongst orchards- as it cannot fly.

Breeding Katai back to Pelung sized cemani morph females whose parents were both cemani morphs:

If one takes a Sayam Hitam Cemani and breeds him to a Pelung Cemani morph hen one reaches Ink Black Terlihat Gambar Cemani- the ultimate in black bone.
But then you start to see convoluted comb types- akin to those of the juvenile Green Junglefowl male

Juvenile Green Junglefowl male note comb, densely feathered face and gular lappet

There is a Black Bone Junglefowl one sees in Ponape called Saudeleur. They are descendants of fighting chickens and bekisars carried to Ponape by Melanesians in deep antiquity. They are not always black boned but when they are it is alarming as they are sometimes so black as to lack iridescence.

Saudeleur are mirror genotypes to a certain extent to the Black Sumatran, the Minohiki and Yokohama. The vast majority of their sires for some formulative period in the history of their respective lineages are of hybrid ancestry. Their mothers are game fowl and they've been left alone to reproduce by themselves with more lor less periodic introgression from small handfuls of fighting game males. The Saudeleur, Sumatran and the Minohiki/Yokohama also have Grey and/or Sri Lanka JF ancestry in the mix so we will leave that well alone-for another thread. The gist being that hybrid roosters often held a higher significance to their keepers- in that as they were kept for their voices, they were neither sacrificed nor eaten- so a green jf hybrid rooster had opportunity to reproduce more successfully over an extended period than many non-hybrid roosters. The fighting fowl on the other hand were often of the Asil type which is a hybrid between Austronesian type games with Sri Lanka and or Grey JF X Red JF sires.


When the prize Cemani is purchased by an Indonesian poultier it is more often than not going to end up being bred back with Pelung Kedu breed type birds.

So we can readily appreciate how complex the issue is with regards to founder stock. A single Cemani can be bred to type to any of the Pelung Kedu and produce Cemani.
That progeny is going to produce some % of Hsian regardless.

I'll try and describe the role of Green Junglefowl hybrids in the creation of the original Pelung and in novel creation ( that is creating a black bone or pearl mutant in the first or second generation) of Mutiara and Cemani in a future posting.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Nice!
This is a project bird of mine:

Lisa

 

[Resolution]

Triple D- that grey bird is precisely what one looks for as a maternal ancestor to cemani morph. Let me know if you'd like to arrange a breeding loan. I'll send you a rooster that you can keep and you send me some small percentage of your offspring. What are the genetics of this bird?

I find that I can't hatch very many eggs of birds of this stock with any soy or even peas in the diet. Look for a feed that has no legumes in it whatsoever.

It's too loaded in phytostrogens and the egg yolk nutrients are critical for keeping one of these mutants alive in the shell- as that carnosine is inherited from a Green Junglefowl- not a Red- feed it like a Green Junglefowl- as little grain as possible- and high fat, high animal protein diet, nuts are fine- even peanuts, which are legumes I believe- but peas and soybeans are no good for longevity -too rough on the digestive cycle over the long term- and wreak havoc on the reproductive fitness and moult cycles of hens.

Look around for soy free feeds - I know my company produces a soy free supplement- the UltraKibble that you can mix with a grain mixture that has no soy or peas in it- it can be oats and wheat- millet is super too- but you won't need corn or soy or peas- sometimes you can only get a corn mixture so go for it- it's not going to hurt anything but for the Indonesian type fowls- the originators- the ancestral genetics you're trying to nurture- to coax out- and refine- eliminate the foods that insectivorous chicks cannot utilise entirely. Cooked rice is great- unhulled the best and you can cook up a ton of that just keep in the fridge- mix that into your soybean mixture- great stuff- think like an Indonesian...

You could switch to a kitten chow- fish based- but really you need the right mineral vitamin mix so a food designed for birds is better-

Yeah you can get them to hatch - on whatever feed you want- but will you be producing jet black birds?
Every once in a while yes. But if you want the whole lot of them to be jet black you need to alter the diet pretty dramatically.