AYAM CEMANI - BREEDING & DISCUSSION.

[Pyxis]

Feather sexing using the wings at 3 days...

Feather sexing does not work on this breed. In fact, it does not work on most breeds. To have chicks that can be feather sexed, you must on purpose cross two parents of different feathering speeds. Therefore, you would know if your chicks were able to be feather sexed, because you would have known the parents had the proper feathering genes and crossed them accordingly, and because of this, almost all chicks that can be feather sexed are crosses, not purebreds.

What I mean is, you can't feather sex Ayam Cemanis. It doesn't work and it won't tell you their actual gender with any reliability. You'll just have to wait and see what you have

 

[TheBrumstead]

I have a new addition! She's in quarantine in the basement for now. She's an Ayam Cemani, about a year old. Her coloring isn't perfect, so she's not breeding quality, which makes this the perfect home for her. She's very quiet so far. She literally fell asleep in my arms.



I don't have a separate pen outside yet, so the basement it is. The space she's in is the walkout area, so lots and lots of natural light. She has a bunny for company (in a separate pen, but they can see each other). I will be taking her outside often so she can have grass, fresh air, etc. She'll join my small flock of three.

 

[yeye5]

I have a new addition! She's in quarantine in the basement for now. She's an Ayam Cemani, about a year old. Her coloring isn't perfect, so she's not breeding quality, which makes this the perfect home for her. She's very quiet so far. She literally fell asleep in my arms.



I don't have a separate pen outside yet, so the basement it is. The space she's in is the walkout area, so lots and lots of natural light. She has a bunny for company (in a separate pen, but they can see each other). I will be taking her outside often so she can have grass, fresh air, etc. She'll join my small flock of three.

I'm still learning a lot about this breed--none of them live with me for now.
I just wanted to say she's lovely!

 

[Ayam onthe Farm]

I have a question for all Ayam Cemani breeders. What do you do with your extra roosters and culled birds?

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have a question for all Ayam Cemani breeders. What do you do with your extra roosters and culled birds?

Culls are either sold as mix breeds, given away or eaten...

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Well...I was trying to find good example of skin color but hatched out a chick that lost some fluff when I pulled off the egg shell that had stuck to its back. I think this chick is darker than any of my adults but maybe they get lighter with age?

 

[Ravynscroft]

View attachment 549510 Well...I was trying to find good example of skin color but hatched out a chick that lost some fluff when I pulled off the egg shell that had stuck to its back. I think this chick is darker than any of my adults but maybe they get lighter with age?

Very nice!

And not that I am aware of... usually it's the other way around, lightness darkens up as a chick ages...

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

I actually got my Ayam Cemani for a separate side project and most recently crossed them to Sumatra (which strangely seemed to result in the darkest chicks) but after I got a few birds I put them together to see if I might get some good quality Ayam Cemani chicks from sub-quality birds. Well, I got a few "dark grey" chicks...one even had heavily feathered legs! BUT...I got some very dark chicks with black skin. The plan was to grow them out further before I evaluate them but I did pry the mouth of one open out of curiosity and it was surprisingly dark! Not a black tongue...but probably "oyster"? Sadly, this one has feathered shanks...

 

[Ravynscroft]

View attachment 550249 View attachment 550244 I actually got my Ayam Cemani for a separate side project and most recently crossed them to Sumatra (which strangely seemed to result in the darkest chicks) but after I got a few birds I put them together to see if I might get some good quality Ayam Cemani chicks from sub-quality birds. Well, I got a few "dark grey" chicks...one even had heavily feathered legs! BUT...I got some very dark chicks with black skin. The plan was to grow them out further before I evaluate them but I did pry the mouth of one open out of curiosity and it was surprisingly dark! Not a black tongue...but probably "oyster"? Sadly, this one has feathered shanks...

A lot of hybrid fibros tend to be extremely dark, even can be darker looking than full AC's... Sumatras are already gypsy faced, so it makes sense that crossing fibro in would express well... oyster colored mouths are acceptable, sorry for the feathered shanks though...

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

A lot of hybrid fibros tend to be extremely dark, even can be darker looking than full AC's... Sumatras are already gypsy faced, so it makes sense that crossing fibro in would express well... oyster colored mouths are acceptable, sorry for the feathered shanks though...

I was thinking that perhaps I would eventually just throw these birds in with my free-range egg layers (I haven't free ranged any birds yet but that should happen this summer when I finish the coop area in my barn). They might be wild enough to be good free-rangers but so far the number of eggs is so low. I do think that they are just starting to lay though. I've gone from just the occasional egg to occasionally having up to 3 (out of 5 hens). I have an Ayam Cemani X Sumatra that I got with the regular Ayam Cemani and I KNOW that she hasn't laid an egg yet because I have her in a separate pen with a Ceylon Jungle Fowl hybrid rooster. I don't think that little rooster can breed with any of these large fowl hens unless they REALLY want to...and so far I don't think any of them want to!