Ayam Cemani's: Questions About The U.S.'s Most Expensive Chicken

[DCchicken]

I read an article last week that said CDC, the Center for Disease Control, no longer had a ban on importing chickens from Malaysia, etc. Woopie, I thought. More access to rare birds. Sigh, thought that too soon. Further on it said- but USDA still has a ban so nothing has changed.

All poultry imports to the U.S. are controlled by the USDA, not the CDC. The CDC may have jurisdiction over poultry imported for research (such as one with AI). But you must definitely get permits and pay for quarantine at either the L.A. or New York quarantine facility for 30-90 days. However, they will not issue the permit. So you would never get past that part. Trust me on this one, I have been trying for years.

You can import from most of the countries in Europe. But since those European Ayam Cemani lines have already been imported, you would be spending close to $8000 per bird for no real benefit.

 

[tridentk9]

For a while both organizations banned poultry from Avian Flu areas.

CDC will continue to work closely with USDA, the World Health Organization, the World Animal Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and individual Ministries of Health to monitor the situation regarding HPAI in foreign countries to ensure that the threat to human health is being adequately addressed through animal control measures. If necessary, CDC can take measures to control a human health threat based upon its authority to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the United States.

Russia and Ukraine are still on the banned list. Though only part of Russia is in Europe.

 

[DCchicken]

For a while both organizations banned poultry from Avian Flu areas.
Russia and Ukraine are still on the banned list. Though only part of Russia is in Europe.

True but you cannot even begin the import process without obtaining a permit which only the USDA can issue. They won't issue those permits for any banned country unless you have very specific reasons (medical research is probably one of them).

My point is that there is no reason to import anymore. We already have imports from the U.K (Jordan Farms line), Germany (Greenfire's line), the Netherlands (Tonie-Marie Astin line). Plus we have Mike's line which I believe is also from the Netherlands. I am in the process of importing the only other remaining Ayam Cemani European line which is from Ireland.

So you are better off just buying from one of the breeders that already has one or more of the imported lines. It's very expensive to import. Even eggs will cost $2500 per shipment to do it legally. Birds could be $5000-$8000 per pair.

 

[tridentk9]

My point is that there is no reason to import anymore.  We already have imports from the U.K (Jordan Farms line), Germany (Greenfire's line), the Netherlands (Tonie-Marie Astin line).  Plus we have Mike's line which I believe is also from the Netherlands.  I am in the process of importing the only other remaining Ayam Cemani European line which is from Ireland.  

Good luck with the birds. Do you get to choose from photos or let the breeder pick? They know the idiosyncrasies of their lines but it's also nice to have some input.

 

[DCchicken]

Good luck with the birds. Do you get to choose from photos or let the breeder pick? They know the idiosyncrasies of their lines but it's also nice to have some input.

Actually I am importing large amounts of eggs instead of birds. I figure that if I import hundreds of eggs, I should at least be able to get a decent amount to hatch.

But I know the breeder and the birds are much better quality than most of the lines already here in the U.S.

 

[tridentk9]

Actually I am importing large amounts of eggs instead of birds.  I figure that if I import hundreds of eggs, I should at least be able to get a decent amount to hatch.

But I know the breeder and the birds are much better quality than most of the lines already here in the U.S.

Cool. Good luck with the hatching. Much better than a trio

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

[COLOR=333333]Hello,[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]I'm considering buying some Ayam Cemani's. Originally I thought to buy less "exotic" chicken just for a DIY thing to do around the ranch, but since I came across these I'm left with quite a few questions and I was hoping for answers from the -experts-?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Greenfire Farms is the only place I have found that sells Ayam's and they are $2,500 each.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]1. Is there a place to buy Ayam's cheaper (Being a normal U.S. resident without any special certifications)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]2. How quickly can the Ayam's breed, let's say I buy 3 hens and 1 rooster, how quickly could I theoretically make an "Ayam Farm" of sorts[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]3. Do you foresee the price of these dropping vastly now that they are in the states and breeding will happen, or will the price remain relatively stable? (Not dropping below $500 a bird)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]4. Could you cross-breed the Ayam Cemani with the Swedish Flower Hen to create a new breed of all black chicken?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]***5. I was under the impression that this breed was only recently imported to the United States for the first time. Is this inaccurate? After some search of BYC, info suggests that there are a variety of breeders, if there are, why is the price still so high?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Best,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]CM[/COLOR]

Rare and hard to get chickens will be expensive. I just started raising Sultans, which are on the rare list. My reason for raiseing these beautiful birds is the opposite reason of your number 4 question. I feel like there are way to many crosses with this and that, and that's why some of these chickens, and other animals, are becoming more and more rare. We are losing our animals to make them pretty. I understand trying to make than more productive or able to live in colder places, but they are turning into "Hollywood purse" chickens. We are losing the original beauty of our animals.

 

[speckledhen]

Watson Ridge Ranch in Texas sells Ayan Cemanis, but I have no idea what they cost or when they will have them in stock. You can contact them at http://watsonridgeranch.webs.com/

The hatching eggs are $1200 for 6 (six) of them. The chicks are $500 each. I just told my older son that I had the perfect chicken for him, a GOTH chicken, LOL.

 

[DCchicken]

I only charge $200 per day old chick for both Ayam Cemani and Svart Hona. Eggs usually run about $50 each these days but I don't recommend people ship Cemani eggs as they don't ship well. Chicks are the better route to go in the long run.

 

[speckledhen]

I only charge $200 per day old chick for both Ayam Cemani and Svart Hona. Eggs usually run about $50 each these days but I don't recommend people ship Cemani eggs as they don't ship well. Chicks are the better route to go in the long run.

Good to know for those interested in this breed. My older son, who is not thrilled with my chickens, was impressed with the Ayam Cemanis. Me, I'm sticking with the old time American breeds for the most part, but they are a very interesting breed, certainly.