The American Cemani Breeders Club...open forum

[cafrhe]

I think she looks great. I like that she has a more slimmer body and not so fluffy/fat looking full of feathers. But to each their own

Not the best quality pictures, but these two hens that a friend have, is what i would love to see the the American Cemani eventually become like or similar

 

[bluenkimchi]

I wouldn't say they are exactly hard feather in the sense like oriental gamefowl and regular cornish bantams are, but in between being hard and soft....so maybe a medium hard feathering

Even the Indonesian birds varies from one to the next, but they usually are more of a gamier build and more harder feathering than the AM type AC.

Some examples of Indo type AC hens







this one is frizzle, but still has the gamier build


This is an oriental gamefowl hen, she is example of true hard/tighter feathering.

 

[shiningheartsr]

Hi everyone!
I have a friend who got into cemanis last year. He bought someone's greenfire farm stock. However, he is having a hard time keeping his chicks alive apparently. Are there any special tips/ tricks to raising cemani or could this be a lack of genetic diversity thing? I have one hatching egg that was sent to me in a "rare breed pack" if you will from another breeder. I figured I'd pass that chick onto my friend if it does hatch.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Hi everyone!
I have a friend who got into cemanis last year. He bought someone's greenfire farm stock. However, he is having a hard time keeping his chicks alive apparently. Are there any special tips/ tricks to raising cemani or could this be a lack of genetic diversity thing? I have one hatching egg that was sent to me in a "rare breed pack" if you will from another breeder. I figured I'd pass that chick onto my friend if it does hatch.

Inbreeding decline has been studied in chickens and found that after too many generations of inbreeding, the hatchability of the eggs severely declines as does vitality of chicks. It is tough to say for sure if that is what your friend is experiencing without knowing all his incubating & brooding practices. There are other things that could be going on, such as health of the parent birds or poor incubation or coccidiosis in his brooder. It's a good idea to cross those birds out to another line, regardless.

 

[shiningheartsr]

I would guess it's the inbreeding- personally. I had asked him about that and for whatever reason he doesn't seem to think that inbreeding is a problem with chickens. He hatches out a few hundred a month and is only having an issue with the cemani.

I guess I wasnt sure if it is too cold here, or too rainy. At any rate I keep sending him info on birds for sale from other farms. Maybe he'll take the hint at some point. Haha!

 

[PhoredaBurds]

I would guess it's the inbreeding- personally. I had asked him about that and for whatever reason he doesn't seem to think that inbreeding is a problem with chickens. He hatches out a few hundred a month and is only having an issue with the cemani.

I guess I wasnt sure if it is too cold here, or too rainy. At any rate I keep sending him info on birds for sale from other farms. Maybe he'll take the hint at some point. Haha!

Good Luck! Hope he takes the hint.

 

[Pyxis]

I've got a second broody now - they're sharing the nest. Interestingly, they're both TMA line hens.

 

[OnceInaBlueMoon]

Hi everyone! I am new to cemani's. I have purchased birds from four reputable breeders to get me started on the breed. I hope you guys don't mind if I ask a few questions every now and then while I'm getting started. I plan to work with this breed for years to come. I love the way cemani's look and I am up for the challenge. Are there any faults that you guys automatically cull for in chicks? I know there are probably different opinions out there, I am just wondering if there are certain things in particular that I should watch for and automatically cull for regarding chicks, or if I should always raise chicks to adult age before culling. Also, could you identify flaws that you consider less severe, that can hopefully be fixed down the line? I know everyone loves the idea of a solid black chicken from head to toe, but I understand that the breed is a work in progress, and I want to be sure I have appropriate expectations when examining them. Hope everyone has a good week!

 

[cjwaldon]

Another one of mine has gone broody. That's seven now.

 

[cjwaldon]

Hi everyone! I am new to cemani's. I have purchased birds from four reputable breeders to get me started on the breed. I hope you guys don't mind if I ask a few questions every now and then while I'm getting started.

I plan to work with this breed for years to come. I love the way cemani's look and I am up for the challenge. Are there any faults that you guys automatically cull for in chicks? I know there are probably different opinions out there, I am just wondering if there are certain things in particular that I should watch for and automatically cull for regarding chicks, or if I should always raise chicks to adult age before culling. Also, could you identify flaws that you consider less severe, that can hopefully be fixed down the line? I know everyone loves the idea of a solid black chicken from head to toe, but I understand that the breed is a work in progress, and I want to be sure I have appropriate expectations when examining them. Hope everyone has a good week!

I recommend for the first year you grow them all out. Then you'll know what YOUR birds produce. You'll have first hand experience instead of just reiterating what others have said. Take notes, take pictures, spreadsheets, diagrams, whatever works for you. You'll learn how much white on the toes is ok and will blacken in, and how much white is too much. You learn how mouth color can change with age, some getting lighter, some getting darker. You'll learn when feather leakage starts to show. You'll learn your overall percentage of flaws in your chicks and grow outs.

After having grown so very many out, here's what I now cull for immediately after hatch:
* Any chick that isn't all black down. Grayish down is permissible if not extensive. White down patches or white wing tips are no longer grown out here.
* Any chick that has pink skin or pink comb. I've never seen pink turn black.
* Any chick that has more than just the tip of the toe that is white. The white toes do turn black, but often if they start with more than just the tip, I end up with mature birds with small white spots on their feet, usually the end of the toe or the pad.