Buzz
The Ayam Cemani breed boasts an entirely black appearance, extending even to its bones and meat. Credit: Ed Wray/Getty ImagesRarely does one encounter an animal and imagine, "Every Goth enthusiast would surely desire a black chicken like this."
Indeed, certain chickens would seamlessly fit into a Depeche Mode music video.
Consider the Ayam Cemani, often referred to as the Darth Vader of the poultry world. Originating from Java, Indonesia, this breed has long been associated with ceremonial practices and has been a symbol of prestige among the affluent for hundreds of years. Every external feature of this chicken — from its feathers and beak to its heart, tongue, comb, and claws — is uniformly black, giving the impression that the darkness stops at the surface. However, that’s far from the truth!
Black Boned Chicken
The chicken’s jet-black exterior is merely a glimpse into the darkness that lies beneath. Surprisingly, the Ayam Cemani’s bones, internal organs, and muscles are also entirely black. The only exceptions are their eggs and blood, which remain unaffected by the deep, inky hue that makes them the most pigmented creatures known to us — their eggs are a pale cream, and their blood retains its natural red color.
What Makes Black Chicken Black?
But what causes this phenomenon? How can a chicken’s flesh and bones appear as though they’ve been soaked in ink? The answer lies in a condition known as dermal hyperpigmentation, or fibromelanosis, with the Ayam Cemani being its most extreme example. Other chicken breeds, such as the French La Fleche and the Vietnamese H'Mong, exhibit this condition to lesser degrees, but none achieve the same level of complete internal and external blackness as the Ayam Cemani. Though some come remarkably close!
Other Black Chickens Breeds
For example, the black Silkie Bantam, an ancient Chinese breed, features deep black feathers and even boasts grayish-blue meat and bones. Similarly, the Swedish Svarthöna is entirely black and shares the same genetic mutation as the Ayam Cemani, despite originating on opposite sides of the globe.
Rare Black Chicken Origins
Interestingly, scientists theorize that the mutation causing fibromelanosis in chickens is so rare that it likely occurred only once, in a single bird that existed thousands of years ago. While it’s unclear how this gene spread globally, Marco Polo mentioned black-boned chickens during his travels in Asia in 1298, suggesting the gene traveled worldwide via ancient trade routes.
That’s some strikingly dark meat! Although the Ayam Cemani’s flesh looks unusual, it reportedly tastes just like regular chicken. And as for the question of whether black chickens lay black eggs? The answer is no — they don’t. In fact, there is no breed of chicken anywhere in the world that produces black eggs.
