03/21/2026
A very important read for anyone who is breeding Ayam Cemani.
Also a huge shout out to Gina Wrather for working so hard on this and better understanding the breed in general!
There has been a terrible rash of misinformation in the last several months surrounding the Ayam Cemani in America. Many of these falsehoods are perpetuated most loudly by those who stand to gain (or lose) through contract sales and commissions. You do not need to sign a contract to obtain good birds in this breed. You do not need to sign a non-disclosure agreement. You do not deserve to have restrictions placed on your breeding rights or your future breeding decisions for the birds you purchase. The original breeder of your birds is not entitled to a percentage of your future sales. You shouldn't have to become a business partner to receive mentorship. Yes, this is happening. And it is 1000% absurd.
FALSE: Ayam Cemani should not be shiny.
FACT: Healthy birds have healthy, functional feathers. Part of breed preservation is breeding for health and longevity. I don't buy in to the idea that the environment in Indonesia is the cause of the sparse, frayed, wiry feathers. If that was the case, then why wouldn't the wild birds of Indonesia also exhibit these traits? Natural selection in wild fowl dictates only the strongest, healthiest survive. And those birds have healthy, intact feathers. As should our birds. The American Poultry Association recognizes this as well. The APA standard for all black varieties calls for "lustrous greenish black". The matte, frayed, broken, and wiry feathers of many Ayam Cemani is a trait that has been intentionally selected for by humans. Anyone who has been in this breed for any length of time, and is honest, will tell you that these birds with lesser feather quality are generally not long-lived. Now someone is going to pipe up and claim they have an old one, and that's great. I understand there are going to be outliers to this statistic, but they are going to be rare.
But here's the thing too - if you like that feather type, go for it! Breed for it. Experiment with it. Just understand that those birds do not fit the approved standard and will not place well at show. That said, it's not necessary to show in order to enjoy these birds and the hobby.
All of that said, there is older literature from Indonesia that states the Ayam Cemani should have lustrous, shiny feathers. Not all Indonesian breeders aim to produce the matte feather quality. So even Indonesia can't come to an agreement on the matter.
FALSE: "Ayam Cemani should not be bought or sold as eggs or chicks."
FACT: This is often cited due to the fact that chicks may develop defects and disqualifications as they mature. Folks, this is true of ANY breed. And as with any breed, purchasing chicks or eggs from an established, accomplished breeder can minimize (but never eliminate) this fact of poultry breeding. Even the very people that are screaming about selling chicks won't sell you chicks. You know why? Because they know their chicks may develop defects and DQ's too. So they would rather charge you thousands of dollars for an adult bird that still has the potential to produce chicks with defects and DQ's. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a bird that can die tomorrow. Just don't.
FALSE: There is no Standard of Perfection (SOP). Only a proposed Standard (PSOP).
FACT: This lie really needs to stop. There absolutely IS an APA approved SOP. The American Poultry Association approved the SOP that was proposed when the breed acceptance process first began. Since then, it has been incumbent on breeders and exhibitors to show we can meet the standards for the SOP that was approved. Once the APA is satisfied, they will formally accept the breed as a whole. The ACBA did try to make changes to the standard in spring of 2025. At that time, it was decided to include the following as a disqualification: "mulberry visible on comb or wattle". There was also a clarification on the section for shanks and toes, that specified the bottom of the feet should be black. Those changes were submitted, but at the 2025 qualifying meet, the judge confirmed that no changes could be made to the original SOP after it was APPROVED. The ACBA deferred to the SOP as it was originally approved and judging proceeded. Neither of the changes to the SOP were really necessary anyway, as the standard already stresses "the defining characteristic of Ayam Cemani being thorough expression of fibromelanosis" and specifically the description for color for the comb, face, wattles, and earlobes already calls for "intense black fibro". The description for the shanks and toes already calls for simply, "black".
FALSE: "Breeders need to show proof of a homozygous fibromelanosis test to prove quality".
FACT: Fibromelanosis has absolutely nothing to do with plumage color. Please, please remember this. Testing for fibromelanosis is not going to prevent color leakage in the plumage. It's not going to guarantee that any number of other defects or DQ's won't show up. Fibromelanosis is only one small piece of the puzzle.
Furthermore, homozygous Fm birds can still display mulberry in the comb and wattles, and also have significant pink in the mouth. Maximum fibro expression is a polygenic trait, meaning that there is more than one gene at play when creating a black mouth bird with no mulberry in the face or wattles. The majority of Ayam Cemani are homozygous Fm. But not all Ayam Cemani are good representatives of the breed - tested or not.
FALSE: The ACBA supports "big fat fluffy short legged birds".
FACT: The ACBA standard of Perfection literally states:
* "Ayam Cemani are a medium sized fowl, with a trim form, that boasts of strength and virility"
* With a more upright stance and broad chest, Ayam Cemani have a closer resemblance to gamefowl, as opposed to heavier landrace breeds.
* Body: Medium sized elegant form that is slim and sleek, muscled not bulky.
* Plumage: Feathers short, rather narrow, hard, and firm, fitting closely in all sections.
* Appearance: Stands proud and alert, with a game-like stance.
Do fat fluffy birds get exhibited or bred? Yes, often by those who are still learning the finer points of evaluating poultry or are forced to work with the best they can find at the time. We all start somewhere, and sometimes exhibiting your bird is the best way to compare your progress against specimens that more closely fit the standard.
FALSE: "They are all out there to just take your money and flood the market with bad birds."
FACT: No passionate breeder wants this. What we do want to do is put workable genetics into the hands of breeders who are willing to learn how to select for proper traits and improve or maintain what they are working with.
Are there reproducers out there breeding indiscriminately? Of course. They can be found in every single local chicken group and some ship nationwide. But to label absolutely every other breeder outside of their clique as a villian is dishonorable.
If you feel inclined, we need your help in correcting these fallacies when they are presented. Do your own research. Please be careful who you take advice from. Beware of anyone that wants to take conversations private or insists on speaking by phone. Beware of anyone that will not even show you photos of their breeding stock without a written agreement.
I didn't write any of this to start a fight. But it concerns me greatly to see newcomers to the breed being preyed upon and indoctrinated by propaganda. Thank you for reading this far, and please bump this post with your reactions, comments, and shares.
