This Chicken Is Completely Black From Its Feathers To Its Bones

There aren't any health issues that I could discover, but this is a good place to describe the fibromelanosis of the Ayam Cemani. The bird has a mutant fibromelanistic gene – a gene that deposits excessive black pigment. This abnormal accumulation of melanin makes the skin and tissues appear black. This genetic trait is only carried by three other birds – the Silkie, the Svart Hona from Sweden and the Kadaknath a chicken of the Madhya Pradesh region of India. The blood is red but said to be darker than normal although the bone marrow is black. In all other aspects the Ayam Cemani is a healthy and robust bird. It does not seem to be prone to any particular chicken ailment.