This Chicken Is Completely Black From Its Feathers To Its Bones

Ayam Cemani has inspired Javanese folklore since the 12th century, when it was considered a bird of the elite. Its charcoal-coloured blood is rumored to be a delicacy of spirits that bring power and wealth, making it a good luck charm.

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.