Ayam Cemani vs Kadaknath Chicken – What is the Difference?

The Kadaknath chicken and Ayam Cemani chickens are two popular black chicken breeds. These two birds have traits like black skins, plumage, meat, and bones.

However, the two breeds have different characteristics. For instance, the two differ in size, temperament, meat production, appearance, and egg production.

What are Ayam Cemani Chickens?

Ayam Cemani are rare chickens that originate from Indonesia. These chickens have a gene that causes fibromelanosis (hyperpigmentation), making the birds entirely black. Ayam Cemani chickens are famous for their black feathers, meat, internal organs, and beaks. These mid-sized birds also have black meats, bones, combs, and wattles.

What are Kadaknath Chickens?

Kadaknath chickens are chickens from India, specifically from the Indian regions of Jhabua, Dhar, and Madhya Pradesh. These chickens are available in three varieties: Penciled, golden, and jet black. These chickens have a gray-black appearance and an attractive golden plumage with striking greenish iridescence. They have grayish-black legs, toenails, combs, internal organs, and meat.

Ayam Cemani vs Kadaknath Chicken

These two chicken breeds are pretty similar because they are both black chickens. Notwithstanding their similarities, the two birds have different traits. Check this comparison between Ayam Cemani and Kadaknath chickens before deciding which breed suits you.

– Appearance

Ayam Cemani chicken is a striking, beautiful bird. This breed has all-black feathers and a remarkable beetle-green iridescence that looks stunning in the sunlight. Ayam Cemani chickens have black eyes, combs, feet, blood, bones, and skins. They have an upright, game-like posture.

These medium-sized chickens have muscular and robust bodies with sturdy builds. Ayam Cemani chickens have solid black and close-fitting feathers. Their feathers may appear purple or beetle-green in the sunlight. Ayam Cemani chickens have broad breasts and their medium-sized heads appear as if they are sloping back.

While they are medium-sized chickens, these chickens have muscular and powerful thighs. Their wings are long and robust, with four toes on every foot. Overly, these chickens are lovely birds to behold. Their stunning appearances make them wonderful birds to raise for ornamental purposes.

Kadaknath chickens’ black color is perhaps their most prominent feature. These chickens are black from their heads to their toes. However, they have contrasting black shades along their bodies.

Being fribromelanistic chickens like Ayam Cemani chickens and the Silkie chickens, Kadaknath chickens have hyperpigmentation that makes them look beautiful and elegant. Kadaknath chickens boast a black plumage that gives them a stunning turquoise glow. These chickens come in three varieties.

The first variety of these chickens is jet black, which is entirely black. The other variety of Kadaknath chickens is penciled, which is black with bright white feathers along the neck. The Golden variety is black with shiny golden feathers along the neck.

– Size & Weight

Ayam Cemani chickens are medium-sized chickens weighing between 4.4 lb. and 5.5 lb. for roosters and between 3.3 lb. and 4.4 lb. for hens. Kadaknath chickens, on the other hand, are small-sized chickens weighing around 1.8 kg for males and 1.4 kg for hens.

– Temperament

Ayam Cemani chickens are hardy and easy to raise, although they appear exotic. They are friendly, calm, and docile. Because they are friendly, relaxed, and docile, Ayam Cemani chickens coexist well with most chicken breeds, children, family pets, and other farm animals.

It’s easy to hand-feed these chickens, courtesy of their friendly and docile disposition. Ayam Cemani chickens can withstand cold and hot weather, and thus they can thrive in several different regions worldwide and acclimatize pretty well.

Kadaknath chickens may seem hostile and aggressive because of their black coats. Nevertheless, these are the calmest chickens you can raise in your urban or rural backyard.

These chickens get along with other birds without causing trouble or picking a fight with other breeds. Kadaknath chickens are pretty docile and gentle fowl. If you observe the birds closely, you will notice they have a soft gaze, unlike some aggressive breeds.

Interestingly, Kadaknath chickens usually mind their business. These chickens are active, making them terrific foragers. Overall, these chickens have amiable and likable personalities.

– Egg Production

Ayam Cemani chickens aren’t your ideal terrific layers. Ayam Cemani hens lay between 60 and 100 pink or cream-colored eggs yearly. Hens may stop laying for a couple of months, especially after laying around 20 to 30 eggs.

Ayam Cemani chickens usually lay relatively large eggs compared to their size. Ayam Cemani hens are also fabulous mothers.

Kadaknath chickens are also not exceptional layers since they lay a maximum of 120 cream-colored eggs per year. Kadaknath hens are also not great setters, and they seldom go broody.

Nonetheless, their eggs are great for consumption because they are high in protein, rich in iron, and relatively low in cholesterol compared to most chicken eggs. Hens also take good care of their eggs.

 – Meat Production

Ayami chickens are good for meat, although they aren’t reliable layers. These medium-sized chickens can produce a decent amount of meat. Their meat is wonderfully tasty. Some say the black meat from these chickens is more flavorful, savory, and delicious than the average chicken meat. It’s also low in fat and cholesterol and rich in healthy protein.

Kadaknath chickens aren’t also exceptional meat producers. These small-sized fowl can’t produce a reasonable quantity of meat. As tiny as these chickens are, they have tasty black meat, and that’s why most farmers prefer their meat over other chickens’ meat. Overall, Kadaknath chickens are exceptional ornamental birds rather than egg or meat producers.

– Care & Housing

Ayam Cemani chickens require pretty minimal care. They can thrive on a consistent supply of quality foods and fresh water. Furthermore, these chickens can forage for several hours to meet their food intake needs.

However, you should provide your Ayam Cemani chickens with good shelter and bedding. Furthermore, these chickens are vulnerable to several types of predators, and thus you should focus on keeping their predators at bay while raising your Ayam Cemani chickens.

Kadaknath chickens also have pretty minimal care and housing needs. First, these tiny birds don’t require a large cage, so there are no specialized housing requirements while raising the small-sized fowl.

These chickens can also thrive on regular feed, although they need nutritious foods apart from their daily feed. Water is also necessary for Kadaknath chickens like it is for other fowl. Kadaknath chickens also require proper shelter and bedding.

Conclusion

Both Ayam Cemani and Kadaknath chickens are outstanding black fowl to raise. Their striking black plumage makes them a sight to cherish and a beautiful addition to any flock. These two breeds are also easy to raise and maintain.

avatar James
Hey, I'm James, a hardworking homesteader for more than 30 years. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from tending my flock. I've raised chickens and ducks for eggs and meat for many years. I also have experience with other poultry too. Learn more

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