CEMANI FOWL.COM
Home of the Most Exotic Rare Breed Chicken In The World, The Mystical
Ayam Cemani:
CA 92284
CLICK TO EMAIL ME
Tips, Tricks, Tidbits and Trivia
Tips For Keeping Black Feathers BLACK
Paprika is one of the most common suggestions that crops up time and time again when dealing with fading black feathers. Most people advise others to start feeding it in winter, a couple of tablespoons in your flock's feed every day, and in spring your chickens will be blacker and not fade—or fade less, at least.
There is a grain of truth to this, but not for the reason that most people think: paprika does not have any inherent feather-darkening or feather-protecting properties. Rather, it addresses a copper deficiency. Copper-deficient chickens have feathers that are dull and brittle in comparison to their non-deficient counterparts, and paprika is a good source of copper. If the bird's new feather growth after molting generally looks rich and glossy, the chances are that he is not deficient. However, paprika can be bought in bulk relatively cheaply, so feeding it from winter through molting season is a good test. Paprika is the main ingredient in most commercial blackening supplements. If the birds are deficient, paprika will bring out a richer pigment in the feathers. Black oil sunflower seeds are another common suggestion to prevent sun-bleaching, one that I suspect may stem more from their name than their alleged sun-defying properties. Black oil sunflower seeds (commonly abbreviated as BOSS) are high in fat and omega-6 fatty acids, which can add shine to dull feathers if the flock’s diet is lacking, but, like paprika, will do absolutely nothing to protect an already healthy bird from the sun. In Indonesia, Cemani breeders swear by feeding dark insects and raisins.
Dark baby crickets are an alternative option available in the US and raisins are also easy to buy and feed to non free range birds.
The shiny gloss that makes the feathers shimmer and shine and brings out the greens and purples of your birds can be enhanced by feeding food rich in Omegas, like sardines and adding coconut oil to their daily rations. Cemani should be fed as rich and varied a diet as possible if they are in coops, and at the very least supplemented with some of these items if they are allowed to free range. Free range birds tend to have shinier, glossier and healthier feathering overall due to the tremendous variety of things they choose to eat, especially some of the insects.
Keeping Roosters
Keeping Roosters Quiet:
There are fancy, exaggerated, and ultimately expensive designs of this: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Chicken-Supplies/No-Crow-Rooster-Collar-p1580.aspx?gclid=CNyt75P83cUCFVKUfgodhJMAtA
but a two inch wide strip of double sided Velcro can be equally effective, considerably cheaper, easier to
put on and adjust, and less likely to come off.
The no-crow collar allows you to keep a rooster in areas where there are no crowing laws. It does NOT prevent crowing, but it significantly reduces the volume and frequency of crowing so that ultimately, they're no louder than a hen.
Here's a video of the Velcro type in action:
You can get industrial strength velcro here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I...
FAQ:
Q: Where exactly do you place the collar on the rooster's neck?
A: Put is as low and close to the chest of the rooster as possible. No need to remove feathers, but you can lift up the feathers and put the velcro somewhat underneath, letting the feathers spill over the band.
Q: How tight does the collar need to be?
A: Ultimately it needs to be tight. It is my experience that you really can't choke the rooster with it. Since the velcro is 2", it is wide enough to create structural strength within itself where the throat does not collapse. My recommendation is to start off loose, get your rooster comfortable with it and check on his crows. Start tightening up a bit and let him run around for awhile, again check on his crows. Keep tightening until you are happy with the noise level. Take your time and be gentle to the rooster. With 3 adjustments I was able to get the level to where I wanted it and I haven't messed with it since then.
Q: Can you film a video showing how to put on the collar?
A: I will as soon as the occasion arises. I currently do not have another rooster that is in need of a collar. But currently one of my hens is raising her own chick and if it turns out to be a rooster, I shall put a collar on him (and film it).
Q: Is the velcro 4" or 2" wide?
A: It is 2" wide. I made a mistake in the video.
Q: Is it normal for the rooster to act funny when I first put on the collar: Not moving, walking backwards, jumping up and down, etc.
A: Yes. Watch him for the next 45 minutes or so to make sure he is OK, but he is going through an adjustment period as he is trying to get away from this foreign object on his neck. After awhile he will return to acting normal. Watch for signs of lethargy though. If he's chocking you need to loosen the collar. My experience has been that the 2" wide velcro makes it impossible to choke him (read above).
Q: Can I choke or strangle my rooster to death with this?
A: My experience has been that the 2" wide velcro makes it impossible to choke him (read above as to reasons why). However I have read reviews on the "No-Crow Collar" (a product specifically designed for this purpose and different from this velcro method I'm using) on Amazon where a few people did say that they lost a rooster from over-tightening. So I want to definitely put a disclaimer out there to use any collar including this velcro method at your own risk and be sure to watch your rooster for any signs of fatigue. The rooster will still crow, but the volume is reduced. It should not affect his breathing at all.
FAQ:
Q: Where exactly do you place the collar on the rooster's neck?
A: Put is as low and close to the chest of the rooster as possible. No need to remove feathers, but you can lift up the feathers and put the velcro somewhat underneath, letting the feathers spill over the band.
Q: How tight does the collar need to be?
A: Ultimately it needs to be tight. It is my experience that you really can't choke the rooster with it. Since the velcro is 2", it is wide enough to create structural strength within itself where the throat does not collapse. My recommendation is to start off loose, get your rooster comfortable with it and check on his crows. Start tightening up a bit and let him run around for awhile, again check on his crows. Keep tightening until you are happy with the noise level. Take your time and be gentle to the rooster. With 3 adjustments I was able to get the level to where I wanted it and I haven't messed with it since then.
Q: Can you film a video showing how to put on the collar?
A: I will as soon as the occasion arises. I currently do not have another rooster that is in need of a collar. But currently one of my hens is raising her own chick and if it turns out to be a rooster, I shall put a collar on him (and film it).
Q: Is the velcro 4" or 2" wide?
A: It is 2" wide. I made a mistake in the video.
Q: Is it normal for the rooster to act funny when I first put on the collar: Not moving, walking backwards, jumping up and down, etc.
A: Yes. Watch him for the next 45 minutes or so to make sure he is OK, but he is going through an adjustment period as he is trying to get away from this foreign object on his neck. After awhile he will return to acting normal. Watch for signs of lethargy though. If he's chocking you need to loosen the collar. My experience has been that the 2" wide velcro makes it impossible to choke him (read above).
Q: Can I choke or strangle my rooster to death with this?
A: My experience has been that the 2" wide velcro makes it impossible to choke him (read above as to reasons why). However I have read reviews on the "No-Crow Collar" (a product specifically designed for this purpose and different from this velcro method I'm using) on Amazon where a few people did say that they lost a rooster from over-tightening. So I want to definitely put a disclaimer out there to use any collar including this velcro method at your own risk and be sure to watch your rooster for any signs of fatigue. The rooster will still crow, but the volume is reduced. It should not affect his breathing at all.
The Mystical, Magical, Metaphysical Ayam Cemani:
Came across this weird site: http://www.manizone.co.uk/magical-black-chicken-horns-ayam-cemani-c-467_466.html
Where for between $220 and $270 you can purchase discarded Rooster spurs of an Ayam Cemani. (no idea how anyone can determine they are authentic Ayam Cemani and not just any old rooster.) Supposedly a Shaman or Mystic uses these bits of decaying horn in healing and magic spells.
While I'm on the subject of Rooster spurs, I get emails asking about how to cut off their rooster's spurs. My answer..NEVER, EVER, EVER cut them OFF. What you should do instead is use a regular dog nail clipper to cut a SCORE around the base of the spur, then gently use your fingers to twist the horn shell off of the soft new baby horn underneath. The rooster feels no pain and now has healthy little baby spurs. If you actually CUT the spur off, the animal can suffer disabling pain.
On this next site, for a mere $225 you can purchase Ayam Cemani Bezoar Pearls:
These are actual "pearls" that were once chicken grit collected from the chicken's gizzard where they are used to crush up whatever the bird eats and over time, become eroded and black from digestive processes...or like an oyster makes a real pearl from a sand grain...similar event.
Again, while we're on the subject, always make sure your chickens have adequate access to good quality grit to swallow. The best is an oyster shell grit ( oysters again....lol) because of the high calcium content, mandatory for your hens to make strong egg shells.
More Mystical Stuff:
The Ayam Cemani is especially highly valued and even revered in Indonesia and other Asian Island societies for it's healing properties. The meat is made into a soup or a soup like meal called Adobo which is given to people who are ill from any manner of causation and the Ayam Cemani meat is said to cure. I guess this is comparable to the American belief that Mom's homemade chicken soup will cure the common cold, but better. :-)
Every part of the Ayam Cemani has value for healing and even more curious, for obtaining or maintaining wealth. Live Ayam Cemani are often kept at construction sites to "protect" and apparently bless new buildings and keep the owners prosperous. A perfectly black Cemani recently sold for $140,000 to a business owner to enhance his ability to bring in new customers. There are stories of people spending 10 times this amount for a perfect bird....and this helps explain why it is so imperative to breeders to keep the bird as black as possible.
CA 92284
CLICK TO EMAIL ME