Why Ayam Cemani Chickens Are So Expensive Ayam Cemani is a rare breed of chicken that is completely black, including its organs, muscles, and bones. This chicken originates in Indonesia, where many locals keep the bird as a treasured pet. Cemani, pronounced che-MA-ni in Indonesian and seh-MA-ni by many English speakers, comes from Sanskrit and means “jet black.” As a result of a condition called fibromelanosis, Cemani chickens have 10 times as much melanin as most chicken breeds. While the price