Kadaknath, also called Kali Masi ("fowl having black flesh"), is an Indian breed of

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...

. They originated from

Dhar Dhar is a city located in Dhar district of the Malwa region in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Dhar district. Before Indian independence from Great Britain, it was the capital of the Dh ...

and

Jhabua Jhabua is a town and a municipality in Jhabua district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Jhabua District. Recently the district has got international recognition because of its endemic hen species ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

. These birds are mostly bred by the rural and tribals. There are three varieties: jet black, golden and pencilled. The meat from this breed has a

geographical indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...

(GI Tag) tag that was approved by the Indian government on 30 July 2018.

Breed

The Kadaknath is popular for its adaptability and its grey-black meat, which is believed to infuse vigour. Its colour is caused by

melanin Melanin (; from el, μέλας, melas, black, dark) is a broad term for a group of natural pigments found in most organisms. Eumelanin is produced through a multistage chemical process known as melanogenesis, where the oxidation of the amino ...

. The breed is considered to have originated from the Kathiwar Alirajapur jungles in

Jhabua district Jhabua is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The town of Jhabua is the administrative headquarters of the district. Geography Jhabua district lies in the western part of Madhya Pradesh. It is surrounded by Dahod and Chhota ...

of Madhya Pradesh. The

rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

s weigh and the hens . Kadaknath hens' eggs are brown with a slightly pink tint; they are poor setters and rarely hatch their own brood. Eggs weigh an average of .

Colour

Kadaknath birds are grey-black all over and have gold plumage with greenish iridescence. The greyish black colour is present in the legs and toenails, beak, tongue, comb and wattles; even the meat, bones and organs have grey colouration.

Threat of extinction

Due to the relatively high consumption of the breed, its numbers have sharply declined throughout the years. To save the breed from extinction, the state government started a Kadaknath poultry breeding program involving 500 families who are below the poverty line, who were to receive financial support and assistance.

Scams

Because of the limited availability and increased popularity of the breed since the mid-2000s, there have been multiple types of scams in which both poultry farmers and consumers have been swindled.

References

Chicken breeds originating in India Chicken breeds {{poultry-stub