The History
The Serama chicken is a small breed of chicken that originated in Malaysia, specifically in the state of Kelantan on the northeastern part of the Malay Peninsula. Its history is relatively recent, with the breed gaining recognition and popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Here's a brief overview of its development and rise to fame:
Origins and Development
- Early Beginnings (around the 19th century): The Serama is thought to have evolved from a mix of various small Southeast Asian chicken breeds, possibly including breeds like the Malay, Shamo, and possibly others. These breeds were originally bred for ornamental and sometimes fighting purposes. The chickens from this region were small and compact, which made them ideal for the developing Serama breed.
- Formation as a Distinct Breed (early 2000s):> The modern Serama as we know it today was developed in Malaysia in the late 20th century. The development of the Serama breed is attributed to a Malaysian breeder named Haji Suhaimi, who is considered the "father of the Serama." In the 1990s, he and other breeders began working to create a standardized breed with distinctive features. They selectively bred chickens to emphasize certain traits like size, posture, and feathering, refining the bird's appearance and characteristics.
- Naming the Breed: The name "Serama" is derived from the Kelantanese Malay word "Serama," which refers to "the beauty" or "elegance" of the bird, reflecting its graceful and compact form.
DIFFERENT SERAMA TYPES
United States American Serama
The body type of American and Traditional Serama are identical. The only difference, is American refers to the colors accepted by the APA (American Poultry Association) or ABA (American Bantam Association) and therefore can be shown at most “in cage” shows which are APA/ABA sanctioned, or 4H/Fair shows which incorporate ABA standards. As of 2019, the American accepted colors are white, black and exchequer. In January 2023, Blue, Splash and Ginger Red were added to accepted colors and are now, therefore considered “AMERICAN”. Traditional has the same type as American, but can only be entered in cage shows as AOV (All other Variety).
The Usual Traditional Serama
The body type of American and Traditional Serama are identical. Traditional Serama are any other color that are NOT American colors (white, black, exchequer, blue, splash and ginger red) Traditional, Colorful Serama- Identical body type to the American Serama. Balanced structure. Wings align with eyes and legs. Tail is held moderately upright. Traditional Serama are meant to be shown table top, the true nature of the breed! There are no color restrictions at all for table top showing.
Ayam Malaysian Serama
Ayam or Malaysian style Serama have a different, more “extreme” body type and are only able to be shown in Table Top Shows. The term “Malaysian” and “Ayam” refer to the exact same body type, however, Ayam is the more correct term as far as seramas are concerned. Most people use the words interchangeably to describe the extreme birds.
Maintaining the balance of type that the American Serama exhibit, the Ayam Serama hold a more extreme pose. All parts of the Ayam Serama should flow together in balance. Wings aligning with eyes, head pull affecting the extremity of tail angle.