Fayoumi Chickens are used as a research subject and
ornamental. They lay two small cream colored eggs a week starting as early as
four months of age. Fayoumi chickens mature quickly but only reach four pounds
at full maturity. They show remarkable resistance to viral and bacterial
disease and infection. Owners refer to the Fayoumi chicken as the “escape
artist.” They can really fly and love to forage when on the lam. Nearly wild,
the Fayoumi goes feral if left too long on the range. They prefer to gather
most of their own food. As pullets they have little broodiness, but a
two-year-old hen will act quite broody. Tough, independent, and rangy the
Fayoumi has little to recommend it as a domestic foul.
Fayoumi chickens fail to fit into a backyard or suburban
setting. They eschew confinement and will either escape or self-destruct. Once
they escape they are very difficult to capture. In confinement they pick
feathers from themselves and others. Noisy in general, they will scream when
they are picked up.
Some have compared the Fayoumi to a roadrunner in
appearance. They hold their tails vertical and crane their long necks forward.
Couple this stance with their lightweight frames, and one can understand the
comparison to a roadrunner. However, the Silver Fayoumi fully fits its
classification as an ornamental. Roosters have a silver-white plumage on the
head, neck, back, and saddle against their black and white barred bodies. Hens
look much the same except they lack white plumage on the saddle. Fayoumis have
a single red comb, red wattles, and red earlobes with one white spot.
First-time chicken owners would do well to avoid the Fayoumi
breed altogether, and experienced chicken farmers would do well to study the
breed prior to making any commitments. Purchase Fayoumi chickens only if you
live in a rural setting in the southern latitudes. If you plan on keeping them
in a run, build high fences or clip their wings. Fayoumi prefer free-range food
over commercial feed. Make their run spacious. They need territory adequate to
their nutritional needs. Keep confinement to a minimum. Cull hens just prior to
their second birthday to avoid the broodiness that sets in at that age. Fayoumi
hens grow territorial over their nests. Provide plenty of nesting sites to
avoid conflicts.
About Fayoumi Chickens
