Egyptian Fayoumis Thread!

[rghender37]

Are fayoumi hens friendly with hens of gentler breeds? I ordered two but my other hens are all docile and low pecking order breeds

 

[microchick]

Are fayoumi hens friendly with hens of gentler breeds? I ordered two but my other hens are all docile and low pecking order breeds

I have 4 EF hens and just put 7 eggs in my incubator. As for the temperament of my girls, it depends. I've seen my barnyard cross hens peck at them and I've also seen the higher ranking of the four (they are separated from the flock with my EF rooster to insure I get pure bred eggs) peck the 'underling' hens in their small group.

I'll be returning them to the main flock late tomorrow or Sunday and I'm looking forward to seeing how it shakes up the pecking order with my bossy barnyard crosses. My alpha hen has recently been deposed by a slightly younger hen and I'm wondering if she and Cleo my alpha EF hen are going to have a go at one another to see who is going to reign as queen of the coop.

 

[Zawisty]

fayuomi now are one of the main breeds in my country, the breeders in the last decade imported Fathi in large amounts, they was thought Fayoumi good layers and highly immune against most diseases
actually, not good at all
skinny, boney bodies
around 150-170 eggs/year, medium to small egg size
not docile at all
the onky positives points are, early mature, high feet
the truth now, 90% of our local chickens now are. mixed with this nonsense breed

 

[microchick]

Sorry you dislike the birds, @Zawisty. I introduced EFs into my flock because I lost about 2/3rds of my original flock to Marek's Disease and had to do something. EFs were the answer.

True, they are not heavy layers, but when you just need eggs for two people and a few close friends, and have other hens in your flock that are heavier layers, the 175 eggs per year is a moot point when you are trying to inject some disease resistant genes into your flock.

I have only lost one EF hen and that was to a heavy parasite load. And since I use my older surplus cross bred roosters for freezer meat that I slow cook for stock and use the stock for cooking and supplemental food for our dogs, having heavy bodied birds is not a big thing.

Most of all I love the fact that the roosters are gentlemen. My Game bird cross roosters have blinded and even killed one another but not Tut. He is the gentlest rooster I've seen even more gentle than my Buff Orpingtons and will walk away before he is maimed or maims another rooster.

Today I set 8 eggs for a Good Friday Hatch. All EFs and frankly, I'm praying for a few good roosters to add to my flock.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

The chick order arrived… a few Egyptians in there

 

[maralpz2006]

I have in my incubator egyptian hens and queen silvia rooster

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

fayuomi now are one of the main breeds in my country, the breeders in the last decade imported Fathi in large amounts, they was thought Fayoumi good layers and highly immune against most diseases
actually, not good at all
skinny, boney bodies
around 150-170 eggs/year, medium to small egg size
not docile at all
the onky positives points are, early mature, high feet
the truth now, 90% of our local chickens now are. mixed with this nonsense breed

Which country are you in?

I am not sure how I am going to use them in my flock. I am not sure what genders I will get with the straight run for start. Things like temperament traits must be selected for… thus some problems people are having with production lines too (production of meat or eggs was selected for over other considerations for instance).

Anyway I will evaluate as they grow.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

How the chicks are coming along…

 

[microchick]

I hatched 6 EF chicks 2 weeks ago today.

I had my EF rooster Tut sequestered with my four hens for a month before gathering eggs from them. Funny as it sounds I am hoping that there is a cockerel or two in the 6.

One thing I did was pull the EF/barnyard cross roosters from the hens. I had hoped that the gentleness of Tut would season down some of the aggressive tendencies of my Marek's resistant barnyard crosses that have Game Bird genes in them.

Nope, didn't happen. Tut was challenged for flock leader status and he said, okay, you want them, you can have them and retreated giving over alpha status to one of his sons who is cross bred.

I have to say that with the exception of one rooster, all of my EF cross males are wonderful birds. One is even a cross between a Fayoumi and a Silver Duck Wing OEGB. How they managed that one I have no idea but they did. Pepper and another rooster, Jack Daniels, run down to the house every morning from the coop and greet me at the door for treats and then walk with me back up to the coop. The one rooster who isn't as nice as the others isn't mean. He's just nervous and wary.

Somebody asked about what temps these birds tolerate.

I am in north eastern Missouri. Our winter temps here can get in the 100-105 degree range in summer and in winter 0 to -15 with wind chills in the -20+ category. I don't let them out when it is that cold but they tolerate the cold temps in their coop, sitting on the roost bars fluffed up and content. No frostbite on Tut's comb and he has a BIG comb and wattles.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I need to take some pictures of my little guys.