Average User Rating:
  • Breed Purpose:
    Climate Tolerance:
    Egg Productivity:
    Egg Size:
    Egg Color:
    Breed Temperament:
    Breed Colors/Varieties:
    They come in one variety - silver and black penciled
    Breed Size:
    Large Fowl

    The Fayoumis are a very old breed, originating in Egypt. They were named for the Faiyum Governorate southwest of Cairo and west of the Nile. Fayoumis are a hardy breed and particularly well suited to hot climates. The breed, through poultry genetics research and anecdotal reports, is thought to be especially resistant to viral and bacterial infections. They are also very good foragers, and if left to their own devices on a free range basis they can fend for themselves in a nearly feral manner. Fayoumi hens are good layers of small, off-white eggs. They are not given to broodiness as pullets, but can be when they reach two or three years of age. The breed is fast to mature, with hens laying by four and half months, and cockerels crowing at five or six weeks.

    Fayoumi chicks

    Fayoumi hen

    Fayoumi rooster

    For more information on this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-fayoumi.1162100/
  • dbe62b40_fayoumis-18074-44944.jpeg 1624c0d0_IMG_9176.jpeg 05d6fe28_image.jpeg b124bb71_image.jpeg 51ba3c91_fayoumis-18074-656983.jpeg cover.jpg chicks.jpg

  • Chicken Breed Info:
    Breed Purpose:
    Comb: Single
    Broodiness: Average
    Climate Tolerance: Heat

    General Egg Info:
    Egg Productivity:
    Egg Size: Small
    Egg Color: White

    Breed Temperament:
    Flighty, loud, active,

    Breed Colors / Varieties:
    They come in one variety - silver and black penciled
    Breed Details:
    This is a fast maturing breed with pullets laying at 4 months and males crowing at 5-6 weeks old. Eggs are usually off-white and not pure white. Roosters have silver-white plumage on the head, neck, back and saddle. The rest of their body is black and white pencilling. Hens have silver-white had and neck with black and white barring on the body. Earlobes and wattles are red with a white spot in the earlobe. They can have slate or willow green legs. They are not normally broody, but can become so when they are 2-3 years old. They are known to be good foragers and are typically flighty, but not aggressive. People describe their bearing as jaunty and they are sometimes compared to road runners. This is because they have a long neck and carry their tails almost vertical. They are fairly small with males weight 4.5 lbs and hens averaging 3.5 They are not yet an American Poultry Association recognized breed. As chicks they look very similar to a Silver Campine. As they mature, Fayoumi's head and hackle feathers are more silver/gray while the Campine's are closer to white. Campines feather pattern is barred and Fayoumi's are pencilled Also, at maturity Campines will out weigh a Fayoumi by around a pound. My Fayoumis are quite entertaining. They are great foragers and very talkative. I've talked with other owners that claim their's like to be held, but so far, mine just like to run. Zepchick told me hers would catch flies out of the air while being held. They are great alarms systems and screech when they are disturbed. Credits: hen and egg picutres provided by Mikasgirl. Rooster picture from Triple Spring Acres hobby farm.






BlackHackle likes this.

Recent User Reviews

  1. Kessel23
    "New favorite"
    Pros - They are the best free rangers, extremely alert, they travel the farthest, forage the best, and escape the fastest. They can fly very well and can escape most predators.
    Cons - They do not like to be handled and avoid you.
    This was my first year owning these birds, they are extremely good at foraging in the wild. I got mine from a hatchery but they act like they were taken right out of the wilds of egypt. They act a lot more like other wild pheasant family members and they do not like to be handled, mine freak out like they are being killed when I catch them. They also always stick together, I see them climbing up trees and scratching around in the woods all the time, they never need a rooster's supervision. They are like a whole different species and I highly recommend them, I have not found another hatchery breed that was similar to them. If you want to keep your birds in a run then don't get this breed, they like to roam. They will also fly out of any run without a cover.
  2. Eggswithleggs
    "Real Little Characters"
    Pros - Beautifully understated birds. Good hustlers. Heat tolerance.
    Cons - They love the juniper tree and roof of the coop a little too much for comfort. Cold winters are of concern for me.
    Very energetic as chicks and also as young adults. They're real little go-getters. I almost lost one to failure to thrive when I first got them. She spent the night in my shirt after a honey and egg yolk dinner, so up till now Delilah's more friendly than Cleopatra. They're little chatterboxes and quite opinionated. My run is covered so I don't worry too much about them escaping, but am concerned about letting them free-range with the other birds when it's time. Overall, I am quite happy with them though.
    Purchase Price:
    Purchase Date:
  3. floodthelast
    "Tough and spunky not cuddly"
    Pros - fast and tough, surprisingly cold hardy with their small comb. Good free rangers, great flyers.
    Cons - Great flyers, need a covered run or free range. Not cuddly. Will dominate despite size.
    My Cleo was close with me until the new chicks came and I protected them from her. Now she tolerates me. She'll eat from my hand but will peck if reached for or if I collect eggs under her. No more flying to my shoulder everyday.
    She is tough as nails and high ranking in the pecking order despite her size. I was surprised by her cold hardiness. Her wattles and comb got quite blue but didn't suffer frostbite like some of my other hens.
    She is a good layer gets along well enough with the bigger hens although she tends to pick on the bantams.
    I am impressed with her laying and egg size compared with her size/weight. She is a compact little thing that really packs a punch. The personality is distrustful, they prefer chickens to people. Smart birds though.
    Purchase Date:
    May 2016

User Comments

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  1. RussianChickens
    Yep, they are rascals, I like them because they don't get eaten and are pretty but thats it. But for handling they are no good. And when they get sick! Good luck treating them! They are terrible patients lol.

    I only keep the hens of this breed.
  2. dynodon
    I had an Egyptian rooster that I had raised from a baby .He grew up with a bunch of other chicks ,but was always wild .When I walked up to his pen , he would bounce off the wire like a wild quail .I turned him loose to run out . He would range through the woods ,and finally didn't come back .(good riddance )
  3. davemonkey
  4. AnomieAcres
    So hey did you end up doing these crosses? I have just ordered some and your story was interesting.
  5. roostersandhens
    You know, if I ever got bantams I think I would either get this breed, or D'uccles. Possibly Silkies. Good review!
  6. Penny Hen
    Don't sell short that watchdog function. I still live in horror of the nightmare story my mom told me when she was a girl. There roosters weren't quite as vigilant and a possom creeped up into the chicken shed and grabbed one of the hens and ate her alive starting from the back. If grandma had had your little screamer the hen might have woke up in time to avoid the possom.
  7. BriskRooster
    i love fayoumis but i cant find a place to buy some or one

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