How to Care for Egyptian Fayoumis

When you order baby chicks online, there is usually a minimum number you can buy. If you want a smaller number of birds, contact a local chicken farmer. Care of wild birds can be demanding and challenging. Egyptian Fayoumis need the same care as other chicken species. When you receive them as chicks, they have their first feathers which are brown. Adult birds, both male and female, are tall with white coloring on their heads, black tails and a mixture of white and black feathers in between. They are ideal for egg production and mature quickly. They begin to lay eggs when they are 4 months old.

Things You'll Need

  • Large bin
  • Wood shavings
  • Bricks
  • Feeder
  • Medicated organic poultry feed
  • Waterer
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • 60-watt bulb
  • Clip light
  • Temperature gauge
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get the bin ready for the chicks. This is your brooder/incubator. A large plastic container with a lid works best. It is safe for the chicks and can be cleaned easily. Cut slits in bin's lid. The slits will allow you to check on your chicks and give them plenty of ventilation. The brooder should be large enough to accommodate your birds. The rule of thumb is half a square foot for newborns. A 24-gallon bin is perfect for 20 to 25 chicks. Make sure the lid has a tight fit. Cover the bottom of the bin with wood shavings or ground cobs up to an inch. Change it daily.

      Use a half gallon waterer for every 50 chicks. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to the full water bottle. This will neutralize the soft tap water to a pH that is acceptable to the birds to help them digest the feed. Fill up the feeder. Medicated feed will prevent worms and infection. Feeders train the chicks to peck. Clip the lamp to the side of the bin and turn it on. Test the temperature of the bulb with your hand. Place the temperature gauge near the bulb. The temperature inside the brooder should never reach above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 2

      Open the package that the chicks came in. They will be chirping and can be loud if you are not used to it. This just means they are hungry and ready to be transferred to the brooder. Transport them carefully one at a time to the bin using two hands. Do not squeeze hard. Cup them gently and place them on the bedding.

    • 3

      Check on your chicks constantly. Call your local veterinarian if you have concerns about your chicks' health. The temperature in the incubator should not go above 90 or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the temperature gauge a few times a day and also at night. Temper the chicks by dropping the temperature 5 degrees every week until they are ready to go outside. Accomplish this by moving the lamp away from the brooder. An inch can drop the temperature dramatically. In a month, the birds are ready to move to the permanent coop or free range.