Once again we venture into the unknown on the quest to build TFL’s chicken breed library for you. The Baheij chicken is another little-known breed. I could not find pictures and the information I found was scattered on the internet. Let me share with you everything I could find about this elusive breed.
History of the Baheij Chicken
| Class | Unknown/Egyptian? |
| Type | Bantam? Because of size |
| Size | 2.5 – 3 pounds |
| Rarity | Apparently Extremely rare |
| Purpose | Described as meat and eggs but poor at both |
| Recognized Varieties | Unknown |
The Baheij breed was developed at the Borg-El-Arab Poultry Research Station in Matrouh, Egypt. It was named after a village that neighbored the facility.
The Silver Montazah and Alexandria were used in the development of this breed. It was created in response to researchers’ efforts to improve the efficiency of other local breeds in meat production and egg-laying.
Breed Features
| Egg Laying | Poor 40-50 per year |
| Egg Color | Unknown |
| Egg Size | Small |
Because it only weighs 2.5 – 3 pounds (1200 – 1450 gms), I can’t see how it could possibly be considered a meat bird. My only reference is American standards. It could be totally different in other parts of the world.
As far as egg-laying, it’s poor. The hens only lay 40-50 small eggs per year. I could not find what color the eggs are but based on other breeds from the area I would say they are probably white. She begins laying at 6 1/2 to 7 months of age. This is much later than our backyard heritage breeds.
Breed Characteristics
| Cold Hardiness | Unknown |
| Heat Tolerance | Assumed so because of the origin |
| Bears Confinement | Unknown |
| Docile | Unknown |
| Setter/Broody | Unknown |
| Personality | Unknown |
The plumage is similar to that of the Light Sussex, but it has a grayish-white tail crossed by dark bars. The beak, shanks, and skin are yellowish-white, but the ear lobes are crimson.
Like the Bandara chicken, the Baheij chicken breed has a duplex comb.
What is a Duplex Comb?
| Comb Type | Duplex |
| Crested | Unknown |
| Feathered Legs | No |
| Number of Toes | Unknown |
I had to study this one because until we started building the chicken breed library, I had not heard the term “duplex comb”? Had you heard of it before?
The simple explanation is that the duplex comb is a genetic mutation that can be bred into any flock. I don’t know why you would want to and the information I could find did not satisfy me. I could not find any clear pictures of the comb to share with you.
Buttercup, carnation, cushion, pea, rose, single, strawberry, V, and walnut are the 9 types of combs recognized by the ALBA (American Livestock and Breeders Association) and APA (American Poultry Association). All of these will fit into the three distinct types of combs of the domestic chicken: rose, pea, and duplex.
The Duplex comb is divided into two types: V-shaped and Buttercup forms. Both are associated with an unusual duplication of a particular chicken chromosome.
The comb and wattles of a chicken are a direct indication of its health. The comb and wattles are the first indicators of common backyard flock illnesses.
The comb is also a clear indicator of whether or not a hen is laying. If she is, it will be bright red. If she isn’t, her combs will be dull, pale pink.
Summary
The Baheij chicken is a rare, duplex-combed chicken breed from Borg-El-Arab Poultry Research Station in Matrouh, Egypt.
It was developed using the Silver Montazah and Alexandria breeds and is known for its grayish-white tail crossed by dark bars. It has a yellowish-white beak, shanks, and skin, with crimson ear lobes.
The Baheij breed is used for meat and egg production. It is similar to the Light Sussex chicken breed in body color.
That’s it, I wish there were more to share but I pulled together everything I could find here in one place for you.
If you have pictures, raise the Baheij chicken breed, or have more information, please share with us. I’d love to know more about them and especially what they look like.
As Always, we’re here to help.
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