CSU - Chicken State University- Large Fowl SOP

[ramirezframing]

I have a few hens who's crest look like that (when not in molt). Unfortunately I didn't plan on posting pictures of my polish, just on asking and learning. So I didn't get any pictures of them before they started molting, and now they don't look so hot

. Most of mine seem to be pretty even on the brain side when it comes to chickens, but I have had a few that umm.. well... would fly into a wall a few times before they figured out they couldn't go that way. Since I don't show I have cut the crest on some hens so that they could see, as some were starving to death because they couldn't see through the feathers. I have silver laced polish and working on a blue laced polish, which is coming along nicely.

Hoping some experts on polish comes along and gives some great information.

 

[fowlman01]

Polish have some special problems. I think part of their behavior is because they can't see well if the crest are large.
At show you want to use those pop bottle waterer's so they don't get their crests wet.

w.

 

[ramirezframing]

Polish have some special problems. I think part of their behavior is because they can't see well if the crest are large.
At show you want to use those pop bottle waterer's so they don't get their crests wet.

w.

I agree, I think alot has to do with the crest. My few that don't have a huge crest aren't as flighty as the ones that do have a huge crest.

 

[Wisher1000]

I loved the look of the ones I had. I didn't keep them though, because of their.......uh........issues, they required more care than the others. I, too, would trim or tie the feathers up so that they could see, but found that that only helped a little.

I really hope that someone will champion this breed to insure their future because they are beautiful (in a quirky way) and unusual and they deserve the efforts that conservationists make.

 

[Dr Bjorn Netland]

I had a nice trio years ago, and I liked them very much. Keeping their tops neat was a constant struggle, though, and they needed constant dusting to keep the bugs off. I always admire the good ones I occasionally see at local shows I attend (like the ones shown by Cynthia Smith at the recent Puyallup show in Washington). Could somebody bring up some critical conformation issues related to this breed? What do we want to look for--good and bad, etc.? We all want to become better informed about the many breeds in the SOP, and this forum might help in that regard.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I'm really looking forward to the Polish information. I started a couple of years ago with the LF Polish. But it's really hard to find any well bred LF so I've kind of moved my focus to my Marans.

The large crest is definitely an issue but I find they're fine with a little trimming around the eyes and they get to know their space. I find them the friendliest and most personality of any of my other breeds. And no other breed makes me smile as much as this breed.

I was just thinking the other day that I'd like to start working on them again. Ive been a bit discouraged after the last hatch was 4 cockerels and one pullet. The pullet was one of the best WCB's I had hatched in awhile but her crest was so large that she couldn't see, however she was very adventurous and loved to just walk (named her Patsy....I go out walkin, after midnight...). I cut the crest around her eyes 3 times, hoping she'd see how far she was going. After several times finding her a couple hundred feet into the olive orchard I put her in our garden. When I got back home she was gone and I never found her.

I'm sorry I haven't followed this thread before, how does it work? Ask questions, share pics for critique? This is truly my favorite breed and am hoping for some information to improve the breed of the LF Polish.

 

[4Hgirl]

If there is a rare breed of fowl that needs some folks to keep these birds going its Polish. I have never owned any but they are very nice birds and would be a great breed to have and preserve for the future. Good ones can win big at shows if you are into that kind of thing. look forward to your interests and points of who has the top blood lines beginners can purchase. bob

I am hoping for some good info on here as my daughter has a few SL BT's we got from Horstman this spring. Sadly we got five of them while ordering WCB LF's. which he did make good on and send us what we ordered for free but all of them died within three weeks despite all efforts, and there were many. Another blogger on byc had the same outcome with chicks from his previous hatch. Ive heard polish are most dificult to raise. Now the SL are down to one male and one female who both are probably too white for showing. And one female with a cross beak. These three are the most handled birds by my 4h'r and they are very sweet and good pets.

 

[ramirezframing]

OK, these ain't the best pictures for nothing! I took them of my SL hen (at the time she was 5 yrs old) to show someone her spurs, but it does show some of her crest and lacing. She was not bearded. From what I have seen in one of my three SL roosters and in alot of other polish roosters, is that the roosters can get a big v comb. And I have seen alot were the wattles tend to be rather big as well. Not knowing where these other birds come from that I have seen, I can't say if it's from bad breeding or an issue that needs worked on. I know with mine, all come off with small combs and wattles except for some my polish projects. It would be nice to know whether or not comb and wattle size is and issue or if these big ones I see are just from bad breeding?

 

[galanie]

OK, these ain't the best pictures for nothing! I took them of my SL hen (at the time she was 5 yrs old) to show someone her spurs, but it does show some of her crest and lacing. She was not bearded. From what I have seen in one of my three SL roosters and in alot of other polish roosters, is that the roosters can get a big v comb. And I have seen alot were the wattles tend to be rather big as well. Not knowing where these other birds come from that I have seen, I can't say if it's from bad breeding or an issue that needs worked on. I know with mine, all come off with small combs and wattles except for some my polish projects. It would be nice to know whether or not comb and wattle size is and issue or if these big ones I see are just from bad breeding?

That's a sort of "male" looking crest too! I've read somewhere that at birth, both sexes have testes. But that with females they sort of disappear. And that occasionally a female might have a bit left. Wonder if that was the case with this one or is what I read complete nonsense? I do love polish but have had horrible luck with them. And yes, they are pretty "special" that THAT kind of way. I trimmed my girls' crests too. It helped but not tons. It did stop the last one from getting in trouble by walking right over the top of the lead hen because she couldn't really see her though.

 

[Pozees]

Wondering whether anyone has had luck raising them at high elevations? I have a friend who has tried these twice and they never live to adulthood. Her elevation is a little over 7000 feet, and she thinks that might be affecting her success.