We have 6 heavy breeds- Easter Egger, Barred Rocks, Jersey Giant, Light Brahma, and Buff Orpington-all about 9 mos. old. We also have 2 polish "chicks" that are about 14 wks. now but are still significantly smaller. Those of you with Polish AND heavy sized hens...when do you add them to the flock and any advice on how to go about it. They free range together now...but don't go in the caged run or locked coop together yet. (They larger hens did scalp a third Polish about a month ago...so I am worried.)
Dont have any advice just a friendly bump as I have some one and a half week polish that I will have to eventually mix in with my ee and wynadottes. So I'm curious on what others will say.
I will be watching this posting, too, as I have 4 Crested Polish. My chickens are all on the small side but the Polish are very light weight (almost three months old). When picked up I really notice the difference between them. I read the Polish are usually at the bottom of the pecking order. These four are being raised in a little coop with four chicks I hatched, mixed breeding. Two of the four, Dagwood and Blondie, are on the larger size. Their dad had to be put down (injured) right after I took these two eggs. Their mom was taken (fox?) the same day! I had to laugh today. One of these chicks is a little red rooster named "Jacob". Dagwood picked Jacob up by his back and with no loss of feathers deposited Jacob on the opposite side of him. Showing him who's boss by doing it gently... Aren't chickens just great for entertainment??? Just love watching them... The main flock is up the hill at the 'big coop' (not big but larger then our first coop where we now put our young'ens.) I've been trying daily to have the little flock follow me up the hill to eat at the main coop and get used to being in a different part of the place. Yesterday rotten little Jack made them all run back down the hill... it didn't take much. Just him running at them. I need to find out how to get these timid little birds safely roosting in with the rest of the group.i (PS.. today I've had six of seven eggs hatch in my incubator. Pip showing on the last egg... crossing fingers)
I have two polish chicks, a pullet and a cockerel, both 11 weeks old. They were purchased at the feed store, but raised by a broody hen. So far they are having absolutely no problems in a mixed flock with EEs, SS, turkens, silkies, and SFs. They also free range with my other flock, LF brahmas. At the same time I got the polish, I also got 4 black stars and an australorp for another broody, so all the chicks are the same age. I have noticed that the polish are the bossy ones towards the black stars and australorp.
All of our birds are the same age right now - 4 1/2 weeks and our two Polish are doing just fine with our heavier breed mixed flock. They are in the company of 3 EE's, 2 Buckeyes, and 1 Salmon Faverolles. They are a bit smaller but they hold their own pretty well with the bigger girls. One is having troubles with someone picking at the uneven feathering that is coming in on her head but I'm trying to provide them with more entertainment throughout the day to distract from poor Tilly's bald spot.
