Are Polish Crosses a Bad Idea?

[Skibum]

I have a backyard flock of EEs OEs and Welsummers. I have a polish Roo who runs the roost. Is it a bad idea to raise chicks with him as the father? The ladies do pluck out some of his feather crown. If I have more crested will that still be an issue? Also just wondering what some polish crosses look like if anyone has photos to share? I don’t want to make little monsters….

 

[NatJ]

I have a backyard flock of EEs OEs and Welsummers. I have a polish Roo who runs the roost. Is it a bad idea to raise chicks with him as the father? The ladies do pluck out some of his feather crown. If I have more crested will that still be an issue?

Polish-mixes will typically have smaller crests than pure Polish.
The more crested chickens you have, the more your other hens should get used to seeing crests (so hopefully they will not pick on the crests as much.)

If you want to try hatching eggs, I would say to go for it-- I would not expect any big problems.

Also just wondering what some polish crosses look like if anyone has photos to share? I don’t want to make little monsters….

Definitely not monsters.

I do not personally have photos, but I have seen some posted in other threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-giant-polish-mix.205040/
This thread shows a chick that is a mix of Polish with Jersey Giant. Yours might not be that color or exactly that size/shape, but it should give some idea what to expect: looks like a normal chicken, except with a bit of crest.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/could-you-guys-post-some-polish-mix-breed-pictures.126949/
Here's another thread from quite a few years ago, that has some photos of Polish-mix chickens owned by several different people, mixing Polish with various other breeds.

 

[Skibum]

Polish-mixes will typically have smaller crests than pure Polish.
The more crested chickens how have, the more your other hens should get used to seeing crests (so hopefully they will not pick on the crests as much.)

If you want to try hatching eggs, I would say to go for it-- I would not expect any big problems.


Definitely not monsters.

I do not personally have photos, but I have seen some posted in other threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-giant-polish-mix.205040/
This thread shows a chick that is a mix of Polish with Jersey Giant. Yours might not be that color or exactly that size/shape, but it should give some idea what to expect: looks like a normal chicken, except with a bit of crest.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/could-you-guys-post-some-polish-mix-breed-pictures.126949/
Here's another thread from quite a few years ago, that has some photos of Polish-mix chickens owned by several different people, mixing Polish with various other breeds.

Thank you!!! That’s exactly what I was looking for. I’d prefer to have a maran or Roo with a blue egg laying gene but I get a kick out of this dude and he’s a good rooster so I’m gonna keep him around.