Getting two Polish Chickens! Any tips for caring for them?

[MichelleKing]

Yay! Congrats on the egg and on getting Polish - they are my favourite!! I'm no expert myself but I have a pair of 12 week old polish so I thought I'd chime in and keep you company at the very least!

So far, mine have been very easy to care for, but I've raised them from birth in a big (26 chicken) flock of mixed mostly show type birds (but hatchery quality).

Some have problems keeping them with other birds, especially larger ones like leghorns because they might bully the polish for their weird feathering. Mine have not been bullied whatsoever.

Some trim the head feathers if their birds are having a hard time seeing, but I have not (yet) experienced that either. I do check extra carefully in their head feathers for mites, just as I do with my Silkies.

The one thing I have done is just for my Splash Polish cockerel. His head feathers grew in more slowly exposing his pinkish scalp, so I spray his head with blukote just in case the others "see red" and pecked at him. My WCB pullet didn't have this problem so I only sprayed her once when she was very young. I've sprayed my cockerel about four times now.

Do you have tips on when and how to trim?

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Do you have tips on when and how to trim?

No, I'm sorry I don't know...I haven't trimmed mine at all because they haven't been a problem.

I have been spraying my boy every few days still, but I held off this week thinking he was growing enough feathers for it not to be a problem, and of course, when I locked them in for the night I found my dominant hen sitting on the roost above him having a feast from his scalp.

So I've been locking him up in the ensuite brooder at night for the past two nights since this happened for his safety and so his wounds can heal. She only pecks him at night, and even though there is way more than enough space all over to choose a different roosting spot, he just sits there and lets her feast on him! ?!?!

I've ordered sports tape which is arriving today so I'm going to try to tape his Crest into a ponytail (I couldn't get an elastic to stay because his mane is so wild!)

Hopefully that will allow him to heal and also discourage the hen from picking him anymore....otherwise I may have to rehome her or him....and I love them both. The poor guy is such a good little submissive cockerel, which makes him perfect for us to keep but also the perfect target for a bossy hen.

Wish us luck!!

 

[Dharmachick]

I don't trim mine. I have to wash Bouffalant's crest in the winter since she gets it so muddy, but I have a lead hen who sounds alerts, she also has inch long spurs, and 2 mastiffs to guard them. I've had 4 hawk attacks recently, with the lead hen sounding the alarm every time. Haven't lost any.

 

[Lynn Borich]

They are so cute as babies and just cool as they grow. Our black hen, Mildred Pierce (she's kind of crazy in a fun way) has trouble getting around and we think she doesn't see well due to the feathers near her eyes. In fact I can't see her eyes. Is there anyplace I can go to find out how to trim them? Thanks!