Help!!!??? Chickens are picking on the polish, how can I stop!?!?

[markleck]

I have a mixed flock of hens, 9 in total inside the coop, and 1 outside because she was getting picked on. The white headed polish hen literally was scalped by the other chickens by the time I saw it. That was a few months ago, meanwhile she is happy and healthy, living the dream in my garden. But she's causing a lot of headache for me with my baby plants, etc... Any ideas how I can get the other birds to stop picking on her? I really like her, and she lays every other day, but I can't change my entire garden for 1 scratching bird. Thanks in advance!

Mark
Pasadena, CA

 

[sourland]

Polish are frequently the target when in a mixed flock. I don't know if it is because their crests limit their vision or because the other hens are jealous of their pompadours. Realistically, relocating the Polish or keeping her away from the flock are probably your best choices. Sorry, but if you return her to the flock after an absence she wil become a far larger target than she was in the past.

 

[AlienChick]

Yeah, I don't know why the Polish chicks get picked on.

Two of mine were picked almost bald.

Then all of a sudden all the picking stopped.

They're all fine now.

Just waiting for the feathers to grow back.

 

[windtryst]

I put the top knot in a rubber band, and then the other girls decided she looked "normal" and left her alone....

 

[Imp]

You can try pulling the bullies out of the flock and putting them in chicken jail. That'll knock them down a bit. While they are in jail reintroduce the polish (under supervision) to the nicer hens. After a couple weeks reintroduce the bullies (under supervision).

Imp- my only other suggestion is polish house chicken.

 

[Frannabelle]

I have 19 bantams, all cochin, d'uccle, and sultans + one standard polish hen. My witches picked on her mercilessly until I cut her "hat" off.
I have to trim it about once a month, but she is part of the flock without the British Royal Wedding Hat.

 

[sunket77]

I had the problem with mine also, it was really bad if it rained and they got wet, they where just about bald many times

so now we have the "banty shanty" a coop where we have our bantams separate. We have our nankins and all our polish together, standard and banty polish. They don't pick on each other so their top hats are looking good again!