Help needed for Polish please

[BradyK]

Hi there Yorkshire, I didn't take these for you to help identify sex. These are the ones I was trying to get to you last week. Arent they just precious? This one is Bodinski. or Bodie for short. We think he is a boy.
This we think is Lewinski or Lou for short
This is Cotton The smallest of the three and hair more like an afro. We think hen?

We think these two are the boys
I just had to post these but I will take front and side pics of all three this weekend and properly label them to see if you may be able to sex them If not we wait. no biggie. I love these three they are so very precious to all of us.

 

[Tonia K]

They are so cute! I am currently heartbroken as is my 12 yr old daughter. We have (had) 3 White Crested Black Polish. We got them this Spring by special request from a feed store. We had to buy straight run. We ended up with 2 hens and a roo. They were 12 weeks old this week. I lost both girls. 1 yesterday and 1 the day before.I have no idea to what or how. They were free ranginger with my 9 standard sizes hens and standard roo and the Polish roo. Each night upon lock up they were gone. I have walked the property and checked all the usual hiding places. Not even feathers were found.Though I have never seen any, I assume it was an air attack, like hawk or something. I feel horrible.I had no idea how attached I'd become to some feathered creatures. The poor Polish Roo appears to be searching for them. My daughter is especially heartbroken she asked for these specifically.Finding this breed in my area of the country seems to be a challenge. Would love to find some around the ago of the roo but do not think it will be possible. I dont have a incubator but think I know a couple of ppl I can borrow from if necessary but if I did attempt a hatch it may be uncessful that would be more heartache for my kiddos...any info or advice for me??

 

[BradyK]

Thank you Tonia K.

How sad this happened to your two girls !!! I had something similar happen. I hatch chickens for so many people that I had a 17 week old hen and two roo's and an 11 week old with and 11 week old roo. The roo's had to go as I live in the city so I know of a rehab farm that is NON KILL and the roos went there. The two remaining girls were broken hearted. It took them a while but became best buds. Next thing you know my 11 week old was missing. I am sure it was an air attack. just a small amont of feathers in two little spots otherwise gone. I cried and cried. Now I cannot allow anyone to free range. They only went out for three hours in the late afternoon. My whole family was sad.

As far as the precious white crested Polish I am looking for some solutions to cover some areas to prevent air attacks otherwise the three will go in the 8 X 8 foot coop until then. I was told hatching them is tougher than some breeds because of their vaulted heads. We did get ours from a local man and we set 7 in a brinsea mini advance. All seven were fertile but by the time hatch came we were down to four. on hatch day three hatched beautifully and the fourth did not hatch. I opened it and found a problem with the top of the head. This is what I was told was an issue with them. I closely monitored my temp setting with four instruments right on the money and also the humidity was perfect. So I would say try you can't do any harm. We got 3 out of seven.

The man the gave us the eggs was our A/C repairman and he saw my rhode island reds in the house in a corral and showed me pictures of his prize white crested black polish and I flipped !
He then brought us 7 eggs saying he has had no luck hatching them in his incubator. That is about all I can say. I think it is worth a try. Let me know how it goes and my heart hurts for your loss. My dream of free ranging or at least two hours a day free ranging is gone. I won't lose another.

 

[Tonia K]

Thank you Tonia K.

How sad this happened to your two girls !!! I had something similar happen. I hatch chickens for so many people that I had a 17 week old hen and two roo's and an 11 week old with and 11 week old roo. The roo's had to go as I live in the city so I know of a rehab farm that is NON KILL and the roos went there. The two remaining girls were broken hearted. It took them a while but became best buds. Next thing you know my 11 week old was missing. I am sure it was an air attack. just a small amont of feathers in two little spots otherwise gone. I cried and cried. Now I cannot allow anyone to free range. They only went out for three hours in the late afternoon. My whole family was sad.

As far as the precious white crested Polish I am looking for some solutions to cover some areas to prevent air attacks otherwise the three will go in the 8 X 8 foot coop until then. I was told hatching them is tougher than some breeds because of their vaulted heads. We did get ours from a local man and we set 7 in a brinsea mini advance. All seven were fertile but by the time hatch came we were down to four. on hatch day three hatched beautifully and the fourth did not hatch. I opened it and found a problem with the top of the head. This is what I was told was an issue with them. I closely monitored my temp setting with four instruments right on the money and also the humidity was perfect. So I would say try you can't do any harm. We got 3 out of seven.

The man the gave us the eggs was our A/C repairman and he saw my rhode island reds in the house in a corral and showed me pictures of his prize white crested black polish and I flipped !
He then brought us 7 eggs saying he has had no luck hatching them in his incubator. That is about all I can say. I think it is worth a try. Let me know how it goes and my heart hurts for your loss. My dream of free ranging or at least two hours a day free ranging is gone. I won't lose another.

If I can find more they will not be let out alone unless I am out with them. I have never had an issue with air attacks on my standards so they are allowed to free range. I feel bad for my lone Polish. I fear he will become unsocialized because he has to be isolated for his safety in a chicken tractor. I found 4 Polish chicks a couple of hours away but they will not just sell 2 , its all or nothing and they think 2 are roos. That will never work and the icing on the cake is they are asking over $10 a piece! Sorry but that is a lot to spend in my opinion.. How nice that you A/C repairman gave you some eggs to hatch!

 

[Tonia K]

Here is my lonely guy, Einstein.

 

[BradyK]

 

[BradyK]

Yorkshire ? Any idea of sex yet. I am stumped.

Sorry I did not get a note put on with the pictures above. The first pictures shows what I think is a rooster on the right with that huge tail and the two hens in the left. The second picture is the opposite. Two pullets on right and too in left.

The third picture is of the roo. He is starting to make crowing sounds.

The problem is the following pictures are of their waddles and two have waddles. Does that always mean it is a rooster when they have waddles?

The following pics show them in the same order just had to take a few pics to get them. The chicken on the right is crowing and has the large tail feathers. The one in the middle has no sign of waddles. Pretty sure she is a pullet
The one on the left is small like the pullet and has a smaller tail as well but has waddles. Any ideas on sex???

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I'm thinking 2 cockerels and a pullet but White crested blacks sure can trick you though due to the females having wattles too. The one with wattles but a smaller tail could still be a pullet and may have just developed those wattles earlier than the other with non. Polish sure can be maddening when it comes to sexing them.

Your birds are looking great, I'm so pleased for you

 

[BradyK]

Hi there,

You know I pretty much pegged it to two cockerels and a pullet but, have this funny feeling about the one. The one that I am positive is a cockerel has started just this morning practicing his crow.

His waddles hang down much lower then the other. The other just has the same appearance of the pullet in tail, body style and legs.
You answered my big question. Is it possible for the pullet to grow waddles much earlier than the others. I will keep mu eye on that one. I just can't let things go. Have to be constantly learning about tell tail signs etc.
I am just so curious but it doesn't really matter. Thanks so much for the input. I love these guys so much. Each day I get hugs and snuggles from all three of them. They are just so special.
Thanks again for your support and guidance. I will hang back and see if number two suspect cockerel starts to crow.

 

[BradyK]

If I can find more they will not be let out alone unless I am out with them. I have never had an issue with air attacks on my standards so they are allowed to free range. I feel bad for my lone Polish. I fear he will become unsocialized because he has to be isolated for his safety in a chicken tractor. I found 4 Polish chicks a couple of hours away but they will not just sell 2 , its all or nothing and they think 2 are roos. That will never work and the icing on the cake is they are asking over $10 a piece! Sorry but that is a lot to spend in my opinion.. How nice that you A/C repairman gave you some eggs to hatch!

Hi Tonia K.
Sorry I have been so busy with hanging chicken netting and work and coop building etc. I talked to a farm that sends out chicken eggs. My Pet Chicken. They said they send out white crested black polish eggs and have a good deal of success with incubating them. I can not get any more from my AC guy but I did end up with what I think is two cockerels and one pullet. $10.00 a piece is a lot.
Your Einstein is adorable beyond adorable. Let me know if you found him a buddy