Now About Polish...

[BeckyLa]

Do they ever make friendly pets? You know, the kind of pet I could actually pick up and pet? I have a few now and every one is high strung. I had no idea I had a voice that could strike terror until these Polish hatched and I put them in the brooder. They actually become hysterical if I talk to them or approach the brooder. This is ridiculus. I'm wondering if these beautiful birds are going to be worth their keep....

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Well lets see..I had an adult pair (bought as adults) that were pretty standoff-ish. Then I have 2 pullets that I bought from a hatchery that are quite friendly, getting better everyday. They are 8 weeks old right now. Then I have one that hatched here in the 'bator from the adult pair that I had and it is somewhat friendly, but still in the brooder with several other breeds.
In general, I think Polish are a skittish breed, but given enough time and attention, they can be just as friendly as any other.
I find that when they are in the coop for the first two weeks before they are allowed outside at all, is when I make the most progress with any of my birds. I go out and spend time in the coop a couple times a day while they are in confinement and it really seems to go a long way towards getting them to like me. It also helps to have a few of the girls that really like to be held around. You know how chickens are...monkey see, monkey do.

Good Luck.

 

[Carole AM]

I have 3 different types of polish, and they are ALL different! By far, the buff-laced are the friendliest. I have a hen that will visit me every day, just to see what I'm doing. They love to be picked up & petted.

The silver-laced are friendly too, but you have to approach them. I even had a hen go broody.

The white-crested blacks are the wackiest! Very skiddish, except for one chick that is always underfoot.

What kind do you have?

 

[verthandi]

The adult polish that I started with are flighty. The babies that I have raised are fine and can be picked up anytime. Mine do go through cycles when they are young. Very friendly and curious the first week. Then they are frightened by everything, at about 5 weeks they start getting curious and want to hang out with humans, but don't care to be handled. But they still get picked up anyway and they quickly settle down.


Just keep working with them and they will be fine, I think it is the lack of vision that frightens them most...they have a hard time when I bend down to pick them up as I tower over them. The old prey, preditor response kicks in and they run or fly to safety.

I actually wonder sometimes if I am doing them more harm than good by interferring with their natural survival skills in my desire to make them more human friendly.


Mine all tolerate being picked up and like their topknots preened by me. It also gives me a chance to make sure no injures or mites have taken up residence there.

 

[BeckyLa]

I have a Gold-Laced roo with a White hen and from them have hatched Blue and White-Crested Blue. Go figure......The hen and roo are standoffish though I can pick up the hen. The babies are about a week old, hatched by a Marans hen, but when one got stepped on and died I put the 3 remaining in the brooder. They were about 3 days old when they went in the brooder. They are terrified of simply everything. If they don't know I'm there, I can see they are eating and drinking and lounging just fine. But if they hear me they are very nervous. And when I put my hand in they get hysterical. I have to chase and corner them to catch one and I know that scares them more. I just wish I could tame them down. When I do hold them, whether separately or all together, they just don't settle down at all. I'd like for them to be pets, or at least where I could pick them up if I need to, but I just dont' know how to get there from here......

 

[verthandi]

This might cause some disagreement, but I pick mine up and lay them in my hand on their back for a few seconds. I haven't figured out what that does to them physically but they almost act hypnotized. They calm down, then I roll them over and hold them for a while. I put them back in the brooder after they have been quiet for a few minutes.

Frantic in the brooder is quite normal for my young ones when I try to catch them at first, we are pretty big and scary and move too fast for them to take it all in.

You should find that there is one in the bunch that is a little less nervous, try working with that one first.

Oh...mine a major food driven chicks too. A few treats go a long ways to convince them I am a worthy friend.

 

[eggchel]

I thought that my polish were flighty until I got Penedesencas!! Those crazy birds make the polish look positively sedate.

chel

 

[aran]

awww come on guys! I have just bought some buff polish eggs from Rob...hoping to at least hatch out a few. My 6 year old spends EVERY spare second he has with his chickens and they all (regardless of breed) treat him like the leader of the flock...they all literally run out of the coop or across the run to the sound of his voice treats or not! Im hoping he can tame a polish or two!

 

[edbama2]

I have found that the polish that I have are extreme in their personalities. The white gold laced ones are the most skittish! The black gold laced one is about the middle. The black white topped ones seem to be better. The runt of the black white tops will let me pick her up and will perch on my lap and let me pet her. The male black white top whose name is Afro, should have been named Houdini, keeps getting out and free ranging all day. He also knows when feed is being put out and is right inside with all the others to eat.

 

[4H kids and mom]

I have to say that of all my chicks, my polish are the most skittish, nervous, and they certainly do NOT want to be held! They scream when we catch them and continue to do so until we release them. Meanwhile, our other chicks and chickens look at them like they're phsyco because we bring them such goodies that everyone else in the coop adores us! My kids (8 1/2 and 7) were also disappointed that these "fancy" chickens dont like them, because they hadn't experienced that with any of our other chicks. Everyone was (is) always so 'over-handled' that they are the tamest chickens I know! But, our few polish want none of that. They run wide eyed like we're monsters, they cower and hide and even dive under the straw bedding, and they scream when they are cornered or caught. I'm sorry to put a damper on the topic, but of the nearly 70 some chicks I've raised in the past few months, the polish are deffinately not one of my favoites as far as "tameability".