Polish 10 wk old head movements

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Well he seems more content, less "searching when I brought out a quilt rack I just hated to part with cuz I have 2...I moved him from top of the run to it and he sat there and didn't even wanna get in coop for bed. And he's always the first in the coop!

Snapchat-111427422.mp4

• Gammas Bearded Babies
• Jul 12, 2021

Now Mango (other possible cockrel) wasn't too happy that he couldn't "hop" up top!

 

[LaFleche]

Polishes do perfectly fine with their natural head feathers!

That's where you are wrong.

These overgrown head feathers are nothing "natural", but the product of human breeding process, leaving these deplorable creatures to suffer from the results of focussing on absurd breeding standards.
Here in Germany it is requested to breed for proper crest feathers, that will stand up on their own so their eyes will be visible when the judge is standing in front of the bird. A bird with overgrown crests will be judged inferior if shown.

Often enough have I been contacted by desperate owners of Silkies, Polishes and the like, that were suspecting severe illness in their birds because they just sat and did not move anymore.

As it turned out, most of them were starving and some of them died because of their view heavily impaired by overgrown crests/head feathers. They oftn suffer from eye infections and also fall prey to predators as they will not be able to notice them in time and if they do finally notice, they cannot see where to run and hide.

They are just as cute with their head feathers trimmed allowing proper view and normal interaction. There is a lot of pictures to be seen of properly trimmed Polish that live a healthy and happy life.

Just imagine how you would be able to live, interact, eat, find your way around and not run into things, and escape every day lifethreatening dangers with your eyes totally covered by a heavy wig...

 

[JustBabyMargo]

That's where you are wrong.

These overgrown head feathers are nothing "natural", but the product of human breeding process, leaving these deplorable creatures to suffer from the results of focussing on absurd breeding standards.
Here in Germany it is requested to breed for proper crest feathers, that will stand up on their own so their eyes will be visible when the judge is standing in front of the bird. A bird with overgrown crests will be judged inferior if shown.

Often enough have I been contacted by desperate owners of Silkies, Polishes and the like, that were suspecting severe illness in their birds because they just sat and did not move anymore.

As it turned out, most of them were starving and some of them died because of their view heavily impaired by overgrown crests/head feathers. They oftn suffer from eye infections and also fall prey to predators as they will not be able to notice them in time and if they do finally notice, they cannot see where to run and hide.

They are just as cute with their head feathers trimmed allowing proper view and normal interaction. There is a lot of pictures to be seen of properly trimmed Polish that live a healthy and happy life.

Just imagine how you would be able to live, interact, eat, find your way around and not run into things, and escape every day lifethreatening dangers with your eyes totally covered by a heavy wig...

I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend. But what I was saying earlier was that as long as he is in a safe environment where there aren’t risks like that then he should be alright. Also as long as he knows where everything is. My polishes are in a run with all the same stuff they grew up with to ensure that they will not have these problems. So I was only trying to share my experiences and what went over best for me. My best chicken was a polish and she would follow me around and respond to her name being called and she was always super happy (even with her head feathers)! She knew where everything was and had no difficulty finding anything ever! Sadly she got sick and died just about a month ago. So again I’m really sorry if I did offend you! I just was trying to explain how my polishes are doing so well even with their full hair.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Well he seems more content, less "searching when I brought out a quilt rack I just hated to part with cuz I have 2...I moved him from top of the run to it and he sat there and didn't even wanna get in coop for bed. And he's always the first in the coop!

Snapchat-111427422.mp4

• Gammas Bearded Babies
• Jul 12, 2021

Now Mango (other possible cockrel) wasn't too happy that he couldn't "hop" up top!

Aww! He’s adorable! He reminds me of my Booboo (my silver laced polish with crossbeak)! I’m glad he’s still doing good! And Mango is also super cute too!

 

[LaFleche]

I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend. But what I was saying earlier was that as long as he is in a safe environment where there aren’t risks like that then he should be alright. Also as long as he knows where everything is. My polishes are in a run with all the same stuff they grew up with to ensure that they will not have these problems. So I was only trying to share my experiences and what went over best for me. My best chicken was a polish and she would follow me around and respond to her name being called and she was always super happy (even with her head feathers)! She knew where everything was and had no difficulty finding anything ever! Sadly she got sick and died just about a month ago. So again I’m really sorry if I did offend you! I just was trying to explain how my polishes are doing so well even with their full hair.

I am sorry you lost your beloved bird. Did you find out what was wrong with her?

You did not offend me at all, don't worry.

It is a common misconception that these chicken breeds will do fine because "nature created them this way".
Keeping them in a secured run might help with some of the problems they have to deal with on an everyday basis, but they cannot interact properly with their fellow chickens, as they are unable to see them and react properly to their moves etc. while being blindfolded.
The continuous lack of eyesight leads to stress, which impairs their overall health.
They will often become infested with lice and mites, sometimes even die from poultry mites, as these parasites love to live and hide in these overgrown crests and the chicken owners only look for them in the rear area of their birds.

Humans have "created" quite a lot of breeds that I would consider animal cruelty. For instance some dog breeds having a hard time to breathe because of their oh so cute extremely deformed short muzzles (Pekingese, Fremch Bully, Mops, etc.) , or those with extremely elongated bodies trying to walk on stumps like the poor Basset Hound, that has the male dogs dragging their male parts on the ground and getting infections all the time because of it. Not to foget their extremely long ears, which has them stepping on them all the time...

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I am sorry you lost your beloved bird. Did you find out what was wrong with her?

You did not offend me at all, don't worry.

It is a common misconception that these chicken breeds will do fine because "nature created them this way".
Keeping them in a secured run might help with some of the problems they have to deal with on an everyday basis, but they cannot interact properly with their fellow chickens, as they are unable to see them and react properly to their moves etc. while being blindfolded.
The continuous lack of eyesight leads to stress, which impairs their overall health.
They will often become infested with lice and mites, sometimes even die from poultry mites, as these parasites love to live and hide in these overgrown crests and the chicken owners only look for them in the rear area of their birds.

Humans have "created" quite a lot of breeds that I would consider animal cruelty. For instance some dog breeds having a hard time to breathe because of their oh so cute extremely deformed short muzzles (Pekingese, Fremch Bully, Mops, etc.) , or those with extremely elongated bodies trying to walk on stumps like the poor Basset Hound, that has the male dogs dragging their male parts on the ground and getting infections all the time because of it. Not to foget their extremely long ears, which has them stepping on them all the time...

Thanks. No she did lay a soft shelled egg a couple days before but it could have been anything. Yes I do agree! I have a coop just for polish and all of mine can see pretty well for the most part! Especially my rooster! And my silvers can actually see the best because their crests are so small! But I’m outside with them for hours per day so I see them eat and drink and know that mine can find everything! I know some people can’t be with their birds for that long everyday so it’s really all about making sure that the birds can thrive one their own! But no matter what the decision is up to the owner and what they do with them! Ours was to just leave them natural but if they did have problems (or end up developing problems) we would definitely do something about it! Thank you for all your insight! It really does come in handy to have people like you who know how to help birds in all different ways!