Polish Advice Please

[ChickenCharmer]

I want to get a Polish or two for my mixed flock, but I've heard that "normal" chickens peck their crests off. Obviously, the funky crests are mainly the reason I would like to get them, and I don't want to separate them or get a whole bunch. So would you Polish-owners recommend that I get them or just not go thru the trouble (unless the crest thing is just a myth?

)

 

[slackwater]

I don't know about other chickens picking off their crests - but I can tell you that I have had a VERY difficult time keeping them alive

They seem to be much more fragile than my other chicks

 

[muddyhorse]

my polish run in a mixed flock. when I had a polish roo the other birds yanked out some of his top knot. they never bothered the hens. my flock is pretty laid back.

 

[muddyhorse]

my polish run in a mixed flock. when I had a polish roo the other birds yanked out some of his top knot. they never bothered the hens. my flock is pretty laid back.

 

[yotetrapper]

I have a lonely polish hen in my mixed flock of lots of breeds, but they dont bother her top knot....

 

[fancbrd4me02]

My polish are in a mixed flock. One of my Polish hens is the leader of the entire flock. Wherever she goes, the flock goes. It is true that sometimes other chickens are attracted to the Polish crests. I have had more problems with the white crested chickens being picked than the ones that are crested the same color as the body feathers. I advise you to go ahead and get polish if you want some, and just keep an eye on things. If you spend 10 minutes in the morning, and 10 minutes in the afternoon just watching your flock, you will learn a lot about what id going on with them. Helps you keep track of who is getting bullied, who the bully is, if anyone is sick, etc.,

 

[ChickenCharmer]

Quote:
Knowing whether they get bullied isn't the problem.

I know pretty much everything going on, plus the individual personalities and traits of every chicken in the flock.

I just don't think I can really do anything about it if my Polish goes bald from being pecked. I was planning on getting a buff laced one, so I guess the pecking won't be much of a problem. Yay, thanks, everyone!

 

[Mountain Sunshine]

We have a buff laced polish hen in our mixed flock and she does just fine! She holds her own....And she started laying a couple of weeks ago!

 

[sonew123]

I have/and had nurmerous polish with the rest of my flocks and they never got bothered or picked-except my SLpolish roo-he is seperated right now because his girls are pecking at his butt! His new feathers were coming in and they were relentless!

 

[becky3086]

Well, I would not get Polish and put them in a mixed flock. I have had several of mine get plucked just in the brooder pens. I just don't think it would be worth it.