polish chickens

[snowstar5]

I just got two chickens one leghorn and one polish top hat. They are both hens and really nice. I have a few ouestions on Oreo (polish top hat). what color eggs do they lay? are they good egg layers? do they go broody? then one more I have two other chickens before winter (leghorn) and oreo. Patrick and starlite will keep fighting them and it scars me because oreo is so young. she gets scared a lot what should I do?

 

[snowstar5]

please reply if you don't mind

 

[sourland]

Polish generally lay a white to off white egg. Thy are moderate egglayers and generally do not go broody; however, some individuals will brood. Fighting/pecking at new chickens is something that established birds in a flock do. It's called the pecking order - a term for chicken society, and it can be quite cruel. Make sure that the new birds are being allowed to eat and drink and that blood is not being drawn. Given enough time and space, they will work things out.

 

[Bunnylady]

Polish lay white eggs. I've had a few Polish over the years (have several now, as a matter of fact). Polish are good layers when young, though mine have been rather seasonal, and on reflection, I don't think I have ever had one go broody.

If Oreo is young, I would be very careful about keeping her with birds that seem to want to peck at her . Polish have vaulted skulls; the brains of young Polish are very susceptible to injury. I have had birds that seemed fine one day and were unable to stand the next because one of their cage mates pecked them on the head. They seem to get over getting injured so easily as they mature.

Something you might do for Oreo once she is fully mature is to trim the feathers on the sides of her head. The big crests of the Polish tend to partly block the birds' vision, making it easier for other birds to sneak up and attack them. Being able to see the bullying birds coming makes it easier for the Polish to avoid them.

 

[snowstar5]

thank you they are free range and my first two chickens that where there Patrick and starlite would gang up on them. when I brought them to my barn I didn't think that my rooster Patrick would do that because he didn't do that to starlite.

 

[snowstar5]

what should I do they scared oreo and now she will hide from them?

 

[snowstar5]

oreo is young but should start laying soon. my rooster Patrick would grab Oreos wing and I cant get him to stop because im not there 24 hours. some days I don't go.

 

[Bunnylady]

Chickens tend to live in "family groups". Birds that know each other will gang up on newcomers, regardless of gender, at least at first. Young birds are always at the bottom of the pecking order. I prefer to introduce new birds in groups, so that the negative attention gets spread around rather than one bird being the target. Once they get themselves sorted out Patrick should stop attacking the new girls.

 

[sourland]

It sounds as if the new birds need a separate pen. It would have been wise to quarantine them, but it's too late for that. Put them in a separate pen and allow them to acclimate - a period of weeks. Then add your original hen to that pen. Once things settle down - days not hours, reintroduce all three to the rooster.

 

[snowstar5]

thank you one more question. Patrick has one foot that his scales are sticking up what should I do?