Polish chicks

[Dragron_ heart]

After a 2 year hiatus I am going to raise chickens again. I love exotic chicks and I have decided to go with an entirely "Polish/Crested" flock. Just a small groups to start, 8-10 chickens. Is there anything special I should know about raising these breed as opposed to any other standard breed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They can have problems with external parasites in their crest sometimes, and when they molt they often need help getting the sheath off the new feathers on their crests. So expect some crest maintenance.

They can overreact to stuff because they can't see well. Mine were more flighty until I started trimming their crests. Some are just odd birds. It's the nature of the polish.

Don't mix them with other breeds, but you don't plan to do so. Some can be born with a vaulted skull which makes them more prone to brain injuries. In general other breeds like to peck at the polish crest. I've even had other polish peck at each others crest, so keep some bluekote on hand for such instances.

They are pretty decent layers. I'm always surprised by the size of egg that comes out of those scrawny birds.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

And to that I would add they dont go broody very often and mine dont lay every day.