Polish Monk

[Eggcessive]

Polish chickens sometimes just get their head feathers pecked by their flockmates. I raised two, and this was an ongoing problem. I used BluKote which discolors the feathers (but wears of eventually) and it helped. Feathers usually grow back in in about a month. Nustock cream is another good thing to use--it tastes bad to the peckers, and it also is opaque and helps with healing.

 

[tess36]

I also have a Polish that is getting 'hen pecked,' literally. I, also, did not want to believe that my girls would beat on their man, but about a month after feathers started missing, I actually caught one of my New Hampshire's peck him. BluKote has not really seemed to help any. I hope you find a solution. I've not found one yet, though I admit, there are a lot more issues with this rooster than just his crown. I guess that's why he got his own thread a while back.

 

[tess36]

Oh, this may be total coincidence, but I just noticed as my post uploaded, your first post flashed up briefly and I caught the age of fourteen weeks. That was the exact age the behavior started with mine as well. Ironic, or maybe not...

 

[trudyg]

Well, I have a solution--he may be one of the 'chosen ones' for this Christmas Dinner. He's always been sorta peckish and now he's actually getting feathers from some of the girls. I have 15 birds and most of the cockerels are destined for the freezer anyway, so he may as well go first. He's the smallest of all the birds and I'd like to let him grow out a bit, but not if he's a jerk

 

[tess36]

I hear you. I did not choose my cockerel for a roo, he came free with my order. Though he is pretty to look at (except for his premature balding

), he has not proven himself a good fit for us. The hens don't pay him any heed, he goes to roost first every night, leaving his girls out and about. I have never heard him sound an alarm, usually it's my SLW that is top chick who does.

The deal breaker has been he has started attacking me regulary, usually unprovoked attacks. Up until last week it was always my legs and never when I wearing my muck boots. Last Thursday I was wearing my muck boots, he ran across the yard while I was walking away from him, tending to the ducks and he did his back of the leg flogging trick, only this time instead of running away (hit and run), he added pushing off of my body to gain more heighth to then attempt to get my face. That was the day I walked in the house and told my husband,"I'm not ambivalent anymore. That rooster needs to go. If he's doing this crap to me, imagine what he'll do to the boys (2&3) given half a chance."

Although I was initially excited to receive him, I now wish the hatchery never sent him. So much I've read reports that Polish frequently don't do well by themsleves in mixed flocks, because they get picked on. Maybe he wouldn't have turned into such a foul tempered animal if he wasn't having cheap shots taken at him when he's trying to sleep or has his back turned? The whole thing just makes me sad, but it is what it is. (sigh) I'm thinking of making either chimichangas or chicken and dumplings with him.