Polish Temperament/General Intelligence?

[Pasta Bird Ranch]

So, our wonderful little Polish, Hattie, is a great chicken. We love her. But she’s incredibly stupid, oblivious to everything, and not social at all. She roosts with the Naked Neck we raised her with, but other than that she’s a complete loner. Is it just her, or are all Polish like that?

 

[SB16]

Pretty girl, your Hattie.

My friend had a buff Polish rooster. Spike was his name. Stalking me, his game.

He was obsessed with me - would hide behind trash cans eying me, then move up on me hiding behind statuary and such on the way up. My friend thought that my blonde ponytail was confusing him into thinking I was one of his (non-existent) hens. I don't know. He was odd, but I liked him very much. Very endearing little guy. She lost him to a hawk.

And yes, he was a loner - she had dozens of chickens and he stayed by oh wait, the feed store gave him to her when he was already grown. Someone must have taken him in. My friend bought him and he was nuts. Paced wildly in his quarantine crate... He didn't do well with the other roosters, so she left him in there -- I felt bad for him and begged her to let him out. She did. He stayed with the ducks in her front yard while the other chickens free ranged over 7 acres.

I will find and attach a photo when my hands thaw.

 

[Uwish]

Mine were amazing (but I also spend a lot of quality time with mine) they all knew their names (I had 4 they were murdered by neighbors dog) anyway they all knew their names very very social say on me road around on me etc. I sincerely didn’t think they were dumb at all. Awesome lil birds

 

[Poodlemum]

We have a few Polish and it all varies. Kevin and Karen (yes, both roos lol) are sort of oblivious to powerplays within the rooster hierarchy. They don’t bother anyone and no one bugs them. Ethel hates me, yet I’d always underfoot lol. She took forever to figure out the nipple waterer. I can’t blame her, she has a pretty big poof and likely doesn’t see well. Feisty little free ranger however and no one bullies her, but no close friends really. Goldie is also dumb as a brick, but very large poof. Sylvia is not poofy or bearded, always up to some sort of naughtiness and very smart. Compared to my Cochins, she’s not very sociable, but many of my chickens aren’t super bonded. My D’Uccles stick together closely, but the others are pretty autonomous within the flock

 

[Uwish]

We have a few Polish and it all varies. Kevin and Karen (yes, both roos lol) are sort of oblivious to powerplays within the rooster hierarchy. They don’t bother anyone and no one bugs them. Ethel hates me, yet I’d always underfoot lol. She took forever to figure out the nipple waterer. I can’t blame her, she has a pretty big poof and likely doesn’t see well. Feisty little free ranger however and no one bullies her, but no close friends really. Goldie is also dumb as a brick, but very large poof. Sylvia is not poofy or bearded, always up to some sort of naughtiness and very smart. Compared to my Cochins, she’s not very sociable, but many of my chickens aren’t super bonded. My D’Uccles stick together closely, but the others are pretty autonomous within the flock

Trim their poofs where they can see (give them bangs) and I swear you will have different birds. I didn’t have to with my polish but I did it to my Silkie as she has the big beautiful poof face and wow was it amazing watching her get to truly see for the first time and she is an awesome new lil bird. I miss the poof because it looked beautiful but her being able to see and be happy is more important to me. Plus it helps them see predators so they can hide.

 

[Slicker chicker]

I have one of three left from my polish girls. They were all rejects in the back of our local tractor supply. One was a severe crossbeak and my spirit chicken. I lost her at thanksgiving she just never thrived and then went super crazy a few days before she died. Started walking backwards and dragging her head. I almost think she maybe broker her neck when she flew into the side of her coop. Man I miss her! I still have Moxie and she is a loner. She hangs with my silkie and is a little aggressive sometimes with others. She is stand offish, and acts very goofy. I adore her. She has a gapped beak? It doesn’t close all the way and she has funny breath. Always has.