Polish Thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sylvester017]

I'm sure it's probably been asked but I have a question for you guys.
I'm introducing a group of four chickens to our four older easter egger hens. The newer group is two Rhode Island reds and two polish.
Any tips to keep the easter Eggers from pecking at the Polish crests?
The RIRs don't even bug them since they grew up together but I'm worried about the Easter Eggers.
I read somewhere that you can out Vicks Vaporub on their crests to keep the other ones from pecking them but is that safe?
Thank you!
I love my polish and I really don't want to have to rehome them.

Here's my observations from my friend's layer flock and my own little flock. I'm not sure how much EEs are like Ameraucanas but my friend and I agree they are probably the sweetest LF. OurFlyBabies.com says they always keep Ameraucanas because they accept orphaned chicks or injured birds without incident where other breeds are not so willing. I have found this about my Blue Wheaten Amer (my avatar) and my friend says the same about her one Amer and 3 EEs. They are non-combative breeds. Polish should do well with them because Polish are also non-combative hens. My concern is that after the RIRs reach maturity at about 18 months to 2 years old, being a dominant personality and larger hen, is that they will be the ones to start asserting themselves over the gentler EEs and Polish. As chicks and juveniles most breeds raised together get along UNTIL they reach maturity and then the larger dominant dual purpose breeds may become assertive to downright mean.

Don't smear Vaporub on the poor crested birds. Why should they suffer smeary discomfort on top of getting picked on? Just separate out the one that's not playing nice and leave the rest of the gentle flock alone. We've re-homed 3 assertive breeds (2 Legs and 1 Marans) that didn't play nice with our gentle non-combative breeds. There are always exceptions to the rule but RIRs are assertive and 9 times out of 10 will be the dominant hens if not exactly the meanest.

My personal rule-of-thumb is that crested, bearded, muffed, tufted, or feather-footed breeds are gentle non-combative breeds which includes Silkies, Ameraucana, Araucana, EEs, Polish, Breda, Faverolles, Cochin, Houdan, Sultan, Brahma, Crevies, and Langshan. However because Brahma and Langshan are large bodied fowl I still would not mix them with smaller breeds like Silkies or Polish or Sultans. These all are basically gentle non-combative breeds.

Assertive breeds would be all the layer and/or heavier dual-purpose breeds like Mediterranean class (Legs, Ancona, Buttercup, Minorca, Andalusian, WFBS, Catalana, etc) or RIRs, BRs, NHRs, Orps, Lorps, Wyans, Marans, Barnies, Jersey Giants, Javas, Sussex, etc. These are not all necessarily dominant breeds but because of their large size may be tempted to bully smaller gentler breeds just because they can - It's a chicken thing! You don't want to mix 7 to 9-lb dual purpose breeds with gentle 4-lb Polish or non-combative 5-lb EEs.

Another gentle-natured smaller LF that we've had that is non-combative are the Dominiques. They seem to fit in gentle flocks peaceably and I would not place them in a larger dual-purpose or Mediterranean flock.

Hope this helps but remember to watch the heavier LF after they start laying or after their first moult because that's when they start to assert themselves over their flockmates. Establishing pecking order has to take place but not at the expense of bullying or injury to flockmates. We had a Leghorn who wasn't injuring her flockmates but she was obnoxiously bullying them by chasing them out of their nests yet she wasn't laying herself, or chasing them away from food/water even though she wasn't eating/drinking herself, or pushing others out of their dust bath, etc. This is not good flock behavior and upsets the laying cycle of the other chickens when they are relentlessly being chased or bullied several times a day. Another Leghorn was pulling out the crests/beards/muffs down to the skin of the gentle breeds to assert herself and she also was re-homed.

 

[WendyF]

Here's my observations from my friend's layer flock and my own little flock.  I'm not sure how much EEs are like Ameraucanas but my friend and I agree they are probably the sweetest LF.  OurFlyBabies.com says they always keep Ameraucanas because they accept orphaned chicks or injured birds without incident where other breeds are not so willing.  I have found this about my Blue Wheaten Amer (my avatar) and my friend says the same about her one Amer and 3 EEs.  They are non-combative breeds.  Polish should do well with them because Polish are also non-combative hens.  My concern is that after the RIRs reach maturity at about 18 months to 2 years old, being a dominant personality and larger hen, is that they will be the ones to start asserting themselves over the gentler EEs and Polish.  As chicks and juveniles most breeds raised together get along UNTIL they reach maturity and then the larger dominant dual purpose breeds may become assertive to downright mean.  

Don't smear Vaporub on the poor crested birds.  Why should they suffer smeary discomfort on top of getting picked on?  Just separate out the one that's not playing nice and leave the rest of the gentle flock alone.  We've re-homed 3 assertive breeds (2 Legs and 1 Marans) that didn't play nice with our gentle non-combative breeds.  There are always exceptions to the rule but RIRs are assertive and 9 times out of 10 will be the dominant hens if not exactly the meanest.

My personal rule-of-thumb is that crested, bearded, muffed, tufted, or feather-footed breeds are gentle non-combative breeds which includes Silkies, Ameraucana, Araucana, EEs, Polish, Breda, Faverolles, Cochin, Houdan, Sultan, Brahma, Crevies, and Langshan.  However because Brahma and Langshan are large bodied fowl I still would not mix them with smaller breeds like Silkies or Polish or Sultans.  These all are basically gentle non-combative breeds.

Assertive breeds would be all the layer and/or heavier dual-purpose breeds like Mediterranean class (Legs, Ancona, Buttercup, Minorca, Andalusian, WFBS, Catalana, etc) or RIRs, BRs, NHRs, Orps, Lorps, Wyans, Marans, Barnies, Jersey Giants, Javas, Sussex, etc.  These are not all necessarily dominant breeds but because of their large size may be tempted to bully smaller gentler breeds just because they can -  It's a chicken thing!  You don't want to mix 7 to 9-lb dual purpose breeds with gentle 4-lb Polish or non-combative 5-lb EEs.

Another gentle-natured smaller LF that we've had that is non-combative are the Dominiques.  They seem to fit in gentle flocks peaceably and I would not place them in a larger dual-purpose or Mediterranean flock.

Hope this helps but remember to watch the heavier LF after they start laying or after their first moult because that's when they start to assert themselves over their flockmates.  Establishing pecking order has to take place but not at the expense of bullying or injury to flockmates.  We had a Leghorn who wasn't injuring her flockmates but she was obnoxiously bullying them by chasing them out of their nests yet she wasn't laying herself, or chasing them away from food/water even though she wasn't eating/drinking herself, or pushing others out of their dust bath, etc.  This is not good flock behavior and upsets the laying cycle of the other chickens when they are relentlessly being chased or bullied several times a day.  Another Leghorn was pulling out the crests/beards/muffs down to the skin of the gentle breeds to assert herself and she also was re-homed.

Thank you for sharing your experiences & words of wisdom. I'm thinking I made serious errors in my mixed flock choices. I will definitely keep close eyes on them after 1st molt - how old should I expect it from an Australorp, orpington, golden buff (red star) & Jersey giant? I am new to chickens & just fell in love with the qualities of so many breeds...also, do you think a Welsummer hen is combative to bearded/crested breeds?

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you for sharing your experiences & words of wisdom. I'm thinking I made serious errors in my mixed flock choices. I will definitely keep close eyes on them after 1st molt - how old should I expect it from an Australorp, orpington, golden buff (red star) & Jersey giant? I am new to chickens & just fell in love with the qualities of so many breeds...also, do you think a Welsummer hen is combative to bearded/crested breeds?

Yes, I jumped into getting breeds that were not compatible at the beginning and learned the hard way. Now I take weeks to research a breed and post questions to breeders and BYCers about their experiences before I order. It's depressing to have to re-home chickens that I like but don't play nice with the rest of my flock. I now want peace in my flock rather than colorful or prolific egg layers. If I get 4 eggs/week from a smaller breed and medium/large instead of jumbo eggs, I'm fine with that. Stressed chickens aren't going to be good layers anyway if there's a bully upsetting them.

Adult-hood or full maturity for LF is about 18 months to 2 years. My problem hens got bad after coming out of their first broody or first or second moult. Sometimes adding new pullets to a flock (even after socializing through a barrier) can turn a gentle LF into a bully because the dynamics of the flock have changed. There are just all sorts of circumstances that can trigger bully behavior and my experience is that the behavior doesn't change because the flock dynamics have now become different. We had a sweet alpha White Leg for 3 years and then added two new pullets. She was fine with them in the flock and then she suffered a severe 3rd year moult. She was depressed/mellow for 2 months recovering her new plumage and then she emerged with obnoxious behavior to start chasing all the flockmates to where none of them could lay their eggs in peace. Hated to re-home her - she was a 6 eggs/week laying hen. She is now quite the leader of her new flock home. Legs are not shrinking violets and really should not be mixed with smaller gentler breeds.

My friend has an Orp that is the alpha hen and a bit bossy but she is kept in the flock because she lays well and can hold her own against the other dual purpose breeds. The BCMs have been rehomed - they really are a breed that should not be mixed with gentle or smaller hens - they are aloof but accept treats from humans but can be sneaky to downright mean peckers toward gentle smaller flockmates. Sexlinks (Red Star, Black Star, Comet, Isa, etc) can be incredibly docile or incredibly aggressive - it can go either way. Jersey Giants and Brahmas are called gentle giants but I wouldn't want anything giant around my smaller breeds. 'Lorps I hear good things about them as layers but have had no experience or friends that have had them so can't say good/bad as I don't know. I love the eggs Wellies lay and they are reportedly non-combative. I just have a rule not to mix heavier LF with gentler under-5-lb breeds to avoid potential or unequal pecking order squabbles.

If you have a big yard where the gentle breeds can escape the aggressive or larger breeds you might not have problems. Every yard and flock is different just as each individual chicken is different so just watch and monitor your flock and don't hesitate to isolate or re-home any hen that upsets the apple cart. I grieved the first time I re-homed a Marans but she viciously attacked a 6-month-old Silkie so she was gone the next day. She was a good layer so a new flock home was easy to find for her. It got easier to re-home problem hens after that first time since I realized it was best for the good of the whole flock. Good layers are easier to place than spent or old hens.

 

[BlueDognChicks]

R.I.P. my lovely Ludo. Taken by a bear, defending his ladies.

He was my lovely Ludmilla, who turned out to be a Ludo. Friendly and oh so handsome with his glossy black feathers and glorious white wild top.

Everyone is in lockdown today, til the bear loses interest or someone with more fire power takes exception to its chicken raids.

Folks, do your best to discourage mother bears from ever considering your property to be a good place to take their children, cause when she cuts them lose, guess where they will come.

 

[polishmom1744]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Bears can be quite a nuisance!

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Yes, I jumped into getting breeds that were not compatible at the beginning and learned the hard way.  Now I take weeks to research a breed and post questions to breeders and BYCers about their experiences before I order.  It's depressing to have to re-home chickens that I like but don't play nice with the rest of my flock.  I now want peace in my flock rather than colorful or prolific egg layers.  If I get 4 eggs/week from a smaller breed and medium/large instead of jumbo eggs, I'm fine with that.  Stressed chickens aren't going to be good layers anyway if there's a bully upsetting them.

Adult-hood or full maturity for LF is about 18 months to 2 years.  My problem hens got bad after coming out of their first broody or first or second moult.  Sometimes adding new pullets to a flock (even after socializing through a barrier) can turn a gentle LF into a bully because the dynamics of the flock have changed.  There are just all sorts of circumstances that can trigger bully behavior and my experience is that the behavior doesn't change because the flock dynamics have now become different.  We had a sweet alpha White Leg for 3 years and then added two new pullets.  She was fine with them in the flock and then she suffered a severe 3rd year moult.  She was depressed/mellow for 2 months recovering her new plumage and then she emerged with obnoxious behavior to start chasing all the flockmates to where none of them could lay their eggs in peace.  Hated to re-home her - she was a 6 eggs/week laying hen.  She is now quite the leader of her new flock home.  Legs are not shrinking violets and really should not be mixed with smaller gentler breeds.

My friend has an Orp that is the alpha hen and a bit bossy but she is kept in the flock because she lays well and can hold her own against the other dual purpose breeds.  The BCMs have been rehomed - they really are a breed that should not be mixed with gentle or smaller hens - they are aloof but accept treats from humans but can be sneaky to downright mean peckers toward gentle smaller flockmates.  Sexlinks (Red Star, Black Star, Comet, Isa, etc) can be incredibly docile or incredibly aggressive - it can go either way.  Jersey Giants and Brahmas are called gentle giants but I wouldn't want anything giant around my smaller breeds.  'Lorps I hear good things about them as layers but have had no experience or friends that have had them so can't say good/bad as I don't know.  I love the eggs Wellies lay and they are reportedly non-combative.  I just have a rule not to mix heavier LF with gentler under-5-lb breeds to avoid potential or unequal pecking order squabbles.

If you have a big yard where the gentle breeds can escape the aggressive or larger breeds you might not have problems.  Every yard and flock is different just as each individual chicken is different so just watch and monitor your flock and don't hesitate to isolate or re-home any hen that upsets the apple cart.  I grieved the first time I re-homed a Marans but she viciously attacked a 6-month-old Silkie so she was gone the next day.  She was a good layer so a new flock home was easy to find for her.  It got easier to re-home problem hens after that first time since I realized it was best for the good of the whole flock.  Good layers are easier to place than spent or old hens.

We have one maran technically "in" our flock, the other lives by herself due to injury. Since she was raised with silkie chicks and ameraucanas since 2 days old, she is actually quite docile. Currently she is molting, but she lays pretty eggs. But because only the black /darker marans lay super dark eggs... we can only tell them from the other three production birds by size. Anyhow, we have had a problem with her and her sister, the other maran, in the past. But she gets along with the silkies, ameracuanas, comets, and wyandotte she lives with.

 

[nate1the1great1]

I have a coyote that comes by every day and looks at my animals and trots away

 

[Sylvester017]

We have one maran technically "in" our flock, the other lives by herself due to injury. Since she was raised with silkie chicks and ameraucanas since 2 days old, she is actually quite docile. Currently she is molting, but she lays pretty eggs. But because only the black /darker marans lay super dark eggs... we can only tell them from the other three production birds by size. Anyhow, we have had a problem with her and her sister, the other maran, in the past. But she gets along with the silkies, ameracuanas, comets, and wyandotte she lives with.

Breeders say the strain of a Marans can dictate temperament. My friend and I have not had luck with our Marans and pretty much have found new homes for them. My rehomed Marans was probably the meanest of the bunch and she currently is still nasty to gentler breeds in her new layer flock. Mine was a Cuckoo and hers were BCMs. Too assertive and after they reach maturity don't think I'd trust them around gentle Silkies or Amers after our last experience. Comets and Wyans can probably hold their own with a Marans. What was sneaky about my Marans is that we never caught her actually doing the damage but finally caught her plucking one Silkie bald (we thought the poor little thing was just moulting) and she outright viciously clawed/attacked another pullet Silkie - not a fair fight for a 2-lb Silkie against a 7-lb Marans. It was amazing what peace was restored after she was gone from the flock and the little bald Silkie's crest luckily grew back. Currently I don't go for big eggs or colorful egg baskets - I'm more interested in a balanced flock mix with no more combative large-appetite dual purpose breeds. We don't eat them so don't need meat birds anyway. I love all chicken breeds but have learned some just should be kept as a one-breed flock. I happen to adore Leghorns for so many reasons but they are assertive and really should be kept with their own Mediterranean class of fowl. Many chicks grow up together and sometimes it's not until their second or third year that they suddenly become aggressive/assertive toward their gentle flockmates. Our White Leghorn and our little bald Silkie were pals for 3 years being raised together since pullets. Then suddenly after a severe 3rd year moult our Leghorn went ballistic on her flockmates, even her little Silkie buddy which I can't imagine how confusing that must've been for the little Silkie who trusted the Leg for so long. When assertive LF age they will exercise their dominance if they can get away with it.

 

[flufssilkies]

I have a coyote that comes by every day and looks at my animals and trots away

where do you live I'm sure there is somebody that will help you

 

[minamisfit]

I'm still completely confused on what the sex of these guys are. Can anyone help?
They are 14 weeks old. Sorry they aren't the best pictures I'll try to get some more today.