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

[Sylvester017]

Are New Hampshire red roosters compatible with buff polish hens?

Don't know about roos but I had a hen. My advise around vaulted skull birds like gentle Polish is not to mix them with straight comb heritage breeds like RIR, NHR, Leghorns, Barred Rocks or Wyans that have a tendency to dominate and they do it by pecking on the heads of gentle breeds. Dual purpose breeds or layer breeds tend to be assertive to outright mean some of them and Polish IMO are a sweet gentle bird. But to each his own as people will do whatever they want to.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hello,

What do you folks use for mite prevention and/or treatment? I saw some mentions of Poultry Protector -- does this actually work for treatment, or is it just preventative?

I have used Poultry Protector for almost 5 years. Picked up a bottle at the feed store because it was organic. Best thing I ever did. I was shipped 2 juveniles crawling with lice and I used the PP to spray the birds. Overnight there were no crawling feather lice but just to be sure I sprayed for 2 more days and followed up a week later for any eggs that might've hatched later. It's organic and can be used as often as necessary on coop or hens. Safe on chicks too. Follow the label instructions and you can't go wrong. I use it about once a month as a preventative too on both coop and hens. Poultry Protector also makes a mite spray but I've never needed it since PP works very good on lice/mites/ants/spiders in the nestboxes -- although if there's spiders I would hope the hens are picking them off LOL!.

 

[evitachu]

I know people say deep litter is great but I can't bear the thought of it. I have sand in the run and I sift it every morning. I use wood shaving for bedding in the coop and i only pick up the poops and did not change entire bedding. I change entire bedding each month. When i do, i sprinkle with DE or Poultry Dust. My pullets are still cuddling & sleeping in the corner, so that corner I sprinkle everyday when I change the shaving. Each month, I spray the coop with the Poultry Protector (Manna Pro). I also sprinkle the run each month with DE. Since the poop dries so quick in the run, anyway I must add new sand. That new sand is mixed with DE. In the super hot months in Los Angeles, I spray the coop and change bedding every 2 weeks.
The entire sifting and picking up poop (daily) for 3 coops (12 chickens) don't take me more than 45 minutes.
Every 2 weeks, I dust all my chickens with DE: under wings, butt, and crests (i have Polish and Silkies for crested chickens). The other egg layers are Buff Orpington (3), silver laced Cochin (1), and Barred Rock (1). I dust extras on those kids under wings and butts. These are super fluffy breeds.
All my chickens get their daily dose of hug and affections....all of them always run on my lap and compete to snuggle. I cannot imagine the mites and lice! So I do take extra precautions on things.
ALSO: I go to asian supermarket to buy bagged garlic and make a big container of garlic puree. I mixed a tablespoon daily into their food. Not only the flies hate the smell, i hear it is good as a preventative worming issue and mites/lice hates blood that smells garlic. I don't know.... But the coop smells garlicky and I don't mind it. It smells better than poop.

Oh!!! And take care of your health too: ALWAYS WEAR MASKS!!!!

 

[rossfam06]

I know people say deep litter is great but I can't bear the thought of it. I have sand in the run and I sift it every morning. I use wood shaving for bedding in the coop and i only pick up the poops and did not change entire bedding. I change entire bedding each month. When i do, i sprinkle with DE or Poultry Dust. My pullets are still cuddling & sleeping in the corner, so that corner I sprinkle everyday when I change the shaving. Each month, I spray the coop with the Poultry Protector (Manna Pro). I also sprinkle the run each month with DE. Since the poop dries so quick in the run, anyway I must add new sand. That new sand is mixed with DE. In the super hot months in Los Angeles, I spray the coop and change bedding every 2 weeks.
The entire sifting and picking up poop (daily) for 3 coops (12 chickens) don't take me more than 45 minutes.
Every 2 weeks, I dust all my chickens with DE: under wings, butt, and crests (i have Polish and Silkies for crested chickens). The other egg layers are Buff Orpington (3), silver laced Cochin (1), and Barred Rock (1). I dust extras on those kids under wings and butts. These are super fluffy breeds.
All my chickens get their daily dose of hug and affections....all of them always run on my lap and compete to snuggle. I cannot imagine the mites and lice! So I do take extra precautions on things.
ALSO: I go to asian supermarket to buy bagged garlic and make a big container of garlic puree. I mixed a tablespoon daily into their food. Not only the flies hate the smell, i hear it is good as a preventative worming issue and mites/lice hates blood that smells garlic. I don't know.... But the coop smells garlicky and I don't mind it. It smells better than poop.

Oh!!! And take care of your health too: ALWAYS WEAR MASKS!!!!

I love garlic!!!! I am going to do this. Thanks.

 

[raptor2002]

I havn't noticed Big Red pecking the hens at all. He seems fairly gentle to everything but bugs. EAT BUGS!!!

 

[Fluffs]

What a lovely guy! Sure hope he lands in a safe happy home!

 

[katatonic123]

6 week old Polish mixes in the background. Any thoughts on sex?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Going on only the polish mix I have done I would say they are pullets. Any wattles or combs developing?

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

6 week old Polish mixes in the background. Any thoughts on sex?

I'm gonna say pullets. What are they mixed with? They're very pretty!

 

[katatonic123]

Mostly likely suspects are EE/silkie or Japanese bantam/silkie roo. Also have a buff silkie roo but he stays with the older hens mostly. I'm thinking that it's most likely Mr. E.
Mr. E
Mr. Obvious