The Perfect Polish! Polish chicken lovers ONLY

[LadiesAndJane]

9 weeks. Still pullet and cockerel? Or is it cockerel and cockerel? Freckles, the one with the black crest, is harder to photograph and I'm pretty sure it's a cockerel. But, thoughts on the one with the white crest? Today made me second guess the other one (that has remained nameless for now).

Looks like one of each still.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Poor little Elvis is getting her feathers plucked by one of her flock mates! Not sure which one is doing it. They have all lived together for over a year and this behavior just started. Not sure why. Thankfully no bleeding, but has a huge bald spot. Was finally able to get some Blue Kote (in this case more purple) from my local feed store. In the mean time I had been putting mupirocin ointment on it to keep it from getting infected. Thought you all might like to see her new "purple do".
What have you fellow Polish lovers done to prevent this from happening? I know it is common in Polish in mixed flocks, but I thought I was safe from it since they were raised together. She is currently with another Polish, a leghorn mix, a Wyandotte and 2 silkies. The two silkies are actually the “mean girls” of the flock! Honestly have no idea who the little devil is that is doing this to her.View attachment 2774821View attachment 2774822

Poor thing. Can you just take a good chunk of time and observe to see the culprit? My friend had a polish cockerel that got plucked by other breeds, but after awhile they stopped. Probably stopped after he was bald and then when he molted and grew bigger so that's why they stopped.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Looks like one of each still.

Still hoping!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Poor thing. Can you just take a good chunk of time and observe to see the culprit? My friend had a polish cockerel that got plucked by other breeds, but after awhile they stopped. Probably sropped after he was bald and then when he molted and grew bigger so that's why they stopped.

Thanks for replying!
I spend alot of time with them every day and I have never seen any of the others plucking her crest feathers. I suspect it is happening at night or maybe early morning. It is just so strange it would start up now after a year. They are all just over a year old and all are laying. They have been a pretty harmonious flock.
Edited for spelling

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Thanks for replying!
I spend alot of time with them every day and I have never seen any of the others plucking her crest feathers. I suspect it is happening at night or maybe early morning. It is just so strange it would start up now after a year. They are all just over a year old and all are laying. They have been a pretty harmonios flock.

My Minnie has a perfectly plucked round neckline. I suspect Daisy is doing it while they are in for the night, even though they are the best of friends and get along great. Before it was the cheek poofs! Not sure why they do it..but it does stop after a while.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

My Minnie has a perfectly plucked round neckline. I suspect Daisy is doing it while they are in for the night, even though they are the best of friends and get along great. Before it was the cheek poofs! Not sure why they do it..but it does stop after a while.

Thanks for replying!
I just applied the Blue Kote today, so hopefully it will act as a deterrent and prevent further plucking.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Thanks for replying!
I just applied the Blue Kote today, so hopefully it will act as a deterrent and prevent further plucking.

I have bought that, haven't used it yet. Let me know how it turns out.. they keep making each other look horrible!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thanks for replying!
I spend alot of time with them every day and I have never seen any of the others plucking her crest feathers. I suspect it is happening at night or maybe early morning. It is just so strange it would start up now after a year. They are all just over a year old and all are laying. They have been a pretty harmonious flock.
Edited for spelling

My brahma will groom my EEs beards off. I've watched her do it and they let her.
Maybe it's a grooming session gone awry?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

My brahma will groom my EEs beards off. I've watched her do it and they let her.
Maybe it's a grooming session gone awry?

Actually very true.. either one will sit with her eyes closed while the other plucks away. The cochin let's both the D'uccles pluck her at the same time.. she's looking like she's at the spa or something! She just has so much fluff, you can't tell!

They eat feather fixer, so the feathers grow back in rapidly. But they get scratch and worms, plenty of calcium and the high protein feed, so I'm sure it's not nutritional.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My HawkBait is in isolation (rabbit stacker cage in the yard) because she was plucked bloody and disoriented (she has a vaulted skull and we think she got hit on it hard, we werent sure she would make it over the first night honestly). She has a D'uccle female that goes inside the cage to hang out sometimes and eat with her and she seems to be doing much better after a few days