The Perfect Polish! Polish chicken lovers ONLY

[Poodlemum]

I am fairly new to Polish. I have a roo and a hen, black w/white crest. I have researched and read and read and read.....
I have questions....
Because I have read so much, different opinions everywhere..
As well as will be here. I feel more confident with our group than all the other Google stuff.
Im sure most is true, im sure some isnt....anyway...
I have these questions only from watching and interacting with my 2 polish. I was gifted them, as adults, in July this year.
Questions.....

1.) Are ALL polish on bottom of the pecking order?
*Mine live in their own coop/run, therefore no pecking order.

I have three groups involving Polish. Two roos that are basically ignored by the rest of the main flock, Ethel (my only bantam) is in charge of the buff pen. She is very bossy! I got her as an adult and put several very young pullets in with her, so she’d have an advantage. Two bantam Cochin, a Faverolles, a Sicilian Buttercup, and two large fowl mixes. There were two other pullets in before I sold. Jellybean the bantam Cochin roo just moved in and is being a turd, so likely won’t stay. These all free range during the day. Sylvia and Goldie are still in the baby pen with 3 large fowl of caring age, plus a smallish pullet their age. Sylvia is very bold, but Goldie is definitely lowest. Her poof isn’t super big yet and there’s always extra food in the dish, but she never seems to have a huge crop. Hopefully I’m just being paranoid

2.) Does anyone have hens that hatch their own eggs?
*My hen hasnt seemed one single bit interested, even with a very broody silky hen that was in there for a bit.

Ethel has decided she’s too good to lay eggs lol. But never broody

3.) Are your hens nervous and/or flighty?
*My hen is flighty, almost nervous.

Extremely! Karen and Kevin the roos were always cuddled as chicks, but still panic if you catch them. Ethel hates to be held too (didn’t raise her), but follows me everywhere. Sylvia and Goldie are fine being held so far

4.) Is it hard to integrate juveniles that are ready to come out of "look, no touch" pens, in to existing coop?
*I havent added my look, no touch pen yet, getting ready to do it soon.
....there is a specific reason for this question..

This has been the easiest for us. They’ll fence fight a lot and then be totally chill when they’re out free ranging. Everyone is so used to seeing them all day for weeks, I rotate various chickens through coops as needed

5.) Are they ALL crazy and escape artists?
*My roo is a master at escape....

Never had that issue. Kevin gets stuck in the old growouts pen, he’s pretty derpy lol

6.) Am I crazy?
I fully believe my roo will come to his name, while on escape.... running to me..

Don’t doubt it at all!

 

[Poodlemum]

I have three Tolbunt Polish chicks (as well as many other grown Polish hens). These pictures are about 2 weeks old, though, so their crests have grown tons since then. I have one pullet and two cockerels! Cadbury is a pullet and Caramel and Custard are cockerels!

Cadbury-View attachment 3315491

Caramel-View attachment 3315492

Custard-View attachment 3315493

GORGEOUS!!!

 

[Poodlemum]

Getting my first polish chickens soon,
Do they need heat? Everything I've read says they're not cold hardy and may need heat, It gets to -22 in Fahrenheit where I live

Brrrrrrrr I honestly haven’t planned on adding heat, we get below zero F quite often. So far ours are either horribly delicate or impossible to kill, no middle ground tbh

 

[cassandrapettersson]

Getting my first polish chickens soon,
Do they need heat? Everything I've read says they're not cold hardy and may need heat, It gets to -22 in Fahrenheit where I live

I don't get it..why those reactions?

 

[kurby22]

I don't get it..why those reactions?

That’s COLD A draft free coop with a good layer of bedding and a bunch of chickens should still be warm enough for your Polish though. I haven’t found mine to be fragile about the weather. Mine happen to even be smart enough when it super hot to stand under the mister and get wet—while all my other chickens stand around panting!

 

[cassandrapettersson]

That’s COLD A draft free coop with a good layer of bedding and a bunch of chickens should still be warm enough for your Polish though. I haven’t found mine to be fragile about the weather. Mine happen to even be smart enough when it super hot to stand under the mister and get wet—while all my other chickens stand around panting!

My plan is to use the deep litter method, + A safe heater if needed
My coop is completely insulated and draft free, so no problems with that
And if our power goes out we can bring the chickens inside, since our house is stove heated, Or whatever they're called

 

[cassandrapettersson]

That’s COLD A draft free coop with a good layer of bedding and a bunch of chickens should still be warm enough for your Polish though. I haven’t found mine to be fragile about the weather. Mine happen to even be smart enough when it super hot to stand under the mister and get wet—while all my other chickens stand around panting!

But, wow. Is it really that cold to others??

 

[GingerRose]

I have three groups involving Polish. Two roos that are basically ignored by the rest of the main flock, Ethel (my only bantam) is in charge of the buff pen. She is very bossy! I got her as an adult and put several very young pullets in with her, so she’d have an advantage. Two bantam Cochin, a Faverolles, a Sicilian Buttercup, and two large fowl mixes. There were two other pullets in before I sold. Jellybean the bantam Cochin roo just moved in and is being a turd, so likely won’t stay. These all free range during the day. Sylvia and Goldie are still in the baby pen with 3 large fowl of caring age, plus a smallish pullet their age. Sylvia is very bold, but Goldie is definitely lowest. Her poof isn’t super big yet and there’s always extra food in the dish, but she never seems to have a huge crop. Hopefully I’m just being paranoid

Ethel has decided she’s too good to lay eggs lol. But never broody

Extremely! Karen and Kevin the roos were always cuddled as chicks, but still panic if you catch them. Ethel hates to be held too (didn’t raise her), but follows me everywhere. Sylvia and Goldie are fine being held so far

This has been the easiest for us. They’ll fence fight a lot and then be totally chill when they’re out free ranging. Everyone is so used to seeing them all day for weeks, I rotate various chickens through coops as needed

Never had that issue. Kevin gets stuck in the old growouts pen, he’s pretty derpy lol

Don’t doubt it at all!

Thank you so much.
Im glad Im not crazy as I thought.
My hen, Börté, has also decided laying eggs is "beneath" her.

 

[GingerRose]

My first hatch of Genghis & Börté chcks...

 

[AngBantamLuv]

But, wow. Is it really that cold to others??

It will be dropping to the high 50s this coming week.. 40s at night. I guarantee my chickens wont come out of the coop at all, and mama will have the heat on