What Chicken Breeds do you Dislike & Why?

[lilmillefleur]

I'm starting to feel worried seeing so many negative Polish postings (flighty, crazy, dumb, not cold hardy, poor health...), cuz I recently ordered some for the spring. I'm really drawn to crested birds and currently have 3 Crevecoeurs who are smart, inquisitive and sweet-natured. They are definitely flighty and resistant to handling, but do seek human connection on their own terms. I figured that Polish would be similar and after researching them for a while, I couldn't resist adding a few to my flock. Now I'm not sure that I made the right decision-- I've read they can be difficult to integrate, as well.

Has anyone had a positive experience integrating and managing Polish hens?? My birds don't free range and my coop is very secure. Eggs are not a big concern for me, either. My chickens are pets first and the eggs are just a nice bonus. I'm more worried about them being dumb and wild, causing feather pecking issues, or infecting my flock with lice. Any words from Polish owners to make me feel better or worse?

If you had a positive experience with crevecoeurs, I think you'll be OK with polish. They are similar enough I don't think you'll have any big problems.
I have only ever integrated a polish chick as well as some others into the main flock but I can't recall anything going wrong. She was probably bullied more than the rest but then again she was in a flock of mostly non-crested birds

 

[McBriec]

I'm starting to feel worried seeing so many negative Polish postings (flighty, crazy, dumb, not cold hardy, poor health...), cuz I recently ordered some for the spring. I'm really drawn to crested birds and currently have 3 Crevecoeurs who are smart, inquisitive and sweet-natured. They are definitely flighty and resistant to handling, but do seek human connection on their own terms. I figured that Polish would be similar and after researching them for a while, I couldn't resist adding a few to my flock. Now I'm not sure that I made the right decision-- I've read they can be difficult to integrate, as well.

Has anyone had a positive experience integrating and managing Polish hens?? My birds don't free range and my coop is very secure. Eggs are not a big concern for me, either. My chickens are pets first and the eggs are just a nice bonus. I'm more worried about them being dumb and wild, causing feather pecking issues, or infecting my flock with lice. Any words from Polish owners to make me feel better or worse?

I adore my vivacious, adorable and wacky Polish hens who have so much personality and make me laugh every day. They are always a big favorite with visitors and just watching their bobbing pompadours brightens my day. They are poor to nonexistent layers which doesn't matter to me since they are just pets.

Because I love my Polish, I have ordered 4 more straight run chicks (2 silver-laced and 2 golden-laced) from MyPetChicken which is where I got my first two. I think people may be observing odd behaviors attributable to a lack of vision and thinking they are just crazy. They need their pompadours trimmed regularly to allow them to see properly.

 

[chickmamato7]

I feel much better already. I'm really hopeful that Polish will be just as you describe. That is exactly how I feel about my Crevecoeurs. I love how they bob when moving & twitch their little heads as they look around. They are very vocal, too, but in a sweet & quiet way that I find endearing. I'm more worried about having too many eggs than not enough, so some cute little freeloaders would be fine with me!

 

[HuffleClaw]

I liked my polish too

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm starting to feel worried seeing so many negative Polish postings (flighty, crazy, dumb, not cold hardy, poor health...), cuz I recently ordered some for the spring. I'm really drawn to crested birds and currently have 3 Crevecoeurs who are smart, inquisitive and sweet-natured. They are definitely flighty and resistant to handling, but do seek human connection on their own terms. I figured that Polish would be similar and after researching them for a while, I couldn't resist adding a few to my flock. Now I'm not sure that I made the right decision-- I've read they can be difficult to integrate, as well.

Has anyone had a positive experience integrating and managing Polish hens?? My birds don't free range and my coop is very secure. Eggs are not a big concern for me, either. My chickens are pets first and the eggs are just a nice bonus. I'm more worried about them being dumb and wild, causing feather pecking issues, or infecting my flock with lice. Any words from Polish owners to make me feel better or worse?

I had not noticed any of those claims. My polish were in a mixed flock of about 60 birds that free ranged, so close confinement wasn't a problem for them and for the most part all the birds got along well. That is taking, into account I had some roosters of various breeds including polish. I had black, white capped black and gold laced. Some lines of polish lay well and some don't.
The only problem I saw in them was their impaired vision. Perhaps that is why some people think they are dumb.
I free range most of my birds so I just won't have any crested breeds any more.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I hate orps they are dumb as rocks and crest do not belong of chickens it looks just ugly and to many head issues. I hate frizzles,sizzle as feathers are not suppose to be that way to much inbreeding musta cause that genetic mess. As for colors Im not a fan of splash,white or buff colors not a fan or partridge, duckwing or any common over used color.also not a fan of single combs,v combs or modifly pea combs.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I don't dislike any chicken. I believe all chickens deserve love, & respect as much as the rest of the breeds created by humans. Only thing I don't like is human aggressive behavior, but that doesn't disturb me away from the breeds that have an aggressive tendency.

 

[jspeese]

I've already posted here but I can't find it for the life of me.

I'm going to (restate?) my feelings on silkies and polish etc...because I'm conflicted. They both are not very smart ofc, and were the first ones to get picked off when a weasel broke in. But also the ones with huge poofs have vaulted skulls which makes it easy to damage their brains. We had to put one silkie down because the poor thing was mentally ill. We thought it was just her vision at first but she was the only one of our silkies with the vaulted skull so we concluded she must have been pecked on the head.
I also think that silkies are overrated. I mean they look super cool and different from normal chickens but I see ISOs for silkies everywhere and it's tiring
All that being said, I think silkies are a very docile and sweet bird and have unique enough looks to give them a place in my flock. In the end I guess I do like silkies. Man I am a softie...
Lots of people mentioned hating feathered feet, but I actually really like big boots. I haven't really noticed problems with them getting dirty, idk
What I hate are sparse leg feathers. Like if you're gonna have feathered legs you better go all out or it just looks like someone glued a few feathers on

I think you raise a valid point that there are issues with certain breeds, not necessarily bad ones or difficult ones but still ones you've got to keep in mind if you raise these breeds. Certainly cochins can get muddy foot feathers; I have a pretty well-drained (i.e., no deep mud) run but we just had 3 days of non-stop hard rain and my two have muddy foot feathers, but now that it's sunny they will dry out. We live near Augusta GA so freezing is rarely an issue. Polish crests are attractive to other birds and will get pulled, so I'd keep Polish by themselves or with gentle breeds. I never had any silkies but I have read that because their feathers don't link or interlock, they can get wet or cold more easily. And none of these 3 breeds are very adept at getting away from predators. But they are beautiful and have other good attributes (Polish are decent layers, cochins and silkies are good mothers).

 

[nuthatched]

I shallowly dislike easter eggers based on looks, a large majority of them are little mustard brown, eel faced critters. I'm sure they're great but they just don't appeal to me.

 

[Kessel23]

I'm starting to feel worried seeing so many negative Polish postings (flighty, crazy, dumb, not cold hardy, poor health...), cuz I recently ordered some for the spring. I'm really drawn to crested birds and currently have 3 Crevecoeurs who are smart, inquisitive and sweet-natured. They are definitely flighty and resistant to handling, but do seek human connection on their own terms. I figured that Polish would be similar and after researching them for a while, I couldn't resist adding a few to my flock. Now I'm not sure that I made the right decision-- I've read they can be difficult to integrate, as well.

Has anyone had a positive experience integrating and managing Polish hens?? My birds don't free range and my coop is very secure. Eggs are not a big concern for me, either. My chickens are pets first and the eggs are just a nice bonus. I'm more worried about them being dumb and wild, causing feather pecking issues, or infecting my flock with lice. Any words from Polish owners to make me feel better or worse?

I have had excellent experiences with them it just all depends on the bird and how they are raised. I do clip the feathers on their crest though once they have fully come in. I cut them down on the front and sides so the birds can see. The ones I raised this year are just as tame as my barred rocks, D'uccle, OEGB and bantams cochins that I raised them with. They all come running to me when I go out to shut them in at night and feed then in the morning. Mine haven't been flighty at all or stupid compared to the other birds I raised this year.