The Polish Chicken

Today’s spotlight is on the Polish chicken. Polish are one of my favorite breeds of birds. They have their own unique personality and style. They can often come off as a bit strange and wacky. Aside from being a bit different they are also social and fun, most of the time. Discover more about this breed and my own personal story.

The Polish Chickens Sense of Style

The Polish chicken is one of the easiest to pick out in a flock because of their hippy like hairstyles. The large crest of feathers and V-shaped comb are the breeds most unique and identifying characteristics. Since the feathers often block the chickens sight they can be a bit jumpy and easily spooked. This can also make this chicken one of the easiest to touch or catch. I learned that by sneaking up on them from behind is almost always a sure fire way to get to pet them. Keep in mind to be gentle with them though because when you touch them you are going to scare them.

Once they forgive you for spooking them they are a docile bird. They are usually gentle and not difficult to handle. If they peck it is usually just a gentle tap. They generally have a go-with-the-flow attitude. Due to the laid back demeanor they can make wonderful pets.

The Polish Chicken and Your Flock

The Polish chicken is a smaller breed of bird.  The mature weight of a male Polish is approximately 5 lbs and the female is around 4 lbs. This means they will likely be the smaller chickens in a flock. They can live among other breeds but it is recommended that those breeds not be aggressive. Since they are small in size and usually of a docile nature Polish are usually at the bottom of the pecking order.

My experience has taught me that the Polish chicken is the most likely bird to be bullied. It seems bigger birds like to peck on the Polish as they walk by, as they try to eat, or just because they want someone to pick on. This must be due to their size because it is all Polish and not just certain colors.

My buff Polish is the most picked on. She has been found with a bloody back more than once. I have tried everything I can think of from larger spaces to No Peck Spray to try to get this under control. It has all proved fruitless. I care for their wounds and hope that everyone adjusts over time. Even the ones that do not end up bearing blood often have no tail feathers from others plucking them out.

Types of Polish Chickens

There are a few different types of Polish chickens. When I ordered my Polish, I bought them from Hoover’s Hatchery. Hoover’s had 5 different types of Polish to choose from. I ended up getting 12 Polish chicks, 3 each of the Gold Laced, Silver, Buff, and White Crested Blue Polish. The only breed I chose not to get was the White Crested Black Polish.

Out of the 12 purchased, I only have 6 left. I lost every single one of my Gold Laced and Silver. My favorite chicken of all is Bea. Bea is a White Crested Blue Polish. I actually received blueish gray for all of my White Crested Blue but the name can be deceiving. Some White Crested Blue are not blue at all. Coloring can be black, blue or splash. The Buff Polish, a mostly white with a little brownish gold bird, really stand out in the flock. The Silver Polish is more of a white with black. They have a speckled color pattern. The Golden Lace has a lot of gold coloring mixed with black.

The Polish Chicken and Eggs

Since Polish are a smaller breed of bird you should expect smaller eggs. The Polish lay approximately 110 eggs per year. The eggs will be small to medium in size.They are white in color. In addition to breakfast one of the benefits to having Polish chickens is they will often hatch eggs. Polish chickens can be used to hatch eggs of other chickens. If looking to sell baby chicks I recommend having a few Polish in your flock to help with hatching.

In Closing…What I Love Most About the Polish Chicken

I absolutely love my Polish Chickens. They are one of the most friendly breeds I have experienced. They can make wonderful pets. Their gentleness makes them one of the most chosen breeds for children.

These chickens are colorful. They add to the beauty of any flock. You can have an entire flock of Polish chickens and have color diversity. Adding them to your flock is like adding glitter to matte.

I fell in love with them originally because of their wild hairdo. They are so cute with those big feathers that remind you of the bouffant from the 60’s. Those big puffs are so soft to pet. I like to watch them run with their wild feathers flopping all over their tiny heads. These hairstyles fall flat like a wet mop when they get in the rain. This is the only time that I am not too impressed with their “do”.

Last they are wonderful conversation starters. People who love chickens and those who have never really messed with them in their life are equally entertained with the Polish. I have more questions about my Polish chickens than any other breed I own. From social media to conversations on the farm everyone takes notice of this breed.

My uncle calls them hippie chicks. I have had people make remarks they look like someone they knows hair. It can just be really fun to see what all you learn by owning these chickens.

Readers Spotlight

Do you have any questions, tips or advice for caring for Polish chickens? Please share in the comments below. Let us each share what we know and help each other grow!

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