abwsco Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 please Youngest DD has wanted some since she first saw them and as I'm currently watching an eglu on ebay I want to find out more about them. How easy are they to look after etc. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstine Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We had a Polish cockerel - he was great! They are a bit like silkies in that even the large ones are between normal chickens and bantams in size. If Max was anything to go by, though, they have no idea that they are small! They are flighty rather than 'cuddly' in character. Their crests can cause problems with vision. Max couldn't see behind him, which wasn't much of a problem (he put up quite a fight against the fox that finally got him, we found feathers everywhere), but if they have significant difficulties with side or front vision that can provoke bullying or insecurity. People who keep females not for show often trim the feathers. hope this helps Kirstine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 we have three! All white crested Polish. They were reared as a batch of 12 in a local school and I was given 3 as a birthday present. We called them after the Beverly sisters (Joy, Babs and Teddie for those of you too young to remember!) because of their bouffant hair dos. But then my little granddaughter said one had to be called Phillipa (no idea .. ). So Joy became Phillipa. Then Phillipa began to crow so Phillipa became Phillip (still with me?? ). So Babs became Phillipa so we had Phillip, Phillipa and Teddie. Then Phillipa started to crow so we had Phillip 1st, Phillip 2nd and Teddie. Eventually, the two Phillips started to fight so Phillip 2nd went to join a bigger flock on a farm. But we replaced him with another Polish called - Phillipa !.... Phillipa has remained Phillipa so we have Philip ( formerly 1st but now the only) Phillipa and Teddie. For those of you still awake, Polish are lovely. They can't see well from the side or back so are easy to pick up. Phillip has lovely white dreadlocks, crows quietly ( large thick rug over the eglu helps as do lovely neighbours) and he looks after his " wives" very well. Only Phillipa has laid so far but has stopped ( because of the cold weather I think). They are very plucky and chase the cat and other birds out the garden. They follow me around the garden whenever I am out there - in fact I trip over them. The only downside is that there seem to be some genetic in-breeding - (" spurs " on the girls ) and I won't continue this by breeding from them. However, my neighbour has two Buff Orpington ladies so do you think Polish x Buff Orpington would work..... is possible? When I work out how to post pictures I will!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hi there, I had two although I've only got one left now, but they are FAB! Such characters! And because they can't see behind them they are SO easy to pick up. Dave (female - don't ask ) will quite happily be carried round the garden, a bit like you see celebrities carrying round their chihuahuas!! She makes a funny sqawk rather than a bok bok and in the summer lays lovely little white eggs. When I do my next hatch I'm hoping to hatch a couple more. I can DEFINITELY recommend them for entertainment value as well as friendliness although not prolific egg layers. Here's Dave, not a great shot but still BeckyBoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thanks everyone and LOL at your story and name/sex changes Patricia Out of interest how small are their eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I have 2 Polands, Floss a white hen & Indiana an orange cockerel. There are photos in my gallery. They are both as mad as a bag of snakes.......................but easy to pick up as they can't see you coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I dont remember seeing that second photo before!, what a cracking photo! (and hairdo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madbird Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I love the Pom pom hairdos I've just recently brought home a sultan/houdan cross and she looks very similar to a polish, if a little heavier set. The Polish sound right characters... am very tempted!! (must get a bigger garden!) Great photos too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 The eggs are white and bantam sized. Teddie began laying at the end of October, laid one a day to start with then it tailed off as the days got shorter and it got colder. Just after Christmas she was down to 2 a week, and now she has stopped altogether. There is some indication she is beginning to moult (a few more feathers than usual in the nesting box). I'm giving her tuna, etc to try to re-start her and have just wormed them. Phillipa shows no sign of laying yet - small wattles which show no sign of getting bigger. But I didn't get them for the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I dont remember seeing that second photo before!, what a cracking photo! (and hairdo) Thanks Thats was when Floss was still pretty young & you can see her cookaburra eyes - they are hidden unden feathers now! Her eggs are a nice size - the biggest of my bants & about the size of a regular hen when they first come into lay. They are just off white & have a HUGE yolk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 she does well with her egg laying doesn't she!, such a good girl!, so beautifull aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Lovely pics:) Is Dave's pom pom being blown back by the wind BB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 just wanted to add my tuppence. I think polands are wonderful. We have bantams, they are full of character, ours are good layers (including sporadically in the winter) of white eggs which are the same size as a bantam orp (ie a small 'normal' egg) even tho they themselves are much smaller than an orp. I think the yolk ratio is high as well, and the eggs taste richer then the orp eggs. Because they can't see upwards they are usually quite easy to pick up, one of ours would regularly sit on my shoulder, but you must have curved lip drinkers (they shouldn't be getting their wigs wet all the time, they have thin skulls) and you must take care if introducing to a mixed flock. I know it can work (ours are in with orps) but because they can't see all round they are at a significant disadvantage if you have pecking in the ranks. Some of ours are noisy when they lay, but thats a happy sound. They come in a range of colours and I thoroughly recommend them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 They all sound so cool! Anyone with a Polish (large or bantam) cockerel, how loud are they??? Just wondering Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madbird Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 They all sound so cool! Anyone with a Polish (large or bantam) cockerel, how loud are they??? Just wondering Tom Exactly what I wanted to ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 They all sound so cool! Anyone with a Polish (large or bantam) cockerel, how loud are they??? Just wondering Tom Exactly what I wanted to ask! I'd been wondering that as well. Oh, I so hope I get this eglu so we can get some Polish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Depends where they crow from! Phillip can be quite loud when he's wandering outside during the day ( I've heard him from 200 yds away) but the neighbours think its lovely - and he doesn't do more than a couple of crows at a time. So I'm not nervous about the daytime crow - much pleasanter than a yappy dog. I've been more nervous about the early mornings, so the eglu has a thick rug over it, a tarpaulin and a plastic roofing sheet ( belt and braces). The ventilation holes are left free. This muffles him sufficiently that you can sleep through the 6 am crow ( about 10). He then keeps quiet till about 7.30 ish when I let them out and remove the sound proofing. As an emergency measure should anyone complain I have a dog crate and I plan to bring him in overnight till after 7.30. But fingers crossed, everyone round here seems to think its a lovely sound! I think the answer is - it depends on the neighbours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Loud enough to be heard clearly though double glazing Much louder than I expected, for his size..................................... If anyone wants to try Indiana out for a few weeks, you are welome to him - the neighbours certainly won't complain. You do get used to it though, & during the cold snap when they were confined to barracks, i woke up because I couldn't hear him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Ok Does anyone know of 'quiet' bantam breed? as am sort of looking at getting a boyfriend for my 2 lovely lady bantams Rosie and Jim(Girl!) Hopefully my nana and grandad will be getting chickens in feb-apr and they will be having Milly & Molly as they want tame hens and not too many eggs. That means I will have 2 bantams and 3 big hens (Ginger is being re homed soon). I am looking into getting either... 2 Cream Legbars AND a speckledy OR 2 Cream Legbars AND a bantam cockerel for my bantams OR Just 2 Cream Legbars Hard decision, that is if my nan and grandad have chickens Lets hope they do! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I agree with Cinnamon- you do get used to it. If I haven't heard him in the morning I always check to see if he still alive! But I think I now sleep through it - and hopefully the neighbours do. Cinnamon, you are also right about the size - you wouldn't think something so small could make such a noise! So Tom, I don't think there is a guaranteed " quiet" crow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 unfortunately I have to agree with Patricia and Cinnamon, we left the boy poland behind when we got our girls because I'd heard them beforehand at a show - small packages, loud voices! Tho, to be fair, I think every individual case is different and muffling and other prevention (eg boxes indoors/in garage etc) can work. The other thing is polands don't 'sit' so you'd be better off hatching in an incubator, if you wanted to breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I don't think there is such a thing as a quiet cockerel. Crowing as loundly as they can is what they do & if thats a problem for you or for your home situation then you really souldn't get one Also bear in mind that even if he is a bloke, he will still be below the pecking order in your exsisting hens, so they may peck & bully him unless intros are undertaken slowly & properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
