4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Baggins]

Hello all,

 

I would absolutely LOVE a couple of Polands but have read somewhere that they will be dreadfully bullied if introduced to other larger breeds

 

As I have a Pepperpot, 5 ex-batts and a Pekin Bantam (I guess she doesn't count?!), what are your experienced thoughts please? And is the bullying suggestion due to their smaller size or their restricted eye sight?

 

I introduced the Bantam to a couple of larger girls with very little trouble.

 

All advice gratefully received.

[Patricia W]

I've got 3 white crested black polands - 2 hens and a cockerel (a mistake, but he's lovely). I want to add to my flock so I've had the same concern. General view on here was to be careful.

 

Aparently, the eyesight of Polands is restricted because of the " hair-do" so I guess that makes them vulnerable. Having said that, Phillipa sees off the cat, and their eyesight was good enough to know there was a red kite circling above a few days ago. Also, the friendliest came from a mixed flock in the first place.

 

I've decided I'd going to play safe and either get more Polands ( other colours) or mini Orps - as they are so dozy and ( allegedly) one of the most likeliest breeds to be docile with other hens. Either way, I'm prepared for long introductions as these three are definitely king and queens of the garden !!

 

Daphne has kept Polands longer than me so she will have better advice.

 

Tricia

[Jules.]

I have a white crested blue Poland. After having her & the Silkie for nearly 6 weeks now I know that there is no way they will be able to live in the WIR with my big girls as I had hoped.

I free range them seperately for the sake of my bantie babies.

If I could integrate them all I would, but it's just not fair to the "our little ones" to do so.

 

I hope to get a couple more banties to live in my eglu with standard run later this year. Hopefully the Silkie will go broody & we will kindly get given free eggs from the breeder we got the light sussex eggs from for her to hatch!

 

From the eggs I am hatching now I will keep 2 hens & 2 cocks which will all go to live in the WIR, & the cocks will be dispatched & eaten when they start to crow.

 

I must admit I have a very soft spot for the Poland, she is such a character!

[BeckyBoo]

I've got ex-batts, bantams, large fowl and a cockerel and they all get on fine with my one remaining Poland. The Poland was originally introduced to the big girls along with her sister and two other bantams (only one of the others left) so came as a mini-flock which may have made things easier and she did have a phase of being bullied, but now she's a noisy, gobby feisty little ridiculous hen who lays lovely white eggs!

 

Take it easy as with all introductions but I can't see any reason why you shouldn't mix them. I had a Brahma cockerel for a while and even he didn't bully her!

 

BeckyBoo

[Patricia W]

Looks as though it's all down to the introductions then.. Good to have that perspective. Polands do have such a lovel personality - but I would say that wouldn't I??

 

Tricia

[Daphne]

Its possible to mix them, of course, but as the others say they do have restricted sight because of the pom pom and that puts them at a disadvantage - full stop. Our bantam polands came from a large mixed flock where they spent the day rushing about to avoid other beaks. They came to us quite nervy and took a while to settle, but were kept on their own. Then I had a L/F orp who lost her mate and was calling and pining. Rather than leave her on her own we put her in with the polands - they knew each other anyway through the netting. After a bit of pecking from the orp they all settled down fine - the polands seemed to actively like having a big feathery lump to go round with and snuggle into. Then I had a solo young bantam orp who'd lost her sister. I tried putting her with some L/F orp pullets but that didn't work, so in desperation she went in with the polands/large orp. This time the polands told the bantam she was bottom of the heap (probably because she was younger) so again it all worked out. Just last week I've got a new mate for the L/F orp and I've taken her out. They missed her for 24 hours but I really feel at long last the 2 flocks are as they should be - small hens together and large birds together. In the future, barring the unexpected, I intend to keep just polands as bantams. There's nothing wrong with the bantam orp with them, but I'm just not as keen on her as the polands. Polands are delightful characters, good layers of white eggs and very individual. Overall, I wouldn't actively advise mixing polands, but if you did then I would say definitely do choose a docile breed - which would include both orps and brahmas where you can get a bantam version.

[Patricia W]

Just a thought, but as I have a trio, I can supply (possibly) fertilised White Crested Polish Bantam eggs if someone is really keen- but I'd want reassurance about the capacity to deal with any cockerels and to re-home them. Can't spare many as they are delicious! And not sure how to transport - I'm in Abingdon Oxfordshire. PM me though if you are interested.

 

Tricia