Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[williamspencer98]

I've heard Poland's can be quite vunerable to health conditions? Are they that vunerable that they're not a pleasure to keep? That sounds really extreme but I can't think of how to phrase it! I quite like there faces, a bit unusual! Oh and are their feathers like Silkies? Or are they more like eg. an Orpington?

 

Adding to my flock in about 2 weeks!

 

Thank you

[Redwing]

Their feathers are normal not silkied

 

They are pretty hardy generally but are prone to lice and mites in their crests. they lay quite well and quite well over winter too, a decent sized egg compared to the size of the bird

 

BUT they are very succeptible to being bullied, their skulls arent completely fused, other chickens are very attracted to pecking their crests and when their crests are pecked at their heads can be damaged horrifically

 

Personally I would only keep them with very docile crested birds such as Silkies

[Patricia W]

I've got 8, including a couple of frizzles. I've still got all the orginal white crested black ones, including Phillip the cockerel, and that's now over 4 years. Apart from a couple of chest infections sorted by Baytril, they are very healthy.

 

I lost 2, a chamois and another frizzle when they were only about 5 months old. One was lost to a brain problem that Polands and Silkies are prey to. So it all depends. I'd say the black and white ones are the strongest.

 

BUT, Redwing is right, they are prone to be bullied. I started out keeping them with the ex-bats and the aracaunas and after 2 years have given up. The big hens target the lovely white headgear and pluck! I have used bumpa bits, and it works but is a nuisance to have to do. So at the moment, I have the Polands in separate runs ( which are covered as their hair do's are better kept dry). I'm planning a WIR now with separate sections.

 

Some people are successful at mixing them though so it's up to you.

[Daphne]

Please be careful - polands are generally extremely robust healthwise, but they do need shelter as their skulls are thin and their crests will flatten in the rain making them an even more attractive target to being pecked. You should also provide them with lipped drinkers and check their crests periodically for lice/mites. The biggest problem is keeping them in mixed flocks - I really wouldn't advise it unless you know your other birds are docile. Polands cannot see upwards from under the crests and other birds seem drawn to pecking them. Given their skulls are thin this can be dangerous. And more than that, in my view, its just not fair to the polands. Having said that, people do obviously keep birds in mixed flocks, the polands are generally good runners.