CheekyPekins Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 One of my Pekins, Astrid, died last week and I'd let to get a couple of new hens as I have plenty of space in my WIR (Morehens has struck...) I'd really like a silver-laced Poland however I've heard different things about them - are they friendly or are they nutters? Also, I've heard that Polands shouldn't be kept with other breeds - I already have a bantam Orp and a Pekin - would they be OK together? I'm also tempted by a chocolate Wyandotte bantam as I hear they're friendly and lay quite well for bantams. The other breed on my list is a bantam Brahma, as I live near a decent breeder and I do like their feathery legs. Does anyone have any advice that will help me choose please? My main factors are friendliness, quietness (Astrid was a very noisy Pekin!) and laying... I was tempted by some Seramas, but decided against them as they apparently don't lay well at all and my husband will propbably have something to say about hens which "don't pay any rent"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I have 4 Polands (3 girls and a cockerel) and while they have lived with my other bantams in the past, they got on with various degrees of success. One quiet girl in particular always looked rather stressed by the situation (they had loads and loads of room) and is much happier now she lives with just her Poland friends. I think I'd probably recommend the other breeds you mentioned and having had all but the Wyandotte bantam (my LF is lovely tho) i think they'd all be a great mix. I would say though that my Polands are probably among my best layers of my bantams and very, very lovely as garden birds - mine FR happily with my LF flock all day so given enough space it is doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Brahma bantams are lovely although about the size of a normal hen. I had a blue buff columbian called Chloe. She was lovely and very chatty and friendly, unfortunately she died of a mystery illness a while ago. I have bantam wyandottes who aren't particularly friendly and quite flighty although they are only young. As for seramas I have two that regularly lay a very small egg. Personally I would go for the brahmas they are such nice birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheekyPekins Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 Oooh - thank you for the responses Karlotta - I had a feeling that might be the case with Polands and I wouldn't like to risk them being bullied or unhappy so I'm grateful for your thoughts. I may be better going for a different breed - I just love how pretty Polands are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheekyPekins Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Having finally decided that I wanted a bantam RIR and a bantam Wyandotte, I sourced a reputable breeder nearby who had both and came home with.... a bantam Silkie x Pekin and a bantam Sumatra cross! Ahem... which is a bit odd, because I wanted something that is a decent layer and less likely to go broody! But they're both so pretty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 But they're both so pretty And that's the most important thing! Good choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Having finally decided that I wanted a bantam RIR and a bantam Wyandotte, I sourced a reputable breeder nearby who had both and came home with.... a bantam Silkie x Pekin and a bantam Sumatra cross! Ahem... which is a bit odd, because I wanted something that is a decent layer and less likely to go broody! But they're both so pretty That happens doesn't it . . . best laid plains of chickens and men and all that Hope they are settling in well. Hope you get a Poland too one day as not only are they pretty as pretty but they are the friendliest, sweetest girls. I have slikeis (gentle beings) and frizzles (a bit like Pekins if not quite so feisty) and polands and my poland girls are my favourites. They are just always there singing away to me and so easy to pick up and stroke. One day I intend to have just Polands - one of each colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheekyPekins Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 Tee hee Shabby Chic - I like the idea of one of each colour I may have to persuade my lovely hubby to build me a 2nd WIR, just so I can have some Polands... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
