Polish chicken getting bullied

[Realchickensofcorralitos]

Hello everyone!

I’m new to having chickens and I got a mixed flock. I two 10 week old chicks (cockerel and pullet) and five 7 weeks old pullets. Unfortunately I’m having an issue with the other chickens pulling out the 7 week old polish’s head feathers. She’s definitely the lowest on the totem pole but loves cuddling up to everyone. When she cuddles them some of them peck out her feathers and she just takes it. I put no peck on her but I still caught someone pecking her head today. My question is: should I separate her until her head feathers grow in completely? Should I get more polish chickens so she’s not the only odd one? I appreciate any advice! Thank you!

 

[sourland]

Sadly in some/many flocks Polish have their crests removed sometimes to the point of scalping. It is sometimes necessary to separate them into their own flock.

 

[LaFleche]

Hello everyone!

I’m new to having chickens and I got a mixed flock. I two 10 week old chicks (cockerel and pullet) and five 7 weeks old pullets. Unfortunately I’m having an issue with the other chickens pulling out the 7 week old polish’s head feathers. She’s definitely the lowest on the totem pole but loves cuddling up to everyone. When she cuddles them some of them peck out her feathers and she just takes it. I put no peck on her but I still caught someone pecking her head today. My question is: should I separate her until her head feathers grow in completely? Should I get more polish chickens so she’s not the only odd one? I appreciate any advice! Thank you!

Separate her into her own coop and run and get her some of her own kind. Polish and Silkies don't do well in flocks of 'normal' chickens as they look and behave differently.

Don't forget to trim the head feathers to allow for unobstructed view. Leaving their overgrown crests unattended can lead to starvation and disorientation, even to death.

 

[hollytruitt]

Dealing with this situation too. We have our lone Polish seperated and protected from flock. We are evaluating on what to do besides bringing her in our home temporary. May end up doing a seperate sleeping area for her and only out in run when we are out there with her. Its tough!! Feel bad for her. No option to bring another polish chick as we are still trying to deal with bullying in couple of pullets.

 

[hollytruitt]

We are dealing with this too. One coop and 22 chickens. Polish chick gets her head pecked and pulled feathers. Blood drawn. So sadly we keep her seperated however she loves people but not the flock . We do not know what to do yet. May keep her inside in winter and get her a flock of her own next year. We have 4 cats so not sure how that will be handled for winter. Sad though and we do feel bad for her as she is in a crate at night. During the day she is in a tractor pen by the run. Its that bad.

 

[rosemarythyme]

No option to bring another polish chick as we are still trying to deal with bullying in couple of pullets.

If you can't add more, maybe think of subtracting then, as it sounds like you've already enough to deal with with the flock. Consider rehoming her.

 

[LaFleche]

Dealing with this situation too. We have our lone Polish seperated and protected from flock. We are evaluating on what to do besides bringing her in our home temporary. May end up doing a seperate sleeping area for her and only out in run when we are out there with her. Its tough!! Feel bad for her. No option to bring another polish chick as we are still trying to deal with bullying in couple of pullets.

How about rehoming her with a flock of equally crested birds?

 

[kbroom]

Separate her into her own coop and run and get her some of her own kind. Polish and Silkies don't do well in flocks of 'normal' chickens as they look and behave differently.

Don't forget to trim the head feathers to allow for unobstructed view. Leaving their overgrown crests unattended can lead to starvation and disorientation, even to death.

Pols and Germans should stick together!

 

[LaFleche]

Pols and Germans should stick together!

 

[SmiYa0126]

I even noticed that my hens like to stick with their own kind, my Plymouth blues my RIR are together (two years apart), my EE are also together. It's actually quite interesting.

When I had one RIR are was a loner, the others didn't accept her even though I got them at the same time get the same farmer.