What other breeds might get along with my Polish hens?

[CHICKEN BUFF]

Out of all my chickens, my Polish hens have become a great favorite. I like a mixed flock and it's time to order chicks again, but I don't want my Polish hens picked on. (Had that problem with some Marans and some Black Stars pulling out their head feathers -- bullies are now GONE!) I'm ordering more Polish for sure, but need advice from Polish owners on other breeds that are likely to get along with them.

CURRENT FLOCK - I have some Easter Eggers and a couple of Cochins that don't appear to give my Polish gals any trouble. I also have a Silver-laced Wyandotte roo who has been really wonderful at actively caring for the flock --- and he produced chicks with a Silver-laced Polish! (Yup, she went broody and was a great mom!) They've all been together about two years, so hopefully no future problems either.

I'm looking at adding some Faverolles (I hear they're as docile as they are cute), and my hubs is very keen on trying out blue-laced Wyandottes (because we're so impressed with Earl), but I'm open to suggestions and advice. A neighbor suggested bantams like Silkies and d'Uccles -- I like them too.

PS - Don't care about egg production - we always get more than enough. Breeds DO have to be able to handle hot summers.

Thanks!

ADDED JAN 4 --- I forgot to mention that the chickens have the run of an extremely large well-fenced yard, with grass and trees, plus places to dust bath. The coop is big too (see my avatar). So everyone has lots of room. Winters are usually mild here --- except THIS year where the flock is voluntarily spending more time in their coop (door is always open, though).

 

[sourland]

I would suggest Silkies and Faverolles. As you have discovered other birds very frequently pick at the head feathering of the Polish. I love the look of Wyandottes, but have found them to be somewhat aggressive. Good luck in adding to your flock.

 

[shortgrass]

Mine seem to have buddied up with my bantam Cochin. I have mostly large fowl, but those 3 are usually together at the feed bowl. My BRs are my bullies, as well as an EE that thinks she's the queen. Everybody else just kind of ignore the Polish. It's funny to watch; they almost turn into statues when a more aggressive hen gets close, then as soon as they meander away, the polish go back to what they were doing. They're pretty cool, been thinking of adding more too.

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

I would suggest Silkies and Faverolles. As you have discovered other birds very frequently pick at the head feathering of the Polish. I love the look of Wyandottes, but have found them to be somewhat aggressive. Good luck in adding to your flock.

Glad for the vote of confidence on Faverolles and Silkies! Thanks!

We might be judging Wyandottes from a single sample, which is our super-nurturing rooster. Maybe Earl is the exception to the rule. Will rethink the Wyandottes!

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

Mine seem to have buddied up with my bantam Cochin. I have mostly large fowl, but those 3 are usually together at the feed bowl. My BRs are my bullies, as well as an EE that thinks she's the queen. Everybody else just kind of ignore the Polish. It's funny to watch; they almost turn into statues when a more aggressive hen gets close, then as soon as they meander away, the polish go back to what they were doing. They're pretty cool, been thinking of adding more too.

Cochins are so laid-back! I really love their personalities. (I'm hoping Faverolles will be similar). My Cochins are standard - I haven't tried bantams. By the way, what's a BR? Barred Rock?

 

[shortgrass]

Cochins are so laid-back! I really love their personalities. (I'm hoping Faverolles will be similar). My Cochins are standard - I haven't tried bantams. By the way, what's a BR? Barred Rock?

Oh, yep, BR is Barred Rock

I have a large Cochin and a bantam. The LF Cochin is just as laid back as the bantam, but the bantam is tamer; my kids can pick her up and cuddle her, where the big one struggles to get away lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are your birds confined to a run or free range? How big is their coop? These things can affect aggression in chickens. My 4 polish live in a mixed flock of about 66 chickens of various breeds. I found trimming their crests on a regular basis can help them see the others coming. Multiple roosts can help the polish get away from other birds. During confined other breeds will sometimes start pecking the polish where it can't see out of curiosity or just plain boredom.

My faverolle are meek and at the bottom of the pecking order. Bantam cochins can mix well with polish and are adorable. My d'uccle are fairly docile as well. I haven't had troubles with my Wyandotte but I have read enough people have had, so I would probably not add them without having a large set up.

Having multiple polish can keep them from being an oddity in the flock.

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

Are your birds confined to a run or free range? How big is their coop? These things can affect aggression in chickens. My 4 polish live in a mixed flock of about 66 chickens of various breeds. I found trimming their crests on a regular basis can help them see the others coming. Multiple roosts can help the polish get away from other birds. During confined other breeds will sometimes start pecking the polish where it can't see out of curiosity or just plain boredom.

My faverolle are meek and at the bottom of the pecking order. Bantam cochins can mix well with polish and are adorable. My d'uccle are fairly docile as well. I haven't had troubles with my Wyandotte but I have read enough people have had, so I would probably not add them without having a large set up.

Having multiple polish can keep them from being an oddity in the flock.

Thank you for reminding me -- I immediately added a description of the flock's environment to my original question. You're right, that's important!

I do trim crests, especially on Priscilla, our silver-laced polish. That's her in the photo with her chicks, fathered by Earl the silver-laced Wyandotte. Maybe Earl is just a good roo (he was our surprise chick in last year's order). I haven't had any Wyandotte hens before, but if there's a chance they'd be aggressive, then they'd be wrong for our flock.

It hadn't occurred to me that more polish in a flock would make them seem less odd overall to the rest of the chickens --- makes sense!

Glad to get another thumbs up for the faverolles, and now I HAVE to get some bantam cochins! I'm also glad the d'Uccle are docile too --- I've admired them for a while: their feather patterns are gorgeous!

I've never had bantams of any kind. I was kind of afraid that being small might not translate to being amiable --- maybe I'm too used to little dogs who think they're BIG dogs. We have some rescued dogs, and our enormous boxer-pitbull cross, Tux, is at the absolute bottom of the pack --- his life is run by pugs, and at the top of the food chain is our tiniest female! (aptly named Queenie)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

These are mostly harmless, and any disagreements between them has been mostly noise. I have bantam cochin, d'uccle, and a mix of the two, oh and a single bantam brahma.

 

[donrae]

General rule of thumb with chicken breeds---feather footed birds are more docile and tolerant.

Marans and Langshans are the biggest exception. But overall, feather footed breeds were bred more for ornamental purposes, and a calm, friendly, docile personality was a very desirable trait.

If you like the Polish, get more of them

. The come in a lot of colors now, you could have quite the eye-catching flock!