Polish Chicken is a gentle and friendly chicken breed. They don’t harm children and mostly stay quiet. They are also good egg layers but currently breeders keep these top hat chickens for exhibition purposes. So, let’s dive into the elegant world of Polish Chicken to know everything about them.
Origin and History
Polish Chicken is an ancient breed but the exact origin of this breed is still unknown. It is commonly considered that this chicken breed originated in Eastern Europe mainly in Poland or Netherlands (Holland). Some historians also believe that these top-hat chickens originated in Spain and then later migrated to the Netherlands.
These chickens have appeared in Dutch paintings of the 14th and 15th century. There are also assumptions that these chickens reached Europe during the Mongols region in Asia.
These regal-looking chickens were developed by the Dutch in the 16th century. Polish Chicken is also called with some other famous names such as Paduan, Top hat, and Poland. However, these chickens were named Polish Chicken due to possibly the following reasons,
- “Pol” is an ancient Dutch word which means Large Head
- Polish Chickens were named by Charles Darwin due to the feathers on their crest which looked like the caps of Polish Soldiers
These birds reached America in the 1800s and gained a lot of popularity here due to their egg-laying ability but their fame started to decrease with time due to new breeds. However, these Chickens have once again become very famous across the globe in the last couple of decades.
Polish Chicken – Overview
| Breed | Polish Chicken (Continental) |
| Names | Poland, Polish, Tophat, Paduan |
| Origin | Unknown (Likely Holland) |
| Beginner Friendly | Yes |
| Primary Uses | Eggs and Exhibition purposes |
| Egg color | White |
| Egg Production | 180-200 eggs per year |
| Egg Size | Medium |
| Lifespan | 5 – 8 years |
| Temperament | Friendly |
| Weight | Hen 4-4.5lb, Rooster 6lb |
| Children Friendly | Yes |
| Hardiness | Not Cold Hardy |
Appearance
Polish Chicken is the most unique chicken breed in the world. Their head feathers or crest will always leave an excellent impression on you. These elegant chickens look like they have a pompom on their heads. There are also some drawbacks of their magnificent crest like it can block the vision of these chickens.
The roosters of this breed also have a unique red V-shaped comb but it also disappears under the feathers in most cases. Moreover, these unique chickens have clear gray legs, white earlobes and red wattles.
There are also other color varieties of this chicken which might be a little but different from each other but we have discussed all the common traits of this breed. However, some Varieties have additional feathers on their face and are known as bearded varieties of polish chickens.
Features
- White Earlobes
- Red wattles
- Feathered Colors
- Upright Posture
- Red and V-shaped comb
- Clear Grey legs
- Red Bay Color Eyes
- 4 Toes
- Feathered Head
Weight
Polish Chicken is a strong medium-sized chicken breed
- The Polish Chicken Roosters can normally weigh about 6lb.
- The Hens weigh about between 4 – 5.5lb.
However, the bantam varieties of these chickens can weigh up to 1.7lb.
Color Varieties of Polish Chicken
Polish is a unique chicken breed but it also has a lot of color variations in different parts of the world. However, 10 color varieties are currently recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA). The APA only approves chickens with superior traits and characteristics. The most famous and common varieties of these top-hat chickens are,
- Silver Laced Polish Chicken (Bearded)
- Golden Laced Polish (Bearded)
- White Laced Polish (Bearded)
- Buff Laced Polish (Bearded)
- Buff Laced Polish (Non-Bearded)
- White crested blue, black, golden, white Polish (Non-Bearded)
The Personality of Polish Chicken
The personality of these top-hat chickens is described below,
Temperament & Behavior
Polish Chicken is a very friendly and polite breed. Their docile and gentle temperament makes them excellent for families with children and backyard chicken farming. They are also good pets as they don’t harm children and you will enjoy spending time with them.
Active bird
These Chicken are very active and curious in nature. They always tend to explore their surrounding and loves to do foraging in the field or yard. They are always looking to find essential nutrients in scratch and will roam around actively but you will never find these chickens looking lazy or exhausted.
Lifespan:
The lifespan of these chickens depends on various factors like feed, diet, living environment, coop condition and veterinary care. However, the average lifespan of a Polish chicken is between 5 to 8 years.
Social bird
Polish Chicken are also famous as social birds because they easily interact with other kinds of chicken breeds. That’s why these birds are easily used for exhibition purposes.
Vulnerable
Polish Chicken might be the most interesting chicken breed but it is also very vulnerable to predators. They have sight issues due to their crest and predators can easily prey on them until they realize their presence.
Noise Level
As we mentioned earlier, these chickens are very polite and friendly. They mostly stay quiet and don’t engage in fights with other chicken breeds. Hence, these top-hat chickens are suitable for chicken lovers who lives in areas with noise restrictions
Hardiness
These Chickens can grow and live happily in warm environments. This is not a cold hardy breed which means these chickens can not bear extreme cold weather and are not suitable for people living in cold areas. However, if they are very keen to keep them, they can use electric heaters in their coops to keep them warm.
Polish Chicken Egg color and Productivity
Due to their use as show birds, most people might not know that Polish Chicken is also a good egg layer. Mostly birds that are popular for exhibition purposes are generally not good egg layers but these Poland Chickens are a rare case.
Egg Production
They can lay almost 3 to 4 eggs per week and overall these chickens can produce 200 eggs per year.
Egg Color
Polish Chicken lays beautiful and medium-sized white color eggs. The Hens of this breed start laying eggs at the age of almost 20 to 24 weeks.
How to Raise Polish Chicken? Care Guide
Feeding
A good feed can help your chicken grow nicely and it can also increase the egg production. You must give 15 to 20 percent to your egg-laying chicken. Never overfeed them because it can damage their health.
Care
The head feathers of these beautiful chicken must be given extra care especially in winter. If their head feathers get wet due to water or snow then make sure to dry them properly.
Their head feathers block their eyesight so keep an eye on them to save them from predators. Parasites are also a common issue because these chickens have a lot of feathers. You must spray their coops with parasite killer gases.
Housing or Coop Set up
These chickens need a proper coop to grow properly and produce good eggs. Normally a 4 to 8 square feet coop is ideal for Polish chickens. But if you have more free space available then you can make a bigger coop which will allow them to spread out around during hot weather.
Don’t forget to put nesting boxes in their coops where they can lay eggs. A 12×12 inch nesting box is perfect for at least three chickens to lay their beautiful eggs.
Pros and Cons Of Polish Chicken
Like every chicken breed, Polish chicken also have some pros and cons that are given below,
Pros
- Unique top-hat chickens
- Good Egg Production
- Show Birds
- Children Friendly
- Moderate Noise Level
Cons
- Vision Issue due to Crest
- Not A Cold Hardy Breed
- Expensive Breed
- Slow Developing
- Vulnerable to Predators
Conclusion – Are they Right for you?
Polish Chicken has many qualities that can make you love these chickens. They have gained a lot of fame in the last couple of decades. You can keep them to increase the value and charm of your flock.
If you are keeping these chickens then your flock is having one of the most unique chicken breeds of the world! Yeah that sounds good. You can even keep them for just egg purposes because as you know they are good egg layers. They are sweet and polite with children, don’t make loud noises – so what more do you require from a chicken breed?
Hopefully, you have got all the information about Polish Chicken in this blogpost and all your doubts about this distinctive breed are also clear and you are ready to make the decision
FAQs
Do Polish chicken lay eggs?
Yes, Polish Chicken lays beautiful and medium-sized white colored eggs.
What is the primary use of a Polish chicken?
Polish Chicken is primarily used as a show bird for exhibition purposes due to its unique look. These chickens look like they are wearing a hat because of their extra feathers on their head.
Do Polish chickens make good pets?
Polish is a very friendly and polite chicken breed. Their docile and gentle temperament makes them excellent for families with children and backyard chicken farming. They are good pets as they don’t harm children and you will enjoy spending time with them.
At what age do Polish chicken lay eggs?
The Hens of this breed start laying eggs at the age of almost 20 to 24 weeks.
What is the lifespan of a Polish chicken?
The lifespan of these chickens depends on various factors like feed, diet, living environment, coop condition and veterinary care. However, the average lifespan of a Polish chicken is between 5 to 8 years.
How many eggs do Polish chicken lay a day?
They can lay almost 3 to 4 eggs per week and overall these chickens can produce 200 eggs per year.
Are Polish chickens bantams?
Yes, Polish Chickens are classed as bantam-sized pure breed chickens.