We breed and preserve many pure and rare heritage chickens here at Incredible Eggs. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but there’s one which really stands out from the crowd on the peculiar front – our Polish! In fact, they are so strange looking that many people are not sure they’re actually a breed of chicken when they first encounter them!
Below are just a few pics of our very own Polish chickens – some of which were hatched in schools, nurseries and care homes. Let’s take a look at their history and character…
Despite their name, no one really knows the exact origins of Polish chickens, but we do know they featured in paintings way back in the 1600’s. It’s thought they got their name because the distinctive crests on their heads were reminiscent of Polish military hats, but one theory is their ancestors were brought from Asian Mongols to Spain before being transported to Holland.
Back in the day they were considered to be very good layers, but their egg-laying abilities are no match for todays modern egg-laying hybrids.
Polish are generally very friendly birds and make great pets, but there are a couple of things keepers need to be aware of. They have restricted vision due to their crests, which makes them more vulnerable to predators and being bullied by more aggressive chicken breeds. They are also prone to getting mites in their crests, so these need checking regularly and treating if necessary.
We love Polish chickens and think they’re pretty special! This wonderful breed depends on humans for their very survival. This is because they rarely go broody, which means they have little interest in hatching their own eggs. Humans have to do it for them, either by using incubators or popping their eggs under an obliging broody hen of another breed!
