Polish chicken
The Polish is a light, crested chicken kept mostly for its looks: a hen wears a tidy pom-pom of feathers and a rooster an untidy mop. Hens weigh about 4½ lb and roosters 6 lb, and hens lay 150–200 white eggs a year without going broody. The crest blocks their view, so they startle easily, and it copes badly with wet and freezing weather.
- Temperament
- Calm, Friendly, Easily startled
- Cold tolerance
- Heat tolerance
- Coop space per bird
- 3 sq ft
Is the Polish right for you?
Good fit if
- You want a striking bird for the yard or the show table
- You have a dry, covered run
- You want white eggs and no broody hens
- You live somewhere dry and warm
Poor fit if
- Your birds free-range where hawks hunt. The crest blocks the view overhead
- You have wet or icy winters. The crest soaks through and can freeze
- You keep pushy breeds. Polish are easily bullied
- You have a low fence. Polish are light and fly well
Appearance and varieties
The crest is the whole point of a Polish. It grows from a bony knob on top of the skull. On a hen it forms a tidy pom-pom; on a rooster it is a looser mop. Some varieties are bearded as well, with feathers on the face.
Under the crest is a red V-shaped comb, often out of sight. The wattles are red, the earlobes white and the nostrils very large. The legs are grey and bare, with four toes, and the skin is white.
In size and build a Polish is much like a Leghorn: roosters about 6 lb, hens about 4½ lb. The APA's online list has 11 large-fowl varieties and 10 bantam ones.25
Temperament and handling
Polish are friendly, calm birds that spook easily, and the crest is the reason. Feathers fall over the eyes and the bird often does not see you coming. The Livestock Conservancy's advice is to talk as you approach so they know you are there.
They are light and fly well, and may roost in trees. Oklahoma State University says they are prone to being bullied by more aggressive breeds.
The Livestock Conservancy's chart adds that raising chicks in a raised brooder, where they can see people moving about, can make them calmer.213
Animals vary within a breed. Treat this as what to expect, not a promise, and meet the animal before you buy if you can.
Production numbers
What our sources report for the breed. If two sources disagree, you see the full range.
Housing, feed and health
Housing
University of Minnesota Extension gives a minimum of 3 to 5 sq ft of indoor space per bird, one nest box for every 4 to 5 hens, and a place to roost. That is for chickens in general. Oklahoma State says Polish need plenty of space so they do not damage each other's crests by picking.
Keep them dry. The Livestock Conservancy says Polish prefer a dry, warm climate, tolerate heat if they have shade, and need a well-ventilated, dry coop. In cold weather a waterlogged crest chills the bird and crest feathers can freeze; Oklahoma State notes ice can form in the crest just from drinking.
Because the crest blocks their view, Polish are prone to being taken by predators from the air.621
Feed
Feed a prepared ration balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein. Laying hens also need crushed oyster shell for eggshells and grit for digestion. Kitchen scraps and scratch grains are fine as treats in moderation.
Keep clean, fresh water available all the time. This is general guidance for chickens from University of Minnesota Extension.6
Health
The crest is where this breed's troubles start. Oklahoma State University says it is susceptible to lice, that birds pick at each other's crests when crowded, and that ice can form in it in cold weather.
Otherwise the general advice applies. University of Minnesota Extension describes a healthy chicken as active and alert with bright eyes, and says the easiest way to spot disease is to know what normal looks like for each bird. Clean the coop and run weekly and give the birds a dust bath.
This is a starting point, not veterinary advice. If a bird stops eating, wheezes or seems unwell, call a vet who treats poultry, or your county extension office.16
Price and where to buy
Prices are per White Crested Black Polish chick, read from two hatchery pages on 9 October 2026. Cackle's page showed hatch dates in October 2026; McMurray's carries a site notice dated November 2026 and listed the chicks as sold out for the season. Cackle's page gives one price by quantity and does not say whether the chicks are sexed. Other varieties may be priced differently.
Where to look
Start with a breeder you can visit. Nobody pays to be on this list.
| Seller or directory | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Livestock Conservancy breeders directory | Directory | |
| Cackle Hatchery | Hatchery | $4.73–6.49 a chick depending on quantity |
| Murray McMurray Hatchery | Hatchery | Pullets $8.75–12.00, unsexed $5.83–8.00, males $4.37–6.00 |
Similar breeds
| Breed | Hen weight | Eggs per year | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polish (this breed) | 4.5 lb | 150–200 | $4.37–$12.00 | |
| Silkie | 2 lb | $6.63–$9.00 |
History
Nobody knows where the Polish came from. Birds that look like it appear in Dutch and Italian paintings from the 1400s onwards. One theory has its ancestors reaching Central and Eastern Europe with the Mongols in the Middle Ages. Another has it brought from Spain to Holland in the late 16th century. Either way, Dutch fanciers of the 1700s get the credit for refining the colours and the crest.
The name is just as uncertain. It may come from the feathered caps worn by Polish soldiers, or from the Dutch word pol, meaning large head.
Polish were known in England in the 1700s and were kept in France as layers. They are believed to have reached America between 1830 and 1840 and were widespread by 1850. When Leghorns took over egg production in the second half of the 1800s, the Polish became an exhibition bird.
The APA recognised four non-bearded varieties in 1874, added four bearded ones in 1883, Non-Bearded Buff Laced in 1938 and Non-Bearded White Crested Blue in 1963.21
Common questions
What is a Polish chicken?
A light, crested breed kept mainly for show and for its looks. The crest grows from a bony knob on the skull. Hens weigh about 4½ lb and lay white eggs.21
Are Polish chickens from Poland?
Nobody knows. Their early history is lost; Poland is one theory and Spain another, and Dutch breeders of the 1700s shaped the bird we have now. The name may come from the feathered caps of Polish soldiers or from a Dutch word for a large head.2
How many eggs do Polish chickens lay?
Somewhere between 150 and 200 or more a year. The Livestock Conservancy's breed page says about 150; its comparison chart and Oklahoma State University say 200 or more.231
What colour eggs do Polish chickens lay?
White, medium to large.2
How big do Polish chickens get?
Roosters weigh about 6 lb and hens about 4½ lb, much the same as a Leghorn.21
Are Polish chickens friendly?
Yes, but jumpy. They are a friendly, calm breed that startles easily because the crest gets in the way of their eyes. Talk to them as you walk up.2
Are Polish chickens cold hardy?
Not very. The Livestock Conservancy says they prefer a dry, warm climate. In cold, wet weather the crest can get waterlogged and chill the bird, and the feathers can freeze.2
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Polish Chickens (archived copy).
- The Livestock Conservancy, Polish Chicken.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Chicken Breed Comparison Chart, 2026 (PDF).
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- American Poultry Association, Accepted Breeds & Varieties.
- University of Minnesota Extension, Raising chickens for eggs.
- Cackle Hatchery, White Crested Black Polish.
- Murray McMurray Hatchery, White Crested Black Polish.
- American Bantam Association, Active Breed and Variety List, March 2021 (PDF).
- The Livestock Conservancy, Conservation Priority List.
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