Quirky Bird – The Poland
Polands stand out because of their unusual headgear. Some have rounded crests – sometimes called ‘pom poms’. Interestingly, the black and blue versions have a white crest, which cannot logically be explained by the modern understanding of colour genetics.
The Poland breed is very ancient – it was first exhibited in London as early back as 1845 and later standardised in 1865. However, its ancestry is a little sketchy. The breeds believed to have gone into its development include: Sebright, Rosecomb, Hamburgh and Andalusian.
There are six standard colours: chamois (buff laced), gold, silver, white-crested blue, white-crested black and cuckoo. The last three have white crests and lack a beard, called ‘muffling’, while the chamois, gold and silver (which are predominantly laced in the crest) are required to have muffling.
The breed is also available in bantam version, but many specimens are becoming a little ambiguous in terms of size.
This is not a breed for the beginner. Their crests can pose a challenge insofar as obstructing vision and can become infested with mites if regular inspections isn’t carried out.
If you do fancy trying your hand with Polands, then give the breed club secretary a call, who will be only too pleased to hear from you; they are quite rare and could do with more support from serious keepers…
Poland Breed Club
Secretary: Clare Beebe – clarebeebe@aol.com
