Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Frizzles have a single comb on top of their heads and a clean leg that does not have any feath-
ers on it. The standard weight for the rooster Frizzle is 11 pounds, the hen is about 8 ½
pounds, and the bantam for this breed is 4 to 6 pounds. Not only are they popular show birds,
but they are also proficient egg layers; hens can lay more than 200 eggs per year. Their eggs
are cream or tinted and of a medium size.
Frizzles have a friendly demeanor and docile temperament, which makes them excellent addi-
tions to your family. They are easy for novice chicken owners. Their feathers do not fare well
in wet weather, so they need a dry coop. They do not mind being confined, so you could keep
them indoors.
Polish
Also called a Padua or Poland, this chicken is most known for the tall, starburst-shaped crest
that engulfs its head. Polish breeds are available in several colors and markings. Solid colors
are typically white, black, blue, and cuckoo (also referred to as barred). Some birds have lace
markings and are gold, silver, and chamois. The crests can sometimes cover the chickens'
eyes, so they can be startled easily. Use a special waterer, such as a nipple drinker, so the crest
stays dry and clean. Their comb is V-shaped or horn-shaped.
Polish roosters weigh about 6 pounds, and hens weigh 4 ½ pounds. Bantams are about 3
pounds for males and 2 pounds for females. Care for this fowl requires more work than other
breeds because of their coat. They are a magnet for mites because of the thickness of their
topknot, which is another term for crest. One way to prevent mites is to use a spray insect re-
pellent, but be careful not to get it in the bird's eyes. The birds should be kept dry because
their thick feathers will hold moisture longer. Polish hens are good layers and produce 150 to
200 white eggs per year. They are not good sitters, though, and have been known to abandon
or destroy their eggs. You can use a hen that is broody (meaning in her fertile cycle and in-
stinctively wants to sit on eggs) or use an incubator for the eggs this breed produces.
Yokohama
This is a striking bird with a long tail that can grow up to 2 feet long. They are white and red,
saddled, or red-shouldered, meaning the feathers that cover their shoulders and upper back are
a strikingly different color than their body feathers. Their skin is yellow. These are ornamental
birds and are not good layers or typically used for meat because they are not fleshy, nor are
they tender to eat. Their combs are single and thin or walnut-shaped and red in color.
