Polish chickens have many interesting characteristics. They are excellent layers of medium-sized white eggs, tending to begin a bit late in the season but persistently laying once they commence. Polish chickens are non-sitters and rarely will go broody. Their crests tend to obscure their vision, which makes them more prone to aerial predators. Polish chickens are easily surprised and a bit nervous, so care should be taken not to startle them. They are similar to Leghorns in both size and type. And Polish chickens come with or without beards on their faces.
The history of the Polish chicken is obscure. Crested chickens have been known for centuries. In fact, Charles Darwin classified all chickens with crests as “Crested or Polish.” The breed is not from Poland, but rather derived its name from the resemblance to the square, spreading crests on the feathered caps historically worn by Polish soldiers. Poultry historians believe that Polish chickens were brought from Spain to Holland when the Spaniards occupied the lowlands. Credit is given to the Dutch fanciers of the eighteenth century for refining the color patterns and developing the crests of Polish chickens. Polish chickens were known in England during the 1700s. The breed, or fowls very similar to Polish chickens, figured in paintings by Dutch and Italian artists of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. They were also mentioned in literature of the same period. Polish chickens are believed to have arrived in America between 1830 and 1840 – by 1850 they were fairly widespread and appreciated for egg production.
