Golden laced Polish chickens are well known for their bouffant crest on their head and unique feather pattern with a golden color. They are mostly raised for exhibition, ornamental, or as pets.
This article is all about this unique, exhibition bird such as specialized care especially for its large crest, from where you get it, etc.
Let’s get started.
Quick Overview
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Origin |
Europe |
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APA Recognition |
Yes |
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Abundance |
Common |
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Purpose |
Pets/Exhibition/Ornamental |
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Chicken Size |
Medium |
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Plumage Color |
Golden Black |
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Comb Type |
Small, Single |
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Egg Production |
Medium, 100 Small White Eggs/Year |
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Egg Size |
Medium |
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Egg Color |
White |
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Hardiness |
Heat Hardy, Not Very Cold Hardy |
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Temperament |
Docile, Gentle, Friendly, and Flighty |
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Broodiness |
Rarely or Non-setter |
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Female Weight |
4.5 lbs |
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Male Weight |
About 6 lbs |
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Bantam Male Weight |
1.8 lbs |
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Bantam Female Weight |
1.6 lbs |
Brief History of Golden Laced Polish Chicken
In the 1600s, people started calling it the Golden Laced Polish chicken. They came from Europe and were valued for their ornamental purpose and pretty looks.
In the 1600s, these chickens were seen in paintings from places like the Netherlands and Italy, which made them more famous among people.
The Netherlands breeders worked on this breed to keep the Golden Laced Polish chicken’s special traits and qualities.
Golden Laced Polish chickens are carefully bred, have gotten better at laying eggs, and have developed unique characteristics such as crest and feather patterns.
The unique characteristics and pretty look caught the attention of breeders and chicken enthusiasts, and they were brought to the US in the late 1900s.
According to APA standards, the Golden Laced Polish is classified as a continental breed and is also found in a bantam version.
Golden Laced Polish Temperament
Golden laced Polish chickens are friendly and easygoing. They’re usually calm and gentle, making them a great choice for backyard chicken keepers.
These chickens usually adapt and do fine when kept in a coop, or confinement but like all chickens, they also want to roam and explore their environment.
They are also good flighty birds and roam well in trees, however, their vision is sometimes blurred or blocked by the crest feather so they frighten easily and often startle them and they will fly off when approaching them silently.
Plus, Golden Laced Polish chickens are among the smartest and most intelligent chicken breeds. You can train and teach them tricks and they’ll even recognize their names.
Overall they are suitable for beginner or new chicken keepers or families with children as they are friendly, calm, loving, and enjoy human company.
Golden Laced Polish Appearance
The golden laced Polish chicken has a medium-sized body covered in beautiful golden feathers edged with black and its distinctive black and gold plumage.
They have an impressive crest of feathers on their heads, and the feathers around it stand upright, but the crest feathers of these chickens are fluffier.
They have white earlobes if you look closely, you’ll see they have small combs and wattles, which might not be obvious at first glance. Their legs are clean or bare of feathers and have a noticeable bluish-gray color.
Golden Laced Polish roosters have shinier and more distinct lacing and usually weigh around 6 lbs, while hens weigh around 4.5 lbs.
Golden Laced Polish Chicken Egg Production
Golden laced Polish chickens are exhibition birds and are primarily raised for ornamental purposes or as pets but they are also capable of laying a moderate number of eggs.
These chickens start laying eggs at around 5 to 6 months of age and lay persistently once they start laying. Start giving them complete layer feed when they’re 18 to 20 weeks old. This helps them get all the nutrients they need to begin laying eggs.
Golden laced Polish chickens lay about 150 to 200 medium or big white eggs each year or 3 to 4 per week. They rarely go broody and hardly ever want to sit on their eggs.
Also Read: How to Increase Chicken Egg Production
Golden Laced Polish Hen vs Rooster
Golden Laced Polish roosters have messier, less tidy, more wild crests of feathers on their heads compared to hens, and the feathers of roosters are pointed, while hens have rounded feathers.
Roosters chickens have a bigger and redder wattle compared to hens chickens, and Roosters have longer tail feathers than hens. The Golden Laced Polish rooster is around 2 inches bigger and around 2 pounds heavier than hens.
Gold Laced and also Buff Laced polish chicken may have different colors, the rooster’s feathers can be more vibrant and distinct in color than the hens.
Roosters are loud and sometimes act aggressively to dangers or threats, while Hens are usually calm, docile, and busy in laying.
Care for your Golden Laced Polish Chicken
Since Golden Laced Polish Chicken are mostly for shows or as pets, it’s super important to take good care of them, so they stay nice-looking and pretty all the time.
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Crest Care of Golden Laced Polish
The large and beautiful crests require regular care and attention all the time, as the crest may create vision problems in them.
Proper grooming means keeping the feathers clean from any dirt, and checking for signs of matting or stuff that block their vision and stopping them from getting tangled.
Trim any unnecessary crest feathers that block their vision and make them uncomfortable.
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Feather Care of Golden Laced Polish
These chickens have long, delicate feathers, they can easily get damaged. To keep their feathers nice, handle them gently and make sure their living space is clean and dry.
Check their feathers often for any damage or signs that they’re wearing out too much. If you see a problem, fix it right away, and trim any damaged or extra-long feathers to stop more issues.
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Coop Management
Make sure to provide a comfortable, well-built, ventilated, and safe from-predators chicken coop to live safely and comfortably.
You should give each chicken at least 2 to 3 square feet of space in the coop, and about 8 to 10 square feet of space outside for moving and exploring.
Try to clean and dry the coop at least twice or thrice a week and make sure to dry the coop after wetting them. Provide nesting boxes filled with clean and soft straws to lay eggs and collect eggs daily to prevent wasting and dirtiness.
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Balance Diet
Provide a balanced diet, including commercial feed, to your Golden Laced Polish Chicken to meet all their nutritional requirements.
Adding fruits, vegetables, and occasional treats to their diet, to keep them happy and active. Ensure access to clean and fresh water all the time.
Make sure to avoid any harmful food like chocolate, avocado skin or pit, coffee or tea, apple seeds, raw potatoes, green potatoes, onions, garlic, or raw eggs.
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Health Care
Regularly checking for signs of illness and injuries and seeking advice from a veterinarian will help maintain their health and well-being.
Provide needed vaccination and deworming as recommended by the veterinarian and keep their surroundings and their coop clean to prevent microorganisms and infections.
Make sure to give your Golden Laced Polish chicken friends so they don’t feel lonely and to prevent any mental issues.
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Daily Maintenance
Regular maintenance is essential to keeping chickens healthy, happy, and gorgeous. Trim any stray and unnecessary feathers and nails to prevent them from becoming overgrown, which could cause mobility and vision problems.
Make sure to provide clean and dry soil in their surroundings for dust baths. Dust baths help regulate oil production and keep their feathers healthy.
Winding Up
Golden Laced Polish chickens are mostly raised for shows or as pets and look pretty. They have gold feathers with black edges and have big, fancy crests of feathers on their heads.
These chickens are usually calm and friendly, so they’re great for families or those who enjoy keeping chickens as pets and want one for their backyard.
Let’s finish the article now. If you have any questions, you can ask us in the comments or through email.
FAQs
How many eggs do golden laced Polish chickens lay?
On average golden laced Polish hen can lay from 150 to 200 white medium or large eggs per year.
What color eggs do golden laced Polish chickens lay?
Golden Laced Polish chickens lay white eggs.
When do Polish chickens start laying eggs?
At the age of 5 to 6 months, these chickens start laying eggs and lay persistently once they start laying.
How long do golden laced Polish chickens live?
On average golden laced Polish chickens can live for 5 to 8 years, with proper care and maintenance.
Are Polish chickens cold-hardy?
Polish chickens prefer warm and dry environments and climates and when it’s cold, their fluffy head feathers can get wet and make them cold and sometimes even freeze up.
Polish chickens need to stay warm because they can’t handle the cold very well and are hardy.
Are Polish chickens friendly?
Polish chickens are calm, friendly, and love to be around humans. But they get scared and frightened easily and might be a bit nervous due to their large crest.
Are Polish chickens good egg layers?
No, they are moderate layers, laying around 150 to 200 white eggs a year. These chickens are not best for egg production but are perfect for ornamental purposes or as pets.
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