Polish Breeders Club

Hi, havent been on new web much due to a scooter accident, & head injury, but Im wondering if we have a member list on this anywhere?  Also Im lucky to have gotten a good start with some great birds years ago now, but Im thinking Id actually like to reduce the front crest in some of my genetics. Most of my hens need  plucking so they can see past the crest feathers.    Has any one worked on this and other then selecting  breeding matches with less front crest, any ideas?   I have WC Cho, Khaki, Cuckoo reg & cho  & black of show quality polish bantams but I also like survivability traits and would like a tad smaller front crest...  Diane   Spisak@embarqmail.com   

Diane,

  There isnt a directory online. I will start work on the new one this summer and wil be personally calling every member so I won't have as many mistakes as the last one. Will you be going to Indianapolis? If so bring some extra chocolates and khaki's! I need some.

Diane Spisak at June 23, 2011 at 11:31 AM

Hi, havent been on new web much due to a scooter accident, & head injury, but Im wondering if we have a member list on this anywhere?  Also Im lucky to have gotten a good start with some great birds years ago now, but Im thinking Id actually like to reduce the front crest in some of my genetics. Most of my hens need  plucking so they can see past the crest feathers.    Has any one worked on this and other then selecting  breeding matches with less front crest, any ideas?   I have WC Cho, Khaki, Cuckoo reg & cho  & black of show quality polish bantams but I also like survivability traits and would like a tad smaller front crest...  Diane   Spisak@embarqmail.com   

Hi Diane,

I'm torn on the crest issue too.  I had 2 males side by side at a show last month.  I loved the crest on the chocolate- a lovely crest with no split that rose beautifully and framed his face while still allowing him full vision.  The other male I was showing was so heavily crested that it began to "part" down the middle and left him with little good vision to find the girls.  Guess which one the judge liked?  I breed for these lovely massive crests, but then keep the birds taped up so they can see at home.  Sometimes when I let the crests down at the shows, though, the girls react with fear or head-shaking, so I have to take them down intermittently.  I am very cautious about who I sell to, these birds are so high-maintenance and most people who admire them don't really want the work involved in taking care of them.  I do find my frizzle females generally can see better than the smooths, so that's another reason to enjoy our frizzles!

Cynthia Smith, DVM at June 25, 2011 at 1:14 AM

Diane Spisak at June 23, 2011 at 11:31 AM

Hi, havent been on new web much due to a scooter accident, & head injury, but Im wondering if we have a member list on this anywhere?  Also Im lucky to have gotten a good start with some great birds years ago now, but Im thinking Id actually like to reduce the front crest in some of my genetics. Most of my hens need  plucking so they can see past the crest feathers.    Has any one worked on this and other then selecting  breeding matches with less front crest, any ideas?   I have WC Cho, Khaki, Cuckoo reg & cho  & black of show quality polish bantams but I also like survivability traits and would like a tad smaller front crest...  Diane   Spisak@embarqmail.com   

Hi Diane,

I'm torn on the crest issue too.  I had 2 males side by side at a show last month.  I loved the crest on the chocolate- a lovely crest with no split that rose beautifully and framed his face while still allowing him full vision.  The other male I was showing was so heavily crested that it began to "part" down the middle and left him with little good vision to find the girls.  Guess which one the judge liked?  I breed for these lovely massive crests, but then keep the birds taped up so they can see at home.  Sometimes when I let the crests down at the shows, though, the girls react with fear or head-shaking, so I have to take them down intermittently.  I am very cautious about who I sell to, these birds are so high-maintenance and most people who admire them don't really want the work involved in taking care of them.  I do find my frizzle females generally can see better than the smooths, so that's another reason to enjoy our frizzles!

Hi Cynthia, I dont have crests that are so big or soft that  they part yet, though I have had a couple in the past, but the crests seem to be big in a nice not too loose  puffy  globe in the hens but too forward in the front. Ill catch the birds up occasionally and pull a few feathers around the eyes for better vision but the feathers grow back.. Roosters their crests flow back ok but they too have a few feathers over their eyes.The frizzles.. , I keep one or two  frizzle hens of each color I have , cuckoo, chocolate,  black and Khaki  and yes here too their crests are fine .Im Not sure how a frizzle rooster would be tho,as I havent kept any frizzle roosters. Just wondering, that I assume, but dont know how, breeders have selected for fuller crests  in the past, wondering if there are any tricks for selecting for smaller crests yet still showable amounts.. Diane

Jim, I have money from the sales of a couple Sweat shirts for the club, send me the address to send it. email me at Spisak@embarqmail.com. And no Indianopolis, since this scooter accident &,head brain trauma Im not driving yet  and its been 2 yrs this thurs, frustrating for a used to be very independant person.., though Im a lot better then I was and now at least functional.  And I have  some Chocolates still but only 2 Khakis, sold them a couple years ago cause they fade in the sunny pens I have them in, but now want some again too..... diane