A friend just dropped off a few Polish Crested hens at our farm the other day. Once you see a face like this, you never forget it! They suffer a bit for their beauty, though, because the colorful crest that adorns its head can limit its vision, resulting in an easily frightened little bird. If you are adding this variety to an existing flock, don’t be surprised if they are dominated by your other birds.

Historical records from the 1600’s trace the Polish Crested to the Netherlands; you can even spot them in old painting sometimes.

The color variety is pretty stunning; my favorite is our “tuxedo chicken,” which features black and white feathering from head to tail.

How about solid gold?

Our other animals were not really that impressed. Just another day, just another chicken. Big deal.

Ruby, our Sicilian donkey, and Destro our buck are more interested right now in Sweetpea, who is supposed to be going into labor soon and “kidding.” A donkey can be a great addition to your farm, providing companionship and protection to smaller animals, and keeping down weeds in the pasture.