Polish chicken

The Polish or Poland is a European breed of crested chicken. Its origins are unknown; similar birds are shown in seventeenth-century images from Italy and the Netherlands.

The birds have a small v-shaped comb and an abundant crest of feathers on the crown of the head. They are kept for show or for ornament. There are bearded, non-bearded and frizzle varieties.

Etymology
The origins of the breed's name in the English language are uncertain. The breed could have been named after the country of Poland. Its name could have also come from the Middle Dutch word pol 'head' (compare origin of poll tax), in reference to the Polish's dome-shaped skull.

In all other european countries, including Poland, the breed is known as "Dutch crest fowl" in the respective languages.

History
Though the derivation of the Polish breed is unclear, one theory suggests that their ancestors were brought by Asian Mongols to Central and Eastern Europe during medieval times, and thus, could have originated in Poland. Crested chickens aree seen in paintings from the 15th century, and in Dutch and Italian paintings from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.

Though usually only a fair layer at best today, in France they were formerly kept for their eggs. Three colour varieties were included in the first edition of the Standard of Perfection in 1874; additional varieties were added in 1883, 1938 and 1963.

Characteristics
The Polish has a small v-shaped comb, which may be hidden by the crest. The earlobes and wattles are small and may also be completely hidden. Some varieties possess "beards" and thus may also hide the appearance of the wattles. The earlobes are white, the comb and wattles bright red.