Are there any breeds like this?

[Doc McCluckins]

Standard or bantam cochins might suit your needs. In my experience they often go broody and don't lay frequently. About 3 eggs a week is normal for them. I'm not in a cold climate but I would think they are cold hardy based on their body shape and comb size. Plus they are soooo pretty to look at. We have a cochin we accidently bought at a swap and she is one of the farm favorites. My daughter named her Mildred. To my knowledge she has never laid an egg lol.

@lazy gardener what's the disadvantage to feather legs out of curiosity?

 

[lazy gardener]

1. I don't like them!

2. Even though I have no experience with them, I envision them being mud and muck magnets. That mud and muck will get dragged into the nest boxes. I'm in snow country, and we often get our first snow in October, last snow late April, with a lot of snow and ice in between. I imagine those feathers would also collect snow and ice. I had a Terrier mix once. When she went out in the snow, she'd come in with huge snow balls hanging off her belly and legs, ice balls between her toes. I imagine the same thing would happen with a feather footed chicken.

3. I've read enough threads to hear folks complaining about feathered feet tracking muck into the nest boxes to confirm my suspicion in that department. Also the occasional report of bleeding feet due to broken feather shafts.

4. It's a dominant trait... so, even if I had a "trial" feather footed bird in my flock, just to lay all of my prejudice to rest, (See #1) those feather feet would haunt me for at least 1 if not several generations.

 

[lazy gardener]

I just read on an other thread that quail eggs are supposed to be non allergenic.

 

[Doc McCluckins]

1. I don't like them!

2. Even though I have no experience with them, I envision them being mud and muck magnets. That mud and muck will get dragged into the nest boxes. I'm in snow country, and we often get our first snow in October, last snow late April, with a lot of snow and ice in between. I imagine those feathers would also collect snow and ice. I had a Terrier mix once. When she went out in the snow, she'd come in with huge snow balls hanging off her belly and legs, ice balls between her toes. I imagine the same thing would happen with a feather footed chicken.

3. I've read enough threads to hear folks complaining about feathered feet tracking muck into the nest boxes to confirm my suspicion in that department. Also the occasional report of bleeding feet due to broken feather shafts.

4. It's a dominant trait... so, even if I had a "trial" feather footed bird in my flock, just to lay all of my prejudice to rest, (See #1) those feather feet would haunt me for at least 1 if not several generations.

I understand your concern. I love all thing feather footed. I raise and show Belgian Bearderd d'Uccles and have had cochins in the past. Feather footed breeds are my favorite. It hardly snows here in SE US and when it we go buy bread and milk and pray we survive lol (all the stereotypes you hear about southerners when it snows are true lol)

We also have miniature schnauzers which I can imagine would be an equally annoying in the snow lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks, I do hope you won't hold my prejudice against me!

BTW, your Schnauzers or D'Uccles would totally disappear if they were plopped down in a fresh snow fall here. Some winters, we don't even get cleared up from the previous storm (up to 2' at a time) before the next load gets dumped on us.

 

[sylviethecochin]

1. I don't like them!

2. Even though I have no experience with them, I envision them being mud and muck magnets. That mud and muck will get dragged into the nest boxes. I'm in snow country, and we often get our first snow in October, last snow late April, with a lot of snow and ice in between. I imagine those feathers would also collect snow and ice. I had a Terrier mix once. When she went out in the snow, she'd come in with huge snow balls hanging off her belly and legs, ice balls between her toes. I imagine the same thing would happen with a feather footed chicken.

3. I've read enough threads to hear folks complaining about feathered feet tracking muck into the nest boxes to confirm my suspicion in that department. Also the occasional report of bleeding feet due to broken feather shafts.

4. It's a dominant trait... so, even if I had a "trial" feather footed bird in my flock, just to lay all of my prejudice to rest, (See #1) those feather feet would haunt me for at least 1 if not several generations.

Yes, but they're such sweet birds, and such careful mamas...

I dislike feathered feet as well, and I admit that I look at silkies and think "euuch" but I think the temperament of a cochin more than makes up for any other flaw the breed might have.

It might be because mine are hatchery quality with hatchery-quality foot feathering, but I've had no real problems with mud or ice, despite typical PA weather. Of course, mine prefer to hang out around and in the barn in winter, so that might be a situational thing...

 

[Doc McCluckins]

Thanks, I do hope you won't hold my prejudice against me!

BTW, your Schnauzers or D'Uccles would totally disappear if they were plopped down in a fresh snow fall here. Some winters, we don't even get cleared up from the previous storm (up to 2' at a time) before the next load gets dumped on us.

I myself could not survive in such a climate. I complain about our winters here and its a rare thing for us to get 3", apocalyptic even lol. I won't hold that against you. You are tougher than me for sure!

 

[sylviethecochin]

OP, have you thought about getting a rooster of one breed and hens of another? The chicks would be better for meat if you got a meat rooster (like a freedom ranger, for instance.)

Fully seconded on the ducks. Muscovy meat is supposed to taste like a cross between beef and ham, and they're very broody. I also like Blue Swedish.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes, but they're such sweet birds, and such careful mamas...

I dislike feathered feet as well, and I admit that I look at silkies and think "euuch" but I think the temperament of a cochin more than makes up for any other flaw the breed might have.

Yes, but Doms are such sweet birds, and such careful mamas... I think the temperament of a Dominique more than makes up for any other flaw the breed might have.

OP, have you thought about getting a rooster of one breed and hens of another? The chicks would be better for meat if you got a meat rooster (like a freedom ranger, for instance.)

Good thought that. Except for this. Those meat boys are massive. I pity the poor hen who has a FR or a Dixie Rainbow roo treading her! She'd be a pancake. I did hold over a DR (aka Pioneer) pullet and she was a wonderful layer. Her genes are still in my flock.

 

[Kusanar]

2. Even though I have no experience with them, I envision them being mud and muck magnets. That mud and muck will get dragged into the nest boxes. I'm in snow country, and we often get our first snow in October, last snow late April, with a lot of snow and ice in between. I imagine those feathers would also collect snow and ice. I had a Terrier mix once. When she went out in the snow, she'd come in with huge snow balls hanging off her belly and legs, ice balls between her toes. I imagine the same thing would happen with a feather footed chicken.

My parents actually had a spaniel type dog when I was a kid, she went out to pee one day in the snow and her "pantaloons" actually froze down and dad had to go get her and carry her in to thaw out... I would imagine chickens could easily do the same...