Cochin hen: Yay or Nay? Update: She's heeeeere! (see last post)

Friends have offered me a Cochin from their flock. Other hens pick on this girl.
I’ve always thought feathered legs could be a problem.
Am I right to worry?

I had two. Really sweet hens. They do lay small eggs and they were both broody, but they were really comical in the barnyard! I never had any issues with the feathers NE Conneticut

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I do love the Feathered Basketball appearance :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I have several hens with feathered legs, and now a silkie roo, and I’ve never had an issue.

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Not even in snow?
I had a Houdan hen whose topknot froze when she drank in Winter.
I had to trim the feathersickles so she could see.
I’m picturing doing the same for frozen snowpants :grimacing:

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We don’t get a ton of snow here!

:face_with_raised_eyebrow: We do, but as I’ve stopped freeranging, the fenced yard is the alternative to staying in the coop.
Current flock does not spend much time in the snow.

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Mine hate the snow so on the rare occasion we get some, they stay under cover lol.

My Brahma hen has no issues with frozen feet feathers because no one goes out in the snow! Muddy feathers are a bigger issue.

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Sigh… Mud could be an issue here.
Can feathers be clipped short to keep them (relatively) clean?

i have a Cochin cross rooster with abundant Chicken Pants. He’s going on 7 yrs and have had zero issues with mud or snow. Central Iowa, i.e., he’s seen plenty of snow and mud conditions.

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CHICKEN PANTS :rofl::joy:
Thanks for the info.

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She would probably do fine, especially if she’s a hatchery Cochin and not from a show breeder. If absolutely necessary you probably could trim her leg feathers off too.

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Thanks :blush:
Looks like I’m getting a round, black hen :grin:

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I had a cochin roo with a serious case of little man syndrome…more than once a feathered soccer ball flying across the yard, and would come running back for more! :joy:

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Meet Coach (that’s how they spelled it :woman_shrugging:)
Poor girl was spending all day hiding under nest boxes. Unless “Dad” was there to protect her.
She settled right in, PT - the rooster - danced for her, the other 3 made introductions & Barb(for Barred Rock Bitch :smirk:) gave her a single peck.
Oddest thing: my Wyandotte & Barb got all fighty with each other briefly.
But now, Peace reigns in the yard.
Coach was given the Prized Dustbath Spot & all seem happy.
With her new flock:

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If you’re still needing some more and ever swing through here I have a couple March 9th Leghorn pullets I won’t be needing. I had to order 5 but only want 3. Just sayin.

:smiling_face_with_three_hearts: Thanks!
I also made a connection through another Driving Club friend.
Probably also Leghorns & possibly a colored egglayers.

Coach was on the roost this morning.
No one beat her up when they adjourned to the yard, but not mingling freely… Yet.
She didn’t know what to make of the “breakfast” I serve: oatmeal w/plain yogurt, or the sunflower seed treats the others LOFF
She came with a generous Ziploc bag of mealworms. A treat I pass up due to price$$.
She shared some of those, so maybe they’ll be the icebreaker & welcome to the sorority :smirk:

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Look what Coach gave me today :grin:
I know it’s hers because the Barred Rock lays bigger & darker, Wyandotte lays speckled & Easter Egger: blue

She’s roosting with the others, hanging out in the yard (with dork rooster as her bodyguard :smirk:) not quite totally accepted, but soon…
Tonight when I closed the coop for the night she was still in the yard, but when I told her “coop!” she ran right in. Smart girl :grin:

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