Are feathered feet breeds harder or more maintenance than clean legged breeds?

[thatchickenmama]

We’re in zone 7, in Tennessee. Our winters mostly average 15-20 degrees F, but we did have a week or a little over that where it was -4 F last year, during the big storm. We have a covered run on a hillside and are able to do deep litter in their coop. We get some humid and rainy times. I’ve considered adding Brahmas to our flock, as we live in a neighborhood and are looking for friendly, quiet, easy to sex and care for breeds. Are they difficult to clean or take care of, especially in cold weather? All our other girls have clean legs, and do fine in their run and coop in the winter. They tend to not like snow and hop around it, but otherwise are fine.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I live in Central Texas, hot summers and sometimes extremely cold winters. My head hen is a light brahma, she's a little over 3 years old and she is no more difficult to take care of than any of my other birds. She takes care of her feathered feet just fine

 

[rosemarythyme]

Foot feathers will get muddy much more easily so as long as you're on top of any mud or mud+freezing issues you should be ok.

I haven't found my feather footed birds to be any different care wise than the others, but we don't get quite as cold (12F has been coldest so far).

 

[alpacasandchicks78]

We have both feather legged and clean legged birds. I agree with above posts. Stay ahead of any mud or water freezing on their feathers and they should be okay. My head hen is a brahma and she's done well here weather wise even with it recently being weird. I'm in Michigan.

 

[3KillerBs]

Brahmas are lovely birds. I'm a great fan of feathered feet, which are no problem in a dry, well-drained area. They clean their own feet just like they clean their other feathers.

I have *heard* of them having issues in sticky clay mud and in certain sticky wet snow conditions if they get balls of dried mud stuck/ice balls stuck to the feathers, but have not had any issues with any of my feather-footed breeds in my location on well-drained, sandy soil in a mild-winter area.