Lamona or Bresse. Cold Hardy?

[ChicksinMT]

Hi,
Can anyone who breeds Lamonas or American Bresse attest to whether they are cold hardy? I’m in Montana and am trying to figure which would be better—my husband and I are concerned about the combs of the roosters.

 

[ChicksinMT]

Does anyone actually have either of these breeds? Recreated Lamona? Or Bresse?

 

[annageckos]

I have no experience but if you do a search there are a few people here with bresse and many discussions on them. If you want a cold hardy meat bird you can look into chantecler and buckeye.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

While I don't have any now, I have raised American Bresse. Their big combs are susceptible to frostbite (like pretty much any other large-combed bird), but I'd characterize them as otherwise cold-hardy within reason. They make an excellent meat bird and add very nice size if crossed to other LF breeds.

 

[ChicksinMT]

Thanks—the comb is what we were wondering about. Do they lay okay through the winter? I like the idea of a cross.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

They laid as well as my other breeds through winter, a good-sized cream colored egg. I don't supplement light, so laying (from all the hens) slowed down in winter. I crossed Bresse hens to a FBCM rooster and got progeny that looked very much like Bresse but with a few black feathers - really quite pretty. The roosters were great meat birds and the hens laid a very dark brown egg.

 

[Mosey2003]

If you don't mind knowing that their comb tips are going to frostbite to death and fall off in the winter, big combs are okay. I'd suggest the Buckeyes though.

 

[ChicksinMT]

Thanks for the suggestion on the buckeyes. I’ve read about them and they look like a nice breed. I’m really interested in the Bresse cross mentioned and maybe the recreated Lamona. I’m really intrigued by food freedom’s cross—people around here love dark brown eggs.

 

[ChicksinMT]

Does anyone have experience with the recreated Lamona?

 

[tbird9]

Hi,
Can anyone who breeds Lamonas or American Bresse attest to whether they are cold hardy? I’m in Montana and am trying to figure which would be better—my husband and I are concerned about the combs of the roosters.

This is one of my old men, he has been through three harsh mountain winters, we are zone 5a. So, yeah frostbite the first winter is an issue, but they recover and are not as susceptible in following years. This winter was not so bad for us and you can see the one in the background who was hatched last year still has a nice full comb.