BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[ejcrist]

I don't get it. If one is going to chop off the head anyway, what does it matter if the chicken has a naked neck? Does it just make it easier to find the right place to chop?
Best,
Karen

Let me 'splain it to you from my perspective. We never chop the head off but rather slit the jugular on both sides. This way the heart continues to pump blood out of the body and they fall asleep in 20-30 seconds or so. When we BBQ them they don't have even the slightest gamey taste I'm assuming because of lack of blood. When you chop their head off there'll be some blood but a lot remains in the carcass and you'll get the gamey taste in some cases. That's how we do it anyway - no right or wrong way just whatever works for you. So in my case when I'm applying the knife to the jugular I'll come in from below the ear facing upward (between feathers/against the grain) so as not to cut into feathers which would get in the way, slow the process, and dull the knife. With Naked Necks none of this would be an issue since there's no feathers there - you could just go straight in with no mistakes.

 

[DesertChic]

I have a question for the naked neck fans........ are your birds the true breed naked necks, or are they crosses with the naked neck gene? I seem to remember reading that the gene confers more breast meat and less fat, and difficulty hatching, but I can't find the reference for the breast meat/fat. Apparently there's a 10% drop in hatchability for pure naked neck chickens ( from my book by van Dort).
I'm wondering if the breed Naked neck has any better eating qualities than cross selected for meat? If I lived in a hot climate, you have certainly convinced me that naked necks are the way to go. I look at the recent photos and I see while most of the feathered chickens panting in the heat, the naked necks are not.

@DesertChic I think you are on to something very good, LInda's chickens crossed with your Naked necks. Ditto @Beer can .

I actually have both. I'm maintaining a line of pure NN to use as my base stock. I'd ultimately like to have a few birds that are as close to SOP as possible to perhaps show in the local poultry show to improve breed recognition. I've got one all black pullet and one buff pullet that are looking rather promising. My other NNs are crosses for the purpose of hybrid vigor, improved meatiness, and fun. I love all the variability you can get in their feathering.

 

[DesertChic]

I don't get it. If one is going to chop off the head anyway, what does it matter if the chicken has a naked neck? Does it just make it easier to find the right place to chop?
Best,
Karen

As already stated, they have 50% fewer feathers, which make plucking much easier as well as, in my opinion, making it easier to see body shape and musculature. They are amazingly healthy birds, have excellent temperaments and personalities, provide an abundance of large to jumbo sized eggs, have nice meaty carcasses, and are the only bird I've managed to get really crispy skin on. They're also pretty easy on the feed bill. While most of my other breeds run to the feed dish straight away, my NNs run out to scratch around the yard first and then come back to the feed dish.

I know many dislike them because of their appearance, but once you adjust you really do see their beauty. My husband calls them "feathered dinosaurs". And in this environment they really are an ideal bird.

 

[Beer can]

The feathers they do have cover up other big bald areas. I don't think they have more then a handful of feathers if you don't count the wings, which are bald underneath.
Neck and breast

Leg

Vent

Their actually balder than what I could take pics of trying to hold my phone and a not too happy bird Lol :-D
Probably more noticeable on a full grown one, mine are still young.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I have a question for the naked neck fans........ are your birds the true breed naked necks, or are they crosses with the naked neck gene? I seem to remember reading that the gene confers more breast meat and less fat, and difficulty hatching, but I can't find the reference for the breast meat/fat. Apparently there's a 10% drop in hatchability for pure naked neck chickens ( from my book by van Dort).
I'm wondering if the breed Naked neck has any better eating qualities than cross selected for meat? If I lived in a hot climate, you have certainly convinced me that naked necks are the way to go. I look at the recent photos and I see while most of the feathered chickens panting in the heat, the naked necks are not.

@DesertChic I think you are on to something very good, LInda's chickens crossed with your Naked necks. Ditto @Beer can .

It has seems to me that there are few folks (including those who are quite serious about NNs) who talk about SOP, Yes, there are some, but compared to other breeds, it's just not something many people focus on quite as much - usually because (1) many want the utility, and (2) the Na gene in any bird gives you a "naked neck" bird (with many of the utility traits). Also, I don't get the impression that it's easy to get what you could rely on as "pure" Naked Necks (someone correct me if I'm wrong...) I am delighted with my NNs that I got from Ideal, but my biggest boy (Snape) has a rose comb. That had to come from somewhere else. He's my biggest at 9 lbs, and I kept him as main flock rooster. (Good temperament) I'm with DesertChic - I'm probably going to end up putting a naked neck on everything...

Of course, I could have that impression because of the circles I run in...

I think hellbender was working on white NNs conforming to SOP, but I think he ran into some snags (I may be mis-remembering - @Turk Raphael ?)

It's hard to see but they actually have half the feathers of regular chickens, and smooth where they are naked. I'll post some pics in a few.

This from wikipedia;
"They lay a respectable number of light brown eggs, and are considered desirable for meat production because they need less plucking and they have a meaty body. They are very good foragers and are immune to most diseases. The breed is also reasonably cold hardy despite its lack of feathers. This breed has approximately half the feathers of other chickens, making it resistant to hot weather and easier to pluck. Scientific studies have indicated that the naked-neck gene (Na) improves breast size and reduces heat stress in chickens of non-broiler breeds which are homozygous for the trait. Additionally, in tropical climates if the naked-neck trait (Na) is bred into broiler strains it has been shown to facilitate lower body temperature, increased body weight gain, better feed conversion ratios and carcass traits compared to normally feathered broilers.

What he said.

Quote: I have found this to be the case - I get a cleaner kill with one cut to the neck because the blade doesn't get caught up on the feathers (I try to part them, but it happens anyway with feathered necks).

The feathers they do have cover up other big bald areas. I don't think they have more then a handful of feathers if you don't count the wings, which are bald underneath.
Neck and breast


Leg

Vent

Their actually balder than what I could take pics of trying to hold my phone and a not too happy bird Lol :-D
Probably more noticeable on a full grown one, mine are still young.

Yup - and see how that bare skin has no follicles? That's why it cooks up differently...

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

OK, so I've been watching the four boys. I am really not convinced there is a lot of bullying going on. Actually all four of them (including Chunky Monkey) sit inside on the roost a lot of the time. They seem to just prefer being inside the coop a lot of the time - and Chunky Monkey seems to like stretching his legs more frequently, but goes back inside.

When I culled last weekend, I pulled the birds off the roost one at a time in the dark (4am) as gently as possible (but naturally there was conplaining at first when they were startled). Don't laugh, but I just have to ask - is it possible for remaining birds to be thrown off by that behaviorally (hopefully temporarily) by having so many of their flock mates disappear? They just aren't spending time walking around outside any more...

- Ant Farm

 

[DesertChic]

OK, so I've been watching the four boys. I am really not convinced there is a lot of bullying going on. Actually all four of them (including Chunky Monkey) sit inside on the roost a lot of the time. They seem to just prefer being inside the coop a lot of the time - and Chunky Monkey seems to like stretching his legs more frequently, but goes back inside.

When I culled last weekend, I pulled the birds off the roost one at a time in the dark (4am) as gently as possible (but naturally there was conplaining at first when they were startled). Don't laugh, but I just have to ask - is it possible for remaining birds to be thrown off by that behaviorally (hopefully temporarily) by having so many of their flock mates disappear? They just aren't spending time walking around outside any more...

- Ant Farm

I've been systematically culling my extra cockerels, 1-3 each weekend, and yes, the remaining boys definitely behave differently every time one or their flock mates disappears. At first it was just a "liberation" of those who were being bullied and were now able to relax, but over time I've noticed an increased wariness if I walk into that pen without a food dish in my hand. Even my once friendly cockerels now move to the back of the run and watch me closely.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
Yeah, I'm kind of getting that vibe from them (though I was never cuddly with them even before). And in this case, there were 13 and then suddenly there were only 4... Weight day is tomorrow. We'll see...

- Ant Farm

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

What's the least stressful/ most humane way to catch a chicken, that does not hurt it (other than off the roost at night)? A fishing net, or one of those leg hook things? Or is there a better way?

 

[Kev]

was looking for a NN carcass. happened to come across this thread- says the NN was from s&g, had best taste out of several breeds.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/729448/capons