Crossing my Red Ranger Hens.

[Parront]

The benefit to naked Necks is that they have less feathers all around and easier to process. I imagine less Feathers also means more protein goes towards fleshing out and less towards feathers. I have not done a study or read a study on that 2nd part but it makes sense.

Less feathers alone makes them look like a good meat bird. I love duck, but they are a lot of work to pluck. I like the idea of hatching my own chicks, so to do that I am getting ducks. Maybe even some ugly Muscovies, because they are quiet and good eating. It is difficult to eat cute birds! They are very popular around here.

 

[Molpet]

Well you all make an excellent case for the NN... I would worry about how they tolerate the cold though. Our highs in summer here are mid 80’s to early 90’s, it rarely reaches 100 degrees. We don’t get below Freezing for much of the year but it does happen, usually not lower than 28 degrees

people near me have NN, it gets -20f almost every winter.. last winter it was -24f

 

[Compost King]

The first of the Naked Neck x Red Rangers to be processed. The breast bone is not as long as the Dorking x Rangers, Thigh and drum stick are of decent size, Very easy to process due to less feathers getting in the way. He weighed 5.4 pounds before the dirty deed was done. This was the youngest one I have processed (12 weeks). Previously I was doing it at week 18.

 

[Parront]

View attachment 1824731
The first of the Naked Neck x Red Rangers to be processed. The breast bone is not as long as the Dorking x Rangers, Thigh and drum stick are of decent size, Very easy to process due to less feathers getting in the way. He weighed 5.4 pounds before the dirty deed was done. This was the youngest one I have processed (12 weeks). Previously I was doing it at week 18.

Looks yummy. (Even without the skin)! 12 weeks sounds like a nice age for that size.

 

[Molpet]

View attachment 1824731
The first of the Naked Neck x Red Rangers to be processed. The breast bone is not as long as the Dorking x Rangers, Thigh and drum stick are of decent size, Very easy to process due to less feathers getting in the way. He weighed 5.4 pounds before the dirty deed was done. This was the youngest one I have processed (12 weeks). Previously I was doing it at week 18.

What did he weigh after the deed?

 

[Parront]

What did he weigh after the deed?

I would take a guess of ~ 3.5 pounds? Looks like a good old school bird to me! Except, no skin. That looks like a great success in the breed your own broilers conversation here. Just guessing while waiting for the actual weight!

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 1824731
The first of the Naked Neck x Red Rangers to be processed. The breast bone is not as long as the Dorking x Rangers, Thigh and drum stick are of decent size, Very easy to process due to less feathers getting in the way. He weighed 5.4 pounds before the dirty deed was done. This was the youngest one I have processed (12 weeks). Previously I was doing it at week 18.

So, do you think that you will be sticking with doing more of this cross?

 

[Compost King]

What did he weigh after the deed?

I do not have the equipment to weigh the dressed out bird. I may in the future if someone wants to recommend a decent kitchen scale on Amazon.

So, do you think that you will be sticking with doing more of this cross?

I want to keep the Naked Neck Trait with my crosses but I also want to keep the longer breast bone of the Dorking. Maybe I will end up with some sort of cross between Dorking's and Naked Necks then cross that with a meat bird hen. I definitely want to spread the naked neck gene around because I feel that less feathers is a benefit overall. Less protein goes towards feathers so I assume more goes towards meat and egg production. Another plus was how fast this guy got to 5 pounds. 12 weeks is pretty fast.

 

[Molpet]

I do not have the equipment to weigh the dressed out bird. I may in the future if someone wants to recommend a decent kitchen scale on Amazon.
I want to keep the Naked Neck Trait with my crosses but I also want to keep the longer breast bone of the Dorking. Maybe I will end up with some sort of cross between Dorking's and Naked Necks then cross that with a meat bird hen. I definitely want to spread the naked neck gene around because I feel that less feathers is a benefit overall. Less protein goes towards feathers so I assume more goes towards meat and egg production. Another plus was how fast this guy got to 5 pounds. 12 weeks is pretty fast.

I got a postal scale

 

[Molpet]

Of course the scale I have is no longer available