With those temps, you REALLY should go get yourself some of those Naked Neck chicks. I think you'll like them - mine are just run of the mill hatchery ones (from Ideal) and lay really well. I bought some very very good German New Hampshire chicks from a breeder this spring. Supposed to be really big and fast growing. I just did the 8-9 week weights, and compared to my records for the Naked Neck chick rates. It was close, but Naked Necks grew bigger faster. I'm still keeping the GNH and hope to cross them in with the NNs (the GNHs are able to get good growth with the "disadvantage" of having to put protein into feathers, so maybe the cross will be even better, abetted by good selection).
Go for it!!!! Nothing to lose, and they are AWESOME. Also super, super tasty and easier to process...
- Ant Farm
Edit to add: I can't speak for all hatchery NNs. But many are still running large, from what I hear from others... Pick the ones with the most naked of necks if you can (rather than the big muff). They will be NN genotype.