Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Kev]

Hopefully next spring I can hatch out a few dark skinned NNs. They will be so cute! Now if I could just figure out which eggs will hatch pullets and just hatch those. LOL!

Taste the eggs. The pullet eggs have a cinnamony taste, and the cockerel eggs taste like mint.

 

[Kev]

2 week old pictures:



These are the chicks from my Black Crossbred hen ( 1/2 BJG 1/4 EE 1/4 NN ). Most are a partridge color, except the one chipmunk colored one. There is one that looks partridge and barred at the same time. Is that even possible?

Be back in a bit. Phone is trying to die on me.

Cute chicks. Hope to be setting a batch later this month.


Yep barring is an independent gene, it can go over any other color/pattern. on partridge it will be crele-ish... but probably a lot darker.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Taste the eggs. The pullet eggs have a cinnamony taste, and the cockerel eggs taste like mint.

 

[Kev]

I know it's not really relevant to the conversation but my NN pullet is such a good mama! She's only 6 months old herself so I'm really impressed with her. Sorry but I just had to share that with people that appreciate NNs.

Oh no, count me as one of many loving this pic! So sweet, even if the chick could be "improved on"....

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Question: How early do you try to separate the boys and girls while they're growing up/out? (I need to think through this part for housing...)

- Ant Farm

 

[ochochicas]

I separated mine at 10 - 12 weeks. One of the pullets had a hurt leg and the cockerels were taking advantage of her. I left one submissive cockerel (that I plan to keep to replace his dad) in with the pullets. I free range everyone one together, so the lone cockerel keeps all his bachelor brothers away from the pullets. It seems to be working well so far. The sick pullet is better now and can defend herself if need be.

My cockerels are at the point that they should be processed. They are starting to fight more and two of them want to roost in the trees at night instead of going back in their coop. One more week and it is off to freezer camp for them. I probably should weigh them today to see how big they are.

 

[Kev]

Here, they're separated only if the boys are bothering the girls.

I like to breed for roosters that are not so forceful- courting the hens etc. The ones that just grab the girls whenever they feel like it usually are culled.. unless there was an exceptional something about him for breeding later or is placed with older, in lay hens then he's culled after.

It's so much nicer to see a flock where the hens are either actively following the rooster or they are not worried if he passes by. The breeding usually happens only when the hens squat first. Bothers me to see terrorized hens.

It is true though, that many rough cockerels calm down a lot once they have some maturity in them though..

 

[ochochicas]

Here, they're separated only if the boys are bothering the girls.

I like to breed for roosters that are not so forceful- courting the hens etc. The ones that just grab the girls whenever they feel like it usually are culled.. unless there was an exceptional something about him for breeding later or is placed with older, in lay hens then he's culled after.

It's so much nicer to see a flock where the hens are either actively following the rooster or they are not worried if he passes by. The breeding usually happens only when the hens squat first. Bothers me to see terrorized hens.

I agree, which is why I had to pull some of my cockerels out of their "brooder" pen. One of the boys is so naughty I'm thinking about putting him in the coop with the big, mean hens so they can teach him a lesson.

Unfortunately a handful of my cockerels are part of my Marek's vaccine experiment so I need to keep them until they are 6 months old. At least they are on the small side (they aren't Turkens) so they don't take up that much room.

 

[Sierra987]

Taste the eggs. The pullet eggs have a cinnamony taste, and the cockerel eggs taste like mint.

Now I know the secret!

 

[Sierra987]

Oh no, count me as one of many loving this pic! So sweet, even if the chick could be "improved on"....

The chick should be a pullet (has a Silkie dad and she has black skin) and the hen is one of my very good green egg layers (with light skin and yellow legs). If she lays green eggs, I'll be quite happy with her. The silvery chick has dark skin but not quite as dark as the black one I don't think. Once they mature, I'll know whether the dark skin/lighter skin sexing works on this cross. It should work on the NN when crossed with the Silkie rooster too because they have nice yellow legs and light skin.