Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Pensmaster]

Studies by the broiler industry involving NN introduced into broiler stock seem to say NN birds have more meat yield than their non NN relatives and control outgroups. The difference is more apparent in hot climates- a lot of the studies I came across were for broilers in hot desert areas where there was either high losses or special measures having to be taken for their survival and the study was to check if NN gave any advantage.

The NN continued to eat because they were able to stay cooler(they took internal temperatures) and less stressed than the non NN so they were able to gain more weight.

The difference was not so great in cool/cold-ish set up however if I understood them right, even while the NN did not grow faster/bigger, they still had more meat yield per live weight.  Seemed like the NN gene had a side effect of making more meat on the birds.  Don't hold me to this..  those are not exactly the easiest reads and my eyes get crossed reading them for too long... the stilted language does not help much.

I have to remember all these studies were done with broiler type stock so those NN are not like 'our' NN though..   I see a lot of variation in my birds but it is due to a lot of mixing and separate lines with different selection... it does seem the NN ones are generally heavier feeling than the non NN but that's without being able to give comparable weights on them though.

I definitely see a huge benefit to the NN as the summertimes get to 110-120F, which kills the heavier or meat bred breeds here..  I tested for it by introducing NN into unfortunately proven heat-sensitive breed and there was a big improvement in heat tolerance.

Besides the broiler stock studies, free range NN are very popular table chicken in France along the Bresse.

Thanks Kev, so if I add NN to my project which is aiming rather loosely lately as they are a mixed up bunch, it may add some more heat resistant to them. They already survive our summers here which rarely go over 110*
I'm ok with their size and the meat is very good. Eggs are starting to pick up now with Spring trying to get here and they are about 10 months old. I was hoping they'd do good in winter with egg laying. With their age and trying to get started in the winter it really wouldn't be a fair judge yet I suppose. Does everyone get their start from hatchery birds or is there a good source on BYC for eggs or chicks.

 

[hellbender]

Studies by the broiler industry involving NN introduced into broiler stock seem to say NN birds have more meat yield than their non NN relatives and control outgroups. The difference is more apparent in hot climates- a lot of the studies I came across were for broilers in hot desert areas where there was either high losses or special measures having to be taken for their survival and the study was to check if NN gave any advantage.

The NN continued to eat because they were able to stay cooler(they took internal temperatures) and less stressed than the non NN so they were able to gain more weight.

The difference was not so great in cool/cold-ish set up however if I understood them right, even while the NN did not grow faster/bigger, they still had more meat yield per live weight. Seemed like the NN gene had a side effect of making more meat on the birds. Don't hold me to this.. those are not exactly the easiest reads and my eyes get crossed reading them for too long... the stilted language does not help much.

I have to remember all these studies were done with broiler type stock so those NN are not like 'our' NN though.. I see a lot of variation in my birds but it is due to a lot of mixing and separate lines with different selection... it does seem the NN ones are generally heavier feeling than the non NN but that's without being able to give comparable weights on them though.

I definitely see a huge benefit to the NN as the summertimes get to 110-120F, which kills the heavier or meat bred breeds here.. I tested for it by introducing NN into unfortunately proven heat-sensitive breed and there was a big improvement in heat tolerance.

Besides the broiler stock studies, free range NN are very popular table chicken in France along the Bresse.

We don't get temps. anywhere near that in WV but as if I needed a reason to breed almost everything (except sop stock) with NNs, your stated reasoning alone would carry the day for me.

 

[draye]

Thanks Kev, so if I add NN to my project which is aiming rather loosely lately as they are a mixed up bunch, it may add some more heat resistant to them. They already survive our summers here which rarely go over 110*
I'm ok with their size and the meat is very good. Eggs are starting to pick up now with Spring trying to get here and they are about 10 months old. I was hoping they'd do good in winter with egg laying. With their age and trying to get started in the winter it really wouldn't be a fair judge yet I suppose. Does everyone get their start from hatchery birds or is there a good source on BYC for eggs or chicks.

About half of mine are hatchery stock. The others have all came from auctions. I would say that at least half of those are hatchery stock and the others mixed sources and mix heritage.

I've just recently figured out, suspecting it all along, that my Blue Reds ( Blue Copper) NN's have Marans in their back ground. I got a chick that had feathers on its legs from my September hatch. It's really not that big of a deal, I just cull the feathered legged ones.

 

[hellbender]

About half of mine are hatchery stock. The others have all came from auctions. I would say that at least half of those are hatchery stock and the others mixed sources and mix heritage.

I've just recently figured out, suspecting it all along, that my Blue Reds ( Blue Copper) NN's have Marans in their back ground. I got a chick that had feathers on its legs from my September hatch. It's really not that big of a deal, I just cull the feathered legged ones.

The NN x Marans would seem like a pretty good cross. I can't deal with feathered feet but so long as they only had a bit of feathering down the leg, I could live with that.

By the way, I made note of our message conversation of a few days ago. Will not let my failing memory mess me up...plus I told Ariel about it...her mind is sound and she never forgets a thing...unfortunately.

 

[draye]

The NN x Marans would seem like a pretty good cross.  I can't deal with feathered feet but so long as they only had a bit of feathering down the leg, I could live with that.  

By the way, I made note of our message conversation of a few days ago.  Will not let my failing memory mess me up...plus I told Ariel about it...her mind is sound and she never forgets a thing...unfortunately.  

He didn't have much, but I still culled him as I don't want to deal with leg feathers. Especially in a Naked Neck.

 

[Pensmaster]

The NN x Marans would seem like a pretty good cross.  I can't deal with feathered feet but so long as they only had a bit of feathering down the leg, I could live with that.  

By the way, I made note of our message conversation of a few days ago.  Will not let my failing memory mess me up...plus I told Ariel about it...her mind is sound and she never forgets a thing...unfortunately.  

My mix has among others the Birchen Marans no feather on legs yet. But I've yet to hatch any of his. Still young. Leghorn, Sussex and a few other larger breeds included in him.

 

[DesertChic]

@Kev , guess what, guess what, guess what?!?! I also have Lavender Ameraucanas coming this spring!!!! (Found out they were available and I could add to my order.)

Now I just need to remember what you said about using these in crosses for interesting coloring in my NN...

You are such a chicken addict! LOL!

Did I mention I'm torturing my husband with talks of getting some Dark Cornish and Buff or Partridge Brahmas...and maybe some White Jersey Giants....

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks Kev, so if I add NN to my project which is aiming rather loosely lately as they are a mixed up bunch, it may add some more heat resistant to them. They already survive our summers here which rarely go over 110*
I'm ok with their size and the meat is very good. Eggs are starting to pick up now with Spring trying to get here and they are about 10 months old. I was hoping they'd do good in winter with egg laying. With their age and trying to get started in the winter it really wouldn't be a fair judge yet I suppose. Does everyone get their start from hatchery birds or is there a good source on BYC for eggs or chicks.

I actually got 2/3 of my NN flock from a fairly focused breeder out east who was trying very hard to reach SOP on all of her birds, and then the other 1/3 from a very small breeder that likes crossing pretty much everything with NNs. (NN does make everything better, right?) I noticed a dramatic difference in cockerel temperaments between the two, the the "pure" line having far better personalities and the "hybrid" lines showing more human aggressiveness.

 

[Kev]

Thanks Kev, so if I add NN to my project which is aiming rather loosely lately as they are a mixed up bunch, it may add some more heat resistant to them. They already survive our summers here which rarely go over 110*
I'm ok with their size and the meat is very good. Eggs are starting to pick up now with Spring trying to get here and they are about 10 months old. I was hoping they'd do good in winter with egg laying. With their age and trying to get started in the winter it really wouldn't be a fair judge yet I suppose. Does everyone get their start from hatchery birds or is there a good source on BYC for eggs or chicks.

It sure does add heat resistance.

I would suggest if you have stock that already performs well to your standards, try to keep a 'pure' line of those and keep the ones with introduced blood separate, just in case.

I used to have.. quite a lot of chickens from many different projects and lines. One line was bred for several generations to be bigger, meatier and laying extra large eggs. They were very consistent in all their traits... However when I had to do massive flock reductions, doing away totally with many projects, lines and trying to merge some projects together... I tried to merge new stock into this stable large line.. all the positive traits were immediately lost in the first generation cross.. small birds, tiny eggs.. by then I realized what was happening, all the 'pure' birds from that line had already been gone.. Huge regret, ugh......

 

[Kev]

We don't get temps. anywhere near that in WV but as if I needed a reason to breed almost everything (except sop stock) with NNs, your stated reasoning alone would carry the day for me.

Along the excellent cooking qualities of NN skin...

It does surprise me how well the NN can do in colder areas. Mine handle the winters just fine... however our winters are very mild.....