Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Kev]

The only photos I have of them are from their 'younger days' before the girls reached POL...and the boys were butchered. The ears are such a pale blue in these photos that they look more white than blue. If I can get the girls to cooperate I'll try to photograph them sometime over this next week. Right now the high winds are making them hide and freak out over everything.

One interesting thing I noticed about the girls though...for such small birds they actually lay fairly sizable eggs. My Silkie's eggs are only about 1.34 ounces max, but the Bielkies' eggs weighed as much as 1.9 ounces before they went into molt. Now....I'm just waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for them to start earning their keep again.





Edit...and no...I don't think I'm up to another project. Especially now that I've got 8 lovely little Dorking chicks to start working with.

Thanks for the pics! I know what you mean- it is a pain trying to take pictures of black skinned birds & various things like catching the earlobe color..

sure wish I knew more about chicken egg size genetics.

 

[Kev]

I was just going to say the WFBS would be a good choice if someone wanted a white face on a fibro chicken.

do you know of someone who has done this or something similar?

 

[Kev]

This is the tractor coop they are in, interior floor dimensions 6'x10' (last photo is when it was new, I let them enjoy all the grass before the bedding was put down).









- Ant Farm

Oh wow very nice work! wish I was half as good..

are things a little better?

 

[draye]

Was going to try to get pictures today, but had to go to town car troubles and still aren't fixed yet. Time I got home it was raining so no pictures today.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
Yes, they seem to be doing well. I would suspect that they worked it all out after one day of "confinement" but I'm going at least as long as a week. I gave them BOSS in the tractor today - he tidbitted for them properly.

Yeah, this tractor plan is wonderful - I have built four of them. They are great not only for growouts, but also for breeding pens.

- Ant Farm

 

[GabrielBane]

Huh, those are some really, really nice tractors.... I've always feared tractors were a poor choice due to high levels of preds (esp. night preds in Florida seem to be the worst. Coons, Possums, Owls, Bears, Coyotes recently.... And our neighbors dogs are the WORST) but those seem to be so sturdy. Perhaps I'll have to do more research on more heavy duty tractors like y'alls. We're not super handy-men and they don't seem particularly difficult to put together.


Our 5 NNs so far are thriving, right now I'm just keeping all the babies together in a big brooder, in a few days when I go back in to separate little ones out for the move, I'll have to get some pictures. They're SO active and cute. Besides the cream legbar chicks, the NNs by far are the most trusting of the babies I currently have. There's a reddish one that has already stolen my heart. Barely a week old and something about this little one screams cockerel.

Besides that, I'm super bummed I don't have the numbers of NNs I'd have liked to start 2017 with, but it gives me plenty time to think of exactly where I'm going to take my NN projects in the future. (I know I want to get a nice fibro NN line going.... have had several customers ask when that'd be a thing. I just sorta chuckled and shrugged) I'm definitely more interested in developing our "fancy" NN varieties in 2017 for sure. Besides the fibro NN, I know for sure I'd love to try my hand at making some nice Isabels (I had no intention on this.... but our neighbor's 11 year old conned us into purchasing some Isabel Orpingtons after the state fair in February. Can't turn down a 4H'er with an entrepreneurial mind, right?)

 

[Kev]

Yes, they seem to be doing well. I would suspect that they worked it all out after one day of "confinement" but I'm going at least as long as a week. I gave them BOSS in the tractor today - he tidbitted for them properly.

Yeah, this tractor plan is wonderful - I have built four of them. They are great not only for growouts, but also for breeding pens.

- Ant Farm

Mighty fine job at getting yourself into trouble lol....

Glad the new harem is settling.

 

[Kev]

2017 my NN projects I know for sure I'd love to try my hand at making some nice Isabels (I had no intention on this.... but our neighbor's 11 year old conned us into purchasing some Isabel Orpingtons after the state fair in February. Can't turn down a 4H'er with an entrepreneurial mind, right?)

do it do it! and good kid lol

 

[Kassaundra]

Huh, those are some really, really nice tractors.... I've always feared tractors were a poor choice due to high levels of preds (esp. night preds in Florida seem to be the worst. Coons, Possums, Owls, Bears, Coyotes recently.... And our neighbors dogs are the WORST) but those seem to be so sturdy. Perhaps I'll have to do more research on more heavy duty tractors like y'alls. We're not super handy-men and they don't seem particularly difficult to put together.


Our 5 NNs so far are thriving, right now I'm just keeping all the babies together in a big brooder, in a few days when I go back in to separate little ones out for the move, I'll have to get some pictures. They're SO active and cute. Besides the cream legbar chicks, the NNs by far are the most trusting of the babies I currently have. There's a reddish one that has already stolen my heart. Barely a week old and something about this little one screams cockerel.

Besides that, I'm super bummed I don't have the numbers of NNs I'd have liked to start 2017 with, but it gives me plenty time to think of exactly where I'm going to take my NN projects in the future. (I know I want to get a nice fibro NN line going.... have had several customers ask when that'd be a thing. I just sorta chuckled and shrugged) I'm definitely more interested in developing our "fancy" NN varieties in 2017 for sure. Besides the fibro NN, I know for sure I'd love to try my hand at making some nice Isabels (I had no intention on this.... but our neighbor's 11 year old conned us into purchasing some Isabel Orpingtons after the state fair in February. Can't turn down a 4H'er with an entrepreneurial mind, right?)

The chicks that "steal our hearts" are ALWAYS boys, you can take that to the bank!!!!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Huh, those are some really, really nice tractors.... I've always feared tractors were a poor choice due to high levels of preds (esp. night preds in Florida seem to be the worst. Coons, Possums, Owls, Bears, Coyotes recently.... And our neighbors dogs are the WORST) but those seem to be so sturdy. Perhaps I'll have to do more research on more heavy duty tractors like y'alls. We're not super handy-men and they don't seem particularly difficult to put together.

They have been totally predator proof. Do note there is a 2 foot apron of hardware cloth extending from the base at all sides. When I moved one around for a little while (before deciding to park it and use as just a coop), I actually had strips of HW cloth that I moved into position every time I moved the tractor, ensuring no gaps and held down with cinder blocks. When they are parked, it's easier to permanently afix the apron and tack it down. I cannot attest to it standing up to a bear, but properly set up, I'm not worried about anything else you listed.

I purchased and used the Stress Free Tractor Plans - then I modified the plans to my liking adding the roosting platform, and added struts on the side to hang nest boxes. It does call for making lap cuts, but it's not as hard as you'd think and it makes the structure better. I recently added an automatic door to the right of the human door - it fit perfectly in that gap.

Quote: Yeah.... Moderation! I need to learn moderation!!!

The chicks that "steal our hearts" are ALWAYS boys, you can take that to the bank!!!!

That's for sure!!!!

This is Tank as a baby and growing up - he had me from Hello. (Look at those legs/feet!!!)







OK, gotta run - picking up Thanksgiving turkey this am!

- Ant Farm