Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[hellbender]

I've seen NN pullets get real red on the face quicker than the cockerels. I've also seen their combs look redder than the cockerels. That is why if I like the looks of them I usually keep them a while longer before I decide to cull or not.

Yep...I'm never too quick to cull any chicks nor for that matter, make absolute posative breeder decisions before I have a good long look at them. What it costs in a bit of extra feed to let them mature a while longer is usually money (and time) well spent for me.

 

[SizzleQueen]

Kev, you finally came out of the closet!!!!!!!!

@SizzleQueen Your chick is beautiful I love that dark skin!!!!!!! Did you know you had scaleless gene in your flock??? Yes your little one can make it in VA w/ some accomodations. She will likely have to be brooded a little longer in the house. Her hatchmates will accept her fine. You might want to put a couple of feather dusters in your brooder tied together and suspended to act as a "broody mom" for her to snuggle in, it will help keep her a little warmer while she is young and adjusting. She will need clothes during winter a modified wool sweater works best I've found. Onsies modified make great cool spring and fall outfits. She will never be able to roost (or even want to) but if you have silkies you are used to that, the bunnies have been amazing for my Rudy but since you have silkies I bet that will work fine for "electric blankets" for her in the winter.

Oh and keep her w/ her hatchmates, don't send them out and keep her longer in the house, she does not have the ability to "reintergrate" into the flock, she would be seriously hurt or killed trying to. Their balance isn't great and they have no protection if the others pick a fight.

Rudy did awesome with his mates and then when I introduced the whole group in w/ the adults all was great they didn't harm him at all, it wasn't until our head roo figured out he was male that I had a problem and had to separate to save Rudy's life.

Thank you she/he is very loved by everyone so far. Momma hens (I have two silky hens that are sisters who decided to sit the eggs in the same nest box..Oh, and the one sister didn't become a "broody" till 3 days before the chicks were born and you'd swear she'd claim she did all the work LMBO!) But they make sure she/he is under then at all times. I am thinking in a few more days im going to take the chicks and bring the inside. I hate doing that cause the mom's worked so hard.. but the snakes are out and sometimes they are able to slip inside the coop.

 

[ochochicas]

Quote:
Thanks! I hope so...I wanted a couple of turkens from my legbar hens, so I hope at least one is a pullet.

 

[Kassaundra]

Thank you she/he is very loved by everyone so far. Momma hens (I have two silky hens that are sisters who decided to sit the eggs in the same nest box..Oh, and the one sister didn't become a "broody" till 3 days before the chicks were born and you'd swear she'd claim she did all the work LMBO!) But they make sure she/he is under then at all times. I am thinking in a few more days im going to take the chicks and bring the inside. I hate doing that cause the mom's worked so hard.. but the snakes are out and sometimes they are able to slip inside the coop.

I had to bring my newest naked chick inside too. It has been a cold wet spring and he just couldn't keep warm enough after the first few days when mom would take the "kids" out to look for food. The feathered siblings were fine but he kept trying to get back under mom and was sent sailing several times by her kicking dirt. He wouldn't eat b/c he was so concerned w/ getting warm. He has thrived inside now though, I did go get him a friend.

 

[DesertChic]

What is the cockerel to puller ratio?

Too high. I know when they're young it's not much of a problem, but now that they're reaching puberty I need to start culling. Out of 11 NNs, five of them are cockerels. I'm planning to keep two of them for breeding purposes to add a bit of diversity to the group since they came from different strains from different parts of the country. My main problem has been finding the time to do everything. My husband and I have a thriving business to run, plus I commute about 800 miles per week to take our son to an from school (it's a REALLY good school), and I'm trying to set up the inside of my new barn/cabin to create separate enclosures for the various breeds, but I only have so much time and energy to do things. Culling the boys has fallen to the back burner...and now I'm seeing the consequences of that decision.

You were right, though. I kept her separated in a pet crate last night to heal a bit and she looked well-scabbed-over this morning and was eager to rejoin the flock. Everyone has been behaving today...so far. I plan to work like a maniac this week to complete my construction tasks so I can separate the boys and prep them for processing.

 

[DesertChic]

In March I hatched out 13 turkens. I sold two that looked like pullets and gave away 3 I knew were cockerels. That leaves me with 8. I swear every one of them has a red face and is growing a big comb. They will be a month old tomorrow. It is still early but I'm starting to freak out! LOL

Do turken pullets ever have a red neck at one month old?

A couple of my pullets had VERY red faces and necks at that age and kept me guessing for quite a while. Luckily they all did, in fact, turn out to be girls.

 

[1TurkenLover]

A sexing Trick I've picked up, when new Arrivals, feeling safe in Quarantine! 30/30, I make sure they can hear the Roosters Crow. Only the Boys respond & start trying to crow.

 

[Kev]

Thanks! I hope so...I wanted a couple of turkens from my legbar hens, so I hope at least one is a pullet.

That will be sex linked if the rooster was not barred.

 

[Kev]

It almost always LOOKS worse than it really is. Generally, the pullet's necks will scab over and likely not even show any scaring.

Yes I can verify this. It seems bird skin has amazing regeneration abilities.

Also, their skins get thicker as they get older.. less prone to damage.

Sometimes the damage is actually from another rooster trying to throw the mating roo off the hen, injuring the hen by accident. But a few stupid roosters attack the *hen* instead of the rooster right on top of her(I cull those if they do this more than a few times).

 

[Kev]

Hairless chickens. I don't understand?

Here is my blue, now I am wondering if it is a boy. Was thinking for sure that it was a girl.

Oh looks like not an easy one to tell.. is it pea combed?