Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Fire Ant Farm]

Well, the whole Pick-No-More/Blu-Kote conversation turned out to be particularly relevant for me. Came home this afternoon, let the little ones out of the tractor, and found this on Sweetie's neck (she had another smaller gash on the other side of her neck the day before that I thought was just an accident, but this was deeper and more serious, regardless of whether it started as a pecking injury):


I had both Blu-Kote and Pick-No-More on hand, so I put her down and was about to go get it, and within a minute of putting her down saw one of the obnoxious little New Hampshire cockerels go after her (and had her running). So I switched gears, and within 10 minutes, had all the little jerks separated out. They all have names now too, but I can't share them without getting in trouble for using profanity on BYC...



So, then I went to go get Vetericyn and Blu-Kote to treat the wound (turns out I had bought some Blu-Kote, so I thought I'd try it this time). I cleaned the wound with Vetericyn spray, pulled the feather fuzz out of it, then put on Blu-Kote - that applicator is a big mess! So I sort of overdid it and her whole lower neck and shoulder was purple. Put her down, and I noted two Naked Necks (a cockerel and a pullet) that had NOT been bothering her before start to peck curiously at it, like "it's purple - how interesting". So I immediately went and got the Pick-No-More and slathered that on top. That worked. I know it's an "n" of one, but she preened a bit at the feathers that got purple stuff on them after both applications, and it was pretty clear that the Pick-No-More tasted much, much worse to her (poor baby). I also think Neo pecked a little at her (she's near bottom of the pecking order, but he may be turning out to be a bit of a jerk as well) - he was rubbing his beak on the ground like "Yuk!"



I am hoping to be able to have her heal in the flock, rather than remove her and then have to reintegrate her (and risk more injury...)

(I spent most of the rest of the time before dark getting the food, water, and tarp set up for the New Hampshires - I'll have to figure out something else eventually, though...)

Sooooo..... I'm preferring the Pick-No-More.

- Ant Farm

 

[hellbender]

Well, the whole Pick-No-More/Blu-Kote conversation turned out to be particularly relevant for me. Came home this afternoon, let the little ones out of the tractor, and found this on Sweetie's neck (she had another smaller gash on the other side of her neck the day before that I thought was just an accident, but this was deeper and more serious, regardless of whether it started as a pecking injury):


I had both Blu-Kote and Pick-No-More on hand, so I put her down and was about to go get it, and within a minute of putting her down saw one of the obnoxious little New Hampshire cockerels go after her (and had her running). So I switched gears, and within 10 minutes, had all the little jerks separated out. They all have names now too, but I can't share them without getting in trouble for using profanity on BYC...



So, then I went to go get Vetericyn and Blu-Kote to treat the wound (turns out I had bought some Blu-Kote, so I thought I'd try it this time). I cleaned the wound with Vetericyn spray, pulled the feather fuzz out of it, then put on Blu-Kote - that applicator is a big mess! So I sort of overdid it and her whole lower neck and shoulder was purple. Put her down, and I noted two Naked Necks (a cockerel and a pullet) that had NOT been bothering her before start to peck curiously at it, like "it's purple - how interesting". So I immediately went and got the Pick-No-More and slathered that on top. That worked. I know it's an "n" of one, but she preened a bit at the feathers that got purple stuff on them after both applications, and it was pretty clear that the Pick-No-More tasted much, much worse to her (poor baby). I also think Neo pecked a little at her (she's near bottom of the pecking order, but he may be turning out to be a bit of a jerk as well) - he was rubbing his beak on the ground like "Yuk!"



I am hoping to be able to have her heal in the flock, rather than remove her and then have to reintegrate her (and risk more injury...)

(I spent most of the rest of the time before dark getting the food, water, and tarp set up for the New Hampshires - I'll have to figure out something else eventually, though...)

Sooooo..... I'm preferring the Pick-No-More.

- Ant Farm

It's ugly but these birds heal so quickly. I'd get rid of some NHs...quick. One more thing...most 'tractors' seem really too small for the number of birds they hold. Perhaps things will smooth out when you get them into their larger quarters. Hopefully.

EDIT: Please don't scream...You could de-beak the criminals. Its not all that hard to do with a good dog nail trimmer.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

It's ugly but these birds heal so quickly. I'd get rid of some NHs...quick. One more thing...most 'tractors' seem really too small for the number of birds they hold. Perhaps things will smooth out when you get them into their larger quarters. Hopefully.

Yeah, with their growth they've been a little bit cramped for about a week or two now, I know - I'm behind on getting their coop built. They're almost 10 weeks old now. I started letting them roam as much time outside the tractor as possible (when I'm there to watch for hawks - we've had a few attempts) to hopefully decompress the situation a little. I was going to pull the NHs out very soon anyway, as they were starting to try to crow and mounting the lone normal NH pullet, this just cinched it. So now in the tractor (6x10) there are 7 NN cockerels, 6 NN pullets, 1 normal little NH pullet (who seems SOOOOO relieved that the NH boys are gone), and 1 neurologically/genetically defective NH pullet (who is an amazingly tough little thing that doesn't put up with any guff from anyone - she's just so tough that I haven't been able to bear culling her just yet because she clearly loves being part of the flock and she's small - I don't mind feeding her and it's not like I'd get a big meal).

Four sq ft per bird with roaming time part of the day - a bit tight, not ideal, but at least decompressed some now the NH boys have moved (previously 3 sq. ft per bird). I hope they can make it another week or two until the coop is done. If not, I'll need to rig something else up and split the cockerels from pullets, but not sure that would happen any earlier than the coop completion. I'm watching them closely for any injuries in the meanwhile (which is how I caught this) - I sit and just watch them all for a little while every day to make sure they're all ok.

Argh!!! Chicken housing!!!!

- Ant Farm

 

[Nava]

Go for it! They might do quite nicely for you and as far as their relationship goes, it should present no problem...After all, you are in Arkansas.  That state has the same rep. as does West Virginia (and most southern states) for keeping things [COLOR=0000FF]in the family.  [/COLOR]

Ohh my Please stop. I think i pee my self

 

[Kev]

Sorry that happened but that was a great summary!

As soon as I saw the picture my first thought was clusmy cockerel attempt at breeding. That does happen sometimes but fortunately they have amazing healing ability.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Sorry that happened but that was a great summary!

As soon as I saw the picture my first thought was clusmy cockerel attempt at breeding. That does happen sometimes but fortunately they have amazing healing ability.

Oh, I hadn't thought about that, but that would make sense - the NHs were trying to mount the girls and overall being a giant pain. Location of this wound (as well as the other one) might go with that... Somehow that makes me feel a little better than pecking, and it is a slash more than a "hole" you might expect from a peck. (Still had to cover it up so no one would get the wrong idea and go after the wound while it was healing.)

Regardless, the NN boys don't seem to be anywhere near that sort of behavior yet (esp. compared to the NHs). When do y'all's NN cockerels start maturing that way (crowing, bugging pullets)?

- Ant Farm

 

[chickengr]

my NN lady does not like mating. I watched them yesterday, poor cockerel kept trying and did it once only. what are the chances that her eggs are fertile? one of my hens is getting broody and as I will keep the NN cockerel till christmas only I would like to hatch some NNs. Only 2 pullets lay so I don't have a lot of choice.

 

[leliadax]

Latest baby, had 2 more hatch after this one.

Very first one, its 4 weeks old now. It may just be me but naked necks seem a bit harder to hatch, could be I worry over them more. I have 6 in incubator now day 9 and about to load 6 more. I just started with naked necks and I love them. You guys have some beautiful birds. I want a dark skinned one too.

 

[Phill98]

This hen:

What color would produce a rooster colored like this one with black hen? Maybe birchen?

 

[hellbender]

Yeah, with their growth they've been a little bit cramped for about a week or two now, I know - I'm behind on getting their coop built. They're almost 10 weeks old now. I started letting them roam as much time outside the tractor as possible (when I'm there to watch for hawks - we've had a few attempts) to hopefully decompress the situation a little. I was going to pull the NHs out very soon anyway, as they were starting to try to crow and mounting the lone normal NH pullet, this just cinched it. So now in the tractor (6x10) there are 7 NN cockerels, 6 NN pullets, 1 normal little NH pullet (who seems SOOOOO relieved that the NH boys are gone), and 1 neurologically/genetically defective NH pullet (who is an amazingly tough little thing that doesn't put up with any guff from anyone - she's just so tough that I haven't been able to bear culling her just yet because she clearly loves being part of the flock and she's small - I don't mind feeding her and it's not like I'd get a big meal).

Four sq ft per bird with roaming time part of the day - a bit tight, not ideal, but at least decompressed some now the NH boys have moved (previously 3 sq. ft per bird). I hope they can make it another week or two until the coop is done. If not, I'll need to rig something else up and split the cockerels from pullets, but not sure that would happen any earlier than the coop completion. I'm watching them closely for any injuries in the meanwhile (which is how I caught this) - I sit and just watch them all for a little while every day to make sure they're all ok.

Argh!!! Chicken housing!!!!

- Ant Farm

As old as I am and as long as I've had chickens, I find watching chicks and even adult birds to be more entertaining than anything ever made for tv. I still get excited with every hatch.