Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Pensmaster]

[COLOR=0000FF]

[COLOR=0000FF]I had considered using the Hogan method to determine production but I've honestly got so many girls giving me eggs all year round that I haven't really worried about it. I'm pretty good at knowing which hen laid which egg simply because I've spent so much time tracking egg production, so daily egg counts combined with examination of beak and leg coloring frequently tells me all I need to know. For meat I simply weigh and handle my birds on a regular basis and chart their growth progress from hatch until roughly 24 weeks. I'm slowly learning to recognize which traits are indicative of better meat production that way.[/COLOR]

Sweet. I haven't had enough eggs in the winter though. I may start weighing more often. Usually when butchering a group out I've already picked the keepers only by size and shape. I think my problem with eggs was my starting Orpington's being bred for show not eggs. I'm too far into project to let loose and start something new as I think or hope they are getting better. The reason I got the Orpington's was for winter eggs. Not so much. I've also hatched some Altsteirer for NYHal and was hoping they would do well.

As for the naked necks my feed store will be getting NN from MM at Easter. They also have Dark Cornish there as well. Is there any need/advantage to crossing them.

They will be the same age as my project birds. I was thinking of raising them together however they will have been been given shot for Mareks and mine will not. Problems with mixing the two hatches?

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
Holy moly - 16 pounds??!!!! That's REALLY big! Snape was almost 8 pounds at about 24 weeks, but I haven't weighed him in a while...

Quote: Because of the need to accurately weigh Dumbledore after his injury (and have that future possibility for other sick chickens, for weight based dosing), I broke down and ordered a pet scale. It was the one they used at the vet where I took Dumbledore. Not that I've weighed everyone in a while - I've been trying to get all the growout pens built and am sort of losing my mind doing it...

- Ant Farm

 

[Pensmaster]

Because of the need to accurately weigh Dumbledore after his injury (and have that future possibility for other sick chickens, for weight based dosing), I broke down and ordered a pet scale. It was the one they used at the vet where I took Dumbledore. Not that I've weighed everyone in a while - I've been trying to get all the growout pens built and am sort of losing my mind doing it... 

- Ant Farm 

I'm going to need to build another grow out pen also. Have most parts but the time factor has my mind spinning as well. Need to do this but have to do that is a regular balancing act here. Once it becomes a have to do that I'll be frantically working on it.

 

[nchvac]

Does anyone know if the dark NN from Murray McMurray have Australorp in the breeding? My rooster has that Green shean in his black feathers but also has the red saddle feathers- I originally thought he may have some Indian Game in him but his wings are black and not red like they are.
What crosses have you all found to produce eggs troughout the winter?

 

[nchvac]

Yep what Kassaundra said. I have allergies to chicken dander so bad I can't even have an incubator or indoor chicks... would be getting extremely sick plus difficulty breathing on hatch days or chicks were in the house.

I can handle the scaleless with no problems. Carry them around, hold for a good bit while details for their clothes were being worked out etc. not as much as a sneeze or stuffiness.. which happens with the other chickens.

So on these naked body chickens, does anyone keep them indoors year round and if so are you getting year round production? Since there are no dander issues that would work good for indoor production but how do you handle the ammonia they produce? I basically am wondering is maybe someone could setup a pen in an outbuilding with heat in that area, say 60 degrees or so and control the lighting for 15 hours a day if they could expect year round egg production. Only issue I can think of would be the ammonia which would require some type of fresh air exchange.

Also, I know there would be no feather lose with a molt but I do wonder if there is a molt with these birds where maybe they go through a rest period of not laying eggs or going somewhat crazy, etc.

 

[Kassaundra]

So on these naked body chickens, does anyone keep them indoors year round and if so are you getting year round production? Since there are no dander issues that would work good for indoor production but how do you handle the ammonia they produce? I basically am wondering is maybe someone could setup a pen in an outbuilding with heat in that area, say 60 degrees or so and control the lighting for 15 hours a day if they could expect year round egg production. Only issue I can think of would be the ammonia which would require some type of fresh air exchange.

Also, I know there would be no feather lose with a molt but I do wonder if there is a molt with these birds where maybe they go through a rest period of not laying eggs or going somewhat crazy, etc.

I have had all boys until this past year, my first girl, she is just now about to start laying, so don't know about lapses in laying. I do not keep mine indoors, I clothe mine through our winters. I think I am near the northern most I would attempt to keep them outside through winter. Keeping them in the house I would think would be more a "pet" type deal w/ one maybe 2 birds and would assume they were diapered. If you are thinking for production type birds they really need to be in a warm year round climate to shine, anytime you are going to have to add heat or lighting or extra housing, it really isn't cost effective "production" then, it would be a case of chose the bird for the environment. These birds are being looked at for mass production but in warm climates.

 

[KJaguar]

Just as I promised, this is Nectar my 16 pounder, what u guys think?

 

[nchvac]

Just as I promised, this is Nectar my 16 pounder, what u guys think?

 

[nchvac]

what is the northern most latitude to keep them?

I do HVAC work and have a 3200 sq.ft Metal building like you see auto mechanics work out of. The coldest I have seen it get inside is 35 degrees and that was one of the few times the last 5 years we got down to around 0- 5 degrees outside. The concrete floor keeps it warm I guess and it is insulated but I don't heat it. I know 35 is cold but there is no wind inside to take the heat off of one while in there. I was just thinking maybe something like that would possibly work maybe with a little bit of supplemental heat in a small area. I was thinking being they don't have dander would work well indoors. I got tired of buying eggs and feed this past winter. I bought a NN rooster to breed to my RIR, White Leghorn and Rhodebar hens. I am going to start up an incubator tomorrow. I hope the NN has some genes to help these chicks lay better in Winter. When I first got him I was under the notion that NNs laid well through the winter and are double breasted. Mine is not double breasted and I am learning that egg laying varies just like any other breed. He did come from Murray McMurray so he has hatchery egg laying in him. Maybe the Leghorn mix will work well.

 

[DesertChic]

Just as I promised, this is Nectar my 16 pounder, what u guys think?

He is GORGEOUS!!!! Very majestic looking.