Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[DesertChic]

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?

I've actually timed my hatches so that when my mature flock slows down for the winter, my pullets are coming into lay. It worked really well this year as I still had enough large eggs to sell to people, and my family and I had plenty of pullet eggs (which I actually prefer) to satisfy our own needs.

I hope to cross my NNs with some Dark Cornish to (hopefully) improve the amount of breast meat as well as increase bone density to support any additional weight. I'm maintaining a line of pure NNs, and then experimenting on making a "meat" line of NNs by interbreeding with other birds to enhance growth rate and size.

As far as mixing the two groups is concerned, I'll leave it to someone else to comment. I personally intermix all of my birds, assuming that natural selection will weed out the weak in favor of the strong.

 

[Kassaundra]

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.

35 w/ no wind and clothing would be warm enough, they would be most comfortable w/ a wool sweater in that temp. They would have the same issue as other chickens w/ laying through the winter w/ light requirements, but w/ added indoor lighting that might take care of that. If I were going to do what you describe, I would put them on sand (on the concrete) and feed fermented feed. The fermented feed will decrease the smell of the poop, and it tends to be firmer too, the sand will add to the drying out of the poop quicker, and could be raked easily. You would need to add some baking soda, or DE or something like that every so often to control the ammonia.

 

[Kassaundra]

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

 

[nchvac]

I've actually timed my hatches so that when my mature flock slows down for the winter, my pullets are coming into lay. It worked really well this year as I still had enough large eggs to sell to people, and my family and I had plenty of pullet eggs (which I actually prefer) to satisfy our own needs.

I hope to cross my NNs with some Dark Cornish to (hopefully) improve the amount of breast meat as well as increase bone density to support any additional weight. I'm maintaining a line of pure NNs, and then experimenting on making a "meat" line of NNs by interbreeding with other birds to enhance growth rate and size.

As far as mixing the two groups is concerned, I'll leave it to someone else to comment. I personally intermix all of my birds, assuming that natural selection will weed out the weak in favor of the strong.

What is your target date for your winter pullets? I guess the question should be when do you put the eggs in the incubator? Also, how many eggs a week do you average from your pullets in the winter? Sounds like my flock may be changing this year.

 

[Pensmaster]

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

He's great looking

 

[Skink]

The severity of how bad they are affected by photoperiod depends on how far north you are and what kind of lighting you use, if any. Ex: many people think slapping a regular light bulb in there is gonna be enough when they should specifically be aiming for something that mimics natural sunlight to a bird's vision for best results. Another solution is to use pullets. Most hens lay through their first winter but not their second. Rotate your hens so even when your second years aren't laying, you've got first year pullets picking up the slack.

Scaleless chickens are still rare and valuable birds. It is not possible to get a hold of large numbers of hatching eggs or chicks to raise, if you can even get a hold of any at all, and you would have to make an entire project out of it. Not just breeding them but strengthening the genetic diversity of the gene as a whole so you're not piling inbreedings atop inbreedings. Just a warning! So I'd maybe watch what Kev's and Kassaundra's flocks a couple years and see what becomes of it if you're really interested, but don't want to do the ground floor work! It may be scaleless never hit a place where they're viable broilers based purely on numbers because their range of easy keeping is so restricted.

 

[DesertChic]

What is your target date for your winter pullets? I guess the question should be when do you put the eggs in the incubator? Also, how many eggs a week do you average from your pullets in the winter? Sounds like my flock may be changing this year.

I hatched in mid-September and averaged 4-6 eggs per pullet during the winter, totalling 28-42 eggs per week. I find that this works well for my egg laying stock, but I'm thinking I may stick to spring hatches only for my meat stock. I didn't get anywhere near as good of growth rates from the winter hatch as I did in the spring, probably because nothing compares to ample sunshine and what little vegetation the desert manages to grow in the spring and summer. I supplemented the chicken feed with alfalfa hay, sprouted seeds and garden greens, but I'm sure the chickens still missed on the nutrition normally provided by insects and lizards and such.

 

[Kassaundra]

What is your target date for your winter pullets? I guess the question should be when do you put the eggs in the incubator? Also, how many eggs a week do you average from your pullets in the winter? Sounds like my flock may be changing this year.

Most hens start laying around 20ish weeks, so figure 23 - 25 weeks back from when you know your girls slow down (3 weeks for incubation)

 

[draye]

I hatched in mid-September and averaged 4-6 eggs per pullet during the winter, totalling 28-42 eggs per week. I find that this works well for my egg laying stock, but I'm thinking I may stick to spring hatches only for my meat stock. I didn't get anywhere near as good of growth rates from the winter hatch as I did in the spring, probably because nothing compares to ample sunshine and what little vegetation the desert manages to grow in the spring and summer. I supplemented the chicken feed with alfalfa hay, sprouted seeds and garden greens, but I'm sure the chickens still missed on the nutrition normally provided by insects and lizards and such.

My April/May hatches usually start laying around fall Sept/Oct. while the older hens are molting.

When I hatch Sept./Oct. those pullets don't usually start laying until March and April. These last that I hatched September 17, 2015 have just begun laying. There are 3 or 4 that have started as of today.

 

[Pensmaster]

My April/May hatches usually start laying around fall Sept/Oct. while the older hens are molting.

When I hatch Sept./Oct. those pullets don't usually start laying until March and April. These last that I hatched September 17, 2015 have just begun laying. There are 3 or 4 that have started as of today.

This worked for my legbars. Hatched 9-10-15. Just started laying today as well

Orpington's hatched 4-7-15 started 11 months old. Too long