Naked Neck/Turken x Polish project (year 2) questions?

[Barbedwirecat]

So about 7 years ago I went on a mission to find the prettiest Naked Necks with the widest variety of colors so I could get the best I wanted for my final project. I started with hatchery standard along with DipyDoodleDoo and a few other interesting colors (I threw Aloha in there for fun) and paired down to the biggest, nicest, and friendliest birds. It took quite a while and quite a few breedings (I only hatch 1-2 times a year) Last year I started my REAL project breeding, choosing the prettiest Polish roosters in all of the colors I wanted. I'm not going to color standard, I'm going for overall health, size, and feather look. What I have bred has been beautiful so far, I'll need one more year of pairing off to create the larger crests I'm desiring (we do have crests already! I just want bigger and better). Genetically I have been able to reproduce my results consistently so I'm moving forward.

I have dubbed them-Dahlias.

I think I understand what I'm technically making would be considered a mutt, much like a technical Labradoodle, Pomapoo, etc. even though they are considered "designer breeds".

So my question is:

What you YOU guys think about this? Would you consider this a "designer chicken" or a farmyard mutt? I feel like I have gone about it the correct way as far as research and tried to create what I would consider the best pairings as far as genetics are concerned. Part of me feels this is how a lot of our recognized breeds were created, however I really wanted personal opinions before I considered started to sell hatching eggs next year.

I had quite a few people wanting to purchase Naked Neck hatching eggs from me so I'm trying to balance which project really is more valid or if I should continue both.

Thanks!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I wouldn't consider them mitts, if you are breeding them that way. I think that is how breeds were designed! I would love to see a picture! They probably look kind of wild!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I'd love to see pictures!

 

[Barbedwirecat]

As soon as it stops raining and being dreary I'll get out and take some! Thanks guys!

 

[Kiki]

X2 on the pictures!

 

[Barbedwirecat]

I can give you a photo from last year when they were teens. This guy turned unto a gorgeous blue wheaten flavored rooster.

 

[MTchicknman]

I like your NN pic. My hen is black with a bright red neck. She is Wintering well, doesn't seem to know that she has no feathers on her neck, and she lays the largest eggs - her and the Comets - the Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, and White Rocks lay large eggs, but they aren't as big as the NN and Comet eggs and the Brahmas lay the smallest eggs. They all have been good layers during the cold months - down to -30F and -40F some days, with most of the winter being below zero so far - a few good days here and there, but seemingly no slowdowns in laying. I'm all for getting rid of the other chickens and raising all NNs - they're the best layers (egg size and Winter slowdown considered) IMHO! The Comets are hybrid, and we wouldn't normally have them, but they were the result of a mis-labelled chick pen at Tractor Supply. (Never again!)

 

[Barbedwirecat]

A few more photos: Please excuse the barren yard---winter + rain= not so fun! Some of these came out with fun beards too!

 

[MTchicknman]

A few more photos: Please excuse the barren yard---winter + rain= not so fun! Some of these came out with fun beards too!

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I like those NN/Polish - will you be selling fertilized eggs in the next two or three years? We are contemplating a move from MT to TN in the next year or two. (getting older and want to move nearer to family for the " Golden Years " )

Wife says no more MT for her with the snow we've had this year. We have piles of snow 6 ft high from shoveling the chicken pens, and at my age I don't feel like shoveling no more, I can only last for 1/2 to 1 hour at a time, and at sub-zero temps, which means it's an all day job.

Go ahead, call me a wussie! I love Montana, but at this stage in our lives, we'd rather move on again than shovel snow and have a 2 or 3 month growing season (she loves to garden, and likes to plant lotsa herbs). We can't have much of a garden here becuz we don't dare plant until mid-June and Snow can come as early as mid-September. I realize that the Canadians have to deal with the same type of weather, but since we have Southern States, we can move, they can't (except possibly to BC, where it rains all the time).

So we are going to sell off all of our chickens this Spring/Summer so we don't have to pay for someone to watch our chickens when we visit the kids in TN this year.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

I sure will! I'm actually going to offer some up now in the auction/selling forum as I've had a lot of interest!