Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Fire Ant Farm]

I've set more than that before but the most I've ever hatched at once was 96.

You're making me tired just THINKING about that!!!!

- Ant Farm

 

[draye]

You're making me tired just THINKING about that!!!! 

- Ant Farm 

That was actually
this last hatch of my 17 week olds. They're 1 week behind yours, I only kept 46 of them and got everything culled to the current 22 that I have left.

Tomorrow afternoon after work I'm going to butcher 3 or 4 of the cockerels left. I'm saving 3 or 4 depending on if my SIL wants one or not.

 

[flower]

You're making me tired just THINKING about that!!!!

- Ant Farm

x 2

Finally made myself process a hen. My beautiful calm Cream Legbar had a wry back and laid crooked eggs. I really do not like to process my chickens but it is part of the deal. And as I said before I am old and broken and need to decrease my work load. With spring around the corner I want to see chicks even though I keep thinking that I need to reduce my flock. I am hoping a friend will come by and take several birds back home with her. It is too much fun seeing the chicks develop. Dratt

 

[Kev]

I've set more than that before but the most I've ever hatched at once was 96.

Me too... can't remember the exact number but I filled up a friend's Brinsea cabinet incubator and she had to double stack some of the eggs lol Maybe 200?

I much, much, much prefer doing a few giant batches than multiple batches of smaller numbers. Much easier to manage as they grow up.

It is also an inevitable part of breeding projects... gotta hatch a fair number to pick out or luck out on desired types.

 

[Kev]

x 2

Finally made myself process a hen. My beautiful calm Cream Legbar had a wry back and laid crooked eggs. I really do not like to process my chickens but it is part of the deal. And as I said before I am old and broken and need to decrease my work load. With spring around the corner I want to see chicks even though I keep thinking that I need to reduce my flock. I am hoping a friend will come by and take several birds back home with her. It is too much fun seeing the chicks develop. Dratt

Aww.. yeah the culling part is not so much fun.

If it's a hobby, it needs to stay fun/manageable.. if that means a smaller flock, go for it. I've gone through massive flock reductions in the past, after these I did feel a huge sense of relief and really enjoyed the birds more.

 

[Phage]

Me too...  can't remember the exact number but I filled up a friend's Brinsea cabinet incubator and she had to double stack some of the eggs lol   Maybe 200?

I much, much, much prefer doing a few giant batches than multiple batches of smaller numbers. Much easier to manage as they grow up.

It is also an inevitable part of breeding projects...  gotta hatch a fair number to pick out or luck out on desired types.

Double stacked.....

 

[DesertChic]

Hello, I have a question for naked neck chicken owners. I am getting one naked neck soon, and I'm wondering when the roosters mate with a naked neck hen will they hurt her neck? Because I know roosters pull on the neck feathers when they do so.

When the rooster is young and inexperienced, or just lacking finesse, they will sometimes break the skin on NN pullet/hen, but she always heals very quickly...often without any medical attention at all. That said, in observing my own flock I've noticed that the males typically grip the feathers on the crown of the head, not on the neck, so injuries are minimal....though balding sometimes occurs if one hen is favored above the others.

 

[Kev]

Double stacked.....

Haha! how many eggs was that do you remember?

 

[Kev]

When the rooster is young and inexperienced, or just lacking finesse, they will sometimes break the skin on NN pullet/hen, but she always heals very quickly...often without any medical attention at all. That said, in observing my own flock I've noticed that the males typically grip the feathers on the crown of the head, not on the neck, so injuries are minimal....though balding sometimes occurs if one hen is favored above the others.

one more thing- skin is thinner on pullets and much thicker on hens.

I've had quite a lot of NN over the years, tearing is rare and nearly all were on pullets.. especially pullets with several cockerels(clumsy/overexcited). To me it seemed like a probably all tearing were from attempted breeding interruptions or second rooster/cockerel trying to get in the action. I've seen situations where the second rooster accidentally hit the hen while trying to shove the mating rooster off etc.

I do notice bruising sometimes though, and this probably happens on fully feathered hens, just you don't get to see it on these...

It is very true they heal amazingly well.

 

[CherriesBrood]

 
Hello, I have a question for naked neck chicken owners. I am getting one naked neck soon, and I'm wondering when the roosters mate with a naked neck hen will they hurt her neck? Because I know roosters pull on the neck feathers when they do so.

When the rooster is young and inexperienced, or just lacking finesse, they will sometimes break the skin on NN pullet/hen, but she always heals very quickly...often without any medical attention at all. That said, in observing my own flock I've noticed that the males typically grip the feathers on the crown of the head, not on the neck, so injuries are minimal....though balding sometimes occurs if one hen is favored above the others. 

Really? Thank you, that's just what I wanted to know.