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Naked Neck Female
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Naked Neck Male
These have to be the strangest looking chickens in the poultry world. They look like a cross between a turkey and a chicken with their completely featherless necks and faces and this was a common myth when they were introduced to this country in the 1920s when they were described as Churkeys! The exposed skin actually turns bright red in sunlight just like that of the turkey. They originate from Hungary but it was in Germany that the breed was perfected and the lack of feathering on the neck is due to a dominant gene. They actually possess half the total number of feathers in other breeds which makes them much quicker to pluck than other table birds. They are currently very popular in the hotter Eastern countries where they are kept as table birds because they are able to withstand much hotter temperatures than other birds. They have existed as free ranging birds in France for centuries where they remain popular to this day. They are heavy birds with long, elongated bodies. The legs are featherless and slate blue in dark feathered breeds or yellow in the paler feathered varieties with four toes on the feet. The neck is totally without feathers and this bare skin continues right up to the crop. The top of the head has feathers on and they usually have a single comb or sometimes a rose comb and large wattles. The earlobes are red and the eyes are reddish bay. There is also a bantam version of this breed.
They are good layers, producing brown eggs and are hardy, vigorous birds. They are happy to free range or be confined in runs and are not known as being particularly good fliers. They need protection in extremely cold temperatures because of their lack of feathers but can cope remarkably well in very hot climates. They are easy to tame and are very placid, calm birds. They are not good broodies as their lack of feathers makes it hard to keep the eggs warm but if allowed to sit on just a few eggs, they are capable of hatching their own eggs and the resulting chicks are born with their necks already exposed and featherless. Males weigh around 7-8lbs while the females are 5½-6½lbs.
The Naked Neck can be found in several different colour varieties including black, white, cuckoo, buff, red and blue.
Rare
Please Note: All Chickens listed here are for collection only. They cannot be delivered by the Seller or by Omlet. Once you have purchased the Chickens you will be emailed the Seller's contact address details.
No Feedback! Age in weeks: 1
Location: Yorkshire
Delivery: Collection only
Comments: Orders being taken for LF… view more Orders being taken for LF Transylvanian Naked Neck chicks bred in 2010. From winning bloodlines and 100% clean necked parents, there will be both blue and black chicks available.
***These birds are RARE in the UK, the Blue being EXTREMELY RARE and will only be bred to order.*** view less
These birds are the springer spaniels of the chicken world. They are intelligent, active, independent and just slightly bonkers! They are wonderful fun.
They are extremely hardy, needing neither a scarf nor sun protection, and as disease resistant as you will find. They have wonderful personalities and are happy to live in a run as well as free ranging.
Being genetically lower in body fat they make a wonderful cross with a utility bird such as a sussex to get a great table bird if that is your thing.
The hens are brilliant broodies, but at the same time are easy enough to gently break from it to continue egg production. The cockerels are very gentle in nature and kind to both hens and people.
Their looks mean they are not everybodies cup of tea, but they are wonderful creatures non the less.
Last year we purchased several of these chicks at an auction (NY, US, NE), where they were being touted as Turkeys. As they grew older, it became clear they were something else--and I say that with a smile.
Here, locals call them Turkens. Those unfamiliar with them thought they were a cross between chicken and turkey. They are known as excellent meat birds. We found them friendly and gentle (with other birds and people) and they were certainly interesting to look at. We sold them when they matured, but I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a few more. Nice birds. We didn't have them long enough for me to comment accurately on egg production.
Please note in the UK the breed should be single combed-not rose combed. Naked necks are super birds, hardy, cold resistant, heat resistant, good layers, disease resistant, excellent foragers-eat less then most large fowl. Excellent broodies - the lack of belly feather makes for good skin to egg contact and they can cover good number and rear chicks well. very gentle to other birds. cockerels not aggressive. beware of crossbreds-a pure naked neck does not have a bib of feathers on its neck.
