I love the turkens because they are good mothers (broody hens) they dont give too many eggs are too few and they love to be petted and are the best chicken out there for the poultry shows due to their temperment
The three we have are still chicks, probably 8" tall. Very very nice little chickens. Day 1 we could pick them up, handle them, and they'd both perch on our hands and/or eat from our hands when offered. They're fun to watch pal around with each other, but nice little birds so far!
I absolutely love this breed of chicken. At one point I had several of them, some of which we cross bred. We had very colorful turkens. Turken-cochins; Turken-bantams, Silkie Turkens....the list goes on. they are great layers. I am in the market to buy 2 hens now. I don't know why but i find their unique(weird) look, attractive. I love them!
Loved them their my favorite breed. They were the first breed I started with back when I only had 4 chickens. They were great laying large brown eggs NEVER stopped laying even all winter. Also had great personaity. everyone of them was different. Will love to get some more.
One of my girls went broody after only laying a couple weeks and hatched out another hen's eggs. Good mother, very patient. Hope she goes broody again!
I got Naked Neck eggs in the spring of 2010 just for fun, but I've really come to love my birds. I feel their production is high among my layers. They have been healthy through all types of weather conditions. My flock is blue, black, splash in color, which I prefer. Occasionally I'll see some red in wing feathers, though. I'll probably always keep some Naked Necks, especially since they are so fun to look at and get conversations started.
I have naked necks for a while now, I have White,Red and black, and they are the standard colors ( and buff too but I don't have it )
I also enjoy playing around with other colors like Blue,Splash and my newest one BLRNN.
I always recommend the NN's to people that are looking for good egg layers, cold hardy and very good with the heat too, if you can get over the looks you got a really good chicken.
I love my naked neck but they don't lay any eggs but i have only had them for about a week and a half but i don't now what is wrong with them.
This breed is a great example of how to learn genetics. I have had fun doing different crosses and the blue type i have are very pretty, for a turken. Another cross i made started laying eggs at 4 months. This one looks like the myth of the Transylvanian Naked Neck. I have also found that within this naked gene is the level of nakedness. Some can have the "bowtie" on the neck or can be completely naked on the crop and the belly. They are very hardy, lay well in the winter, do not go broody. The roosters really do look like turkeys when they fluff and dance. I get large brown eggs. They free range really well. The Naked Gene is dominant. The gene also affects the levels of Vitamin A which inhibits protein. Google it, like i said its a great genetic experiment.
Update:
This is the scientific article that first mentions the connection: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001029
This one is even more scientific about the gene location and the functions:
http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001028
Hopefully you guys can access these sites, I am a college student so I sometimes get access to scientific articles that are not open to the public. When in doubt use google scholar and type "naked neck gene" they have articles that show the naked gene has a larger breast than production meat birds.
These are the coolest chickens ever! I have heard nothing but good things about them! I can't wait or order one in my mixed flock this April!
These are my daughter's favorite. In MN they were the only hens to lay all winter. We had one that liked to have the few feathers on her neck plucked out by one of the other hens. She would stretch her neck out in front of the other hens until one would give in. (chicken version of a bikini wax?)
good layers gets along with all the birds, Not pretty at all so ugly they are cute. I enjoy their sweet personality
When I saw these at the feed store I fell in love. I bought 5 straight run and luck have it I ended up with all pullets. Four of mine lay jumbo light brown eggs and one lays a jumbo spotted pale green egg. They are excellent foragers. Mine are a bit flighty but not what I would consider wild. Mine are big birds, but I would love to cross them with a blue Orpington to get an even bigger bodied chicken.
there is a breed of chicken called a madagascar game . this breeds origins are around the island of madagascar and the west coast of africa. it is the most likely foundation breed for the turken as it is one of if not the earliest forms known to be naked necked and broad in the breast. it is a very heavy bird for it's size.
I got 4 NN for free when I bought 3 EE last november. I had wanted some for a while, and was very glad to get them. They are the cutest and funkiest looking birds in my flock. Some are skittish, others are friendly. My only con is that they are almost 7 months old and have not yet layed a single egg.
My Naked Necks have proved FAST growing, hardy chickens. They are BIG. I've had a number of different breeds over the years and these are the meatiest of the dual purposes I've had.
They are relatively calm and easy to handle. I enjoy their odd look. I will never be without them. They are one of my favorite breeds.
I have raised these in the past and they are pretty nice birds. I just can't get past how ugly they are.
These birds should be raised by those people who go to the pound and adopt the ugly puppy with mange and three legs.
LOL...they attract a LOT of attention from visitors. Before they visit I can tell you what everyone will ask..."What the hell is that thing?"
I would love to add one of these to my flock once I have more room :)
I have 2 and I think they are great!
