NAKED NECKS The history of the Naked Neck fowl runs into a distant and obscure past. They are supposed to have originated in Eastern Hungary but reached their highest state of perfection in Germany. They were also bred in other immediately adjoining countries. The desire for a smooth-skinned, dressed fowl commended them to favor. Their several bare areas made plucking much more easily and quickly done. Naked Necks have less than half the feathers posessed by other fowl of their approximate size and dress very smoothly with no feather follicles or sockets on the bare areas. Thet are good layers of brown eggs and stand cold weather well. In crossing, the naked neck imposes itself on the first product. Strict observance of prescribed color with true character therefore must be maintained. DISQUALIFICATIONS No naked area showing on neck section. Standard Weights Cock .........8 1/2 lbs. Hen............6 1/2 lbs. Cockerel.....7 1/2 lbs. Pullet ........5 1/2 lbs SHAPE --- MALE & FEMALE COMB: Single, medium size, set firmly on head thick at base, straight and upright, with 5 evenly serrated points.those at front and rear shorter than those at the middle; blade slightly following the contour of the skull. BEAK: Moderately short, stout, well-curved. FACE: Skin fine and soft in texture, free from wrinkles. EYES: Large, full, prominent. EAR-LOBES: Oblong, well defined, smooth. HEAD: Medium in length, deep, nicely rounded. NECK: Medium in length; devoid of feathers, except for a permissible small tuft at front of neck nearly half-way down; skin very smooth. Back: Rather long, moderately broad; carried horizontally. Saddle -- area at junction with tail, devoid of feather growth but covered by saddle feathers. TAIL: Medium length, well spread, carried at an angle of 20 degrees. Main Tail Feathers -- well-spread, broad and overlapping. WINGS: Medium in size, strong, well-folded. carried horizontally; area around the first joint devoid of feathers. Primaries and Secondaries -- broad and overlapping when wings are folded. BREAST: Deep, full, well-rounded. the crop area devoid of feathers. BODY AND FLUFF: Body rather long, broad, moderately deep, keel extending well to front and rear of legs; areas under wing and around vent devoid of feathers. LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from front. Lower Thighs-- large, medium in length, upper area devoid of feathers; area near hock joint, also devoid of feathers. Shanks-- medium in length, smooth, stout. Toes-- four on each foot, medium in length, straight, well-spread. Note-- In all areas devoid of feathers, the ideal skin is to be absolutely smooth and free from follicle and socket. RED NAKED NECKS COLOR -- MALE AND FEMALE COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red. BEAK: Yellow, shaded with reddish horn. EYES: Reddish bay. SHANKS AND TOES: Yellow. PLUMAGE: General Surface area, an even shade of rich mahogany bay in all sections, with the exception that the exposed primaries and secondaries and the main tail feathers may contain black. Main sickles and coverts should be bay and black, thus avoiding a sharp contrast between body and tail. UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Red except for black, which should show a bar of slate. NAKED AREAS, EXCEPT LEGS AND TOES: Bright red shading to pink and yellow according to the density of coverage provided by overreaching plumage from adjacent feathered areas. WHITE NAKED NECKS COLOR -- MALE AND FEMALE COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red. BEAK: Yellow. EYES: Reddish bay. SHANKS AND TOES: Yellow. PLUMAGE: Web, fluff and shafts of all feathers in all sections, white. NAKED AREAS, EXCEPT LEGS AND TOES: Bright red shading to pink and yellow according to the density of coverage provided by overreaching plumage from adjacent feathered areas. BLACK NAKED NECKS COLOR -- MALE AND FEMALE COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red. BEAK: Dark slate to black. EYES: Reddish bay. SHANKS AND TOES: Black. PLUMAGE: Lustrous greenish black UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: dull black / slate NAKED AREAS, EXCEPT LEGS AND TOES: Bright red shading to pink and yellow according to the density of coverage provided by overreaching plumage from adjacent feathered areas. BUFF NAKED NECKS COLOR -- MALE AND FEMALE COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red. BEAK: Yellow, shaded with reddish horn. EYES: Reddish bay. SHANKS AND TOES: Yellow. PLUMAGE: Surface throughout an even shade of rich golden buff. Male-- had, neck, hackles, back, wing-bows and saddle showing greater luster. Female-- hackle showing some luster. UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: matching surface as nearly as possible. NAKED AREAS, EXCEPT LEGS AND TOES: Bright red shading to pink and yellow according to the density of coverage provided by overreaching plumage from adjacent feathered areas. |
Cou-Nu (Naked Neck)
This breed arose as the result of a mutation which occured in Pierre Delambre's poultry farm in Clamart. It was then selected by Jean-Claude Périquet of Gincrey in the Meuse. Here is what Pierre Delambre wrote : "In 1992 in a brood of Colverts, I was surprised to find 3 ducklings which differed from the rest. Indeed, these appeared to express a gene uncommon in palmipeds, given that it was the "naked neck" factor. The ducklings grew with no problem and I found myself at the head of a beautiful trio of naked-neck ducks which included a female with isabelle (light tan) livery..." The following year, Mr. Delambre tried to breed these but in vain : "I tried everything, moved them to different pens and changed their feed several times to no avail ". He then entrusted the ducks to Jean-Claude Périquet said : "I left the animals together, but the resulting eggs weren't fertile, I then placed the naked-neck females with a male Colvert and the naked-neck male with female Colverts. The ducklings that resulted were all normal Colverts, there wasn't a single naked-neck, this led me to suppose that the naked-neck gene was recessive. It is from these first generation ducks that I got my first naked-neck ducks. In 1998 my breeding stock consisted of 8 males and 7 females which produced offspring".
A draft for the naked-neck duck was set out by Jean-Claude Périquet and 4 subjects (in accordance with regulations in the matter) were presented for the first time at the Metz international exhibition in November 1997 for ratification purposes. This breed presents many characteristics which among ducks are unique : partially bare neck, head and abdominal areas, no scales on tarsus and fingers, atrophy of the large wing feathers and rump. The male weighs around 1.2 kg and the female 1.1 kg ; the eggs of 50 to 60 g have a greenish shell, the Whitish shell being a extremely rare.
Anecdote
The Naked-neck ducklings had to be reared apart from others since they seemed a bit delicate. Yet they did not appear to suffer from cold having endured a temperature of -22.5 °C under shelter in Gincrey (Meuse),on the morning of January 1st 1997 (it was a low record in France) !
Naked Neck Pigeons
