[FrostyM]

I was picking up a few replacement ducks today after a recent fox attack. The guy I was getting them from was showing me what other breeds he has and he showed me his Naked Necks. From looking around online they seem a very interesting breed. They are also called Transylvanian Naked Necks and Turkens. Has anyone any experience with this breed? The birds looked large and seemed to carry plenty of meat on the breast. I had been thinking they could be an interesting cross to a meat bird to ease plucking as I read they can have up to 50% less feathers than a standard bird. Does anyone on here keep naked necks or have any experience with the breed who could tell me more about them?

[funkyfish]

I've got 12 in the incy, hatching in a week. They do seem to make a good cross and are a good sturdy calm breed according to my research. Also have you seen how cute they are when crossed with a Silkie!

[bigchicken]

When I worked in the commercial poultry industry naked necks were used as a broiler, There breast bone was not as deep as the normal broiler but there breast was wider, on the hole a nice placid bird who crossed well with a meat bird. They were being developed for hot countries as a broiler because it was thought that there lack of feathers would help them stay cooler. We had a problem with infertility in the males probably due to there large size so we had to use artificial insemination. Not everyone's cup of tea but I liked them and the chicks were cute.

[FrostyM]

Thanks for the info folks. I have 12 la bresse for meat at the moment I am thinking once I cull down to 4 or 5 for breeding I could probably squeeze in a trio of the naked necks to see how they breed with the la bresse next year. I have seen the cross with the silkies alright funkyfish. They look something special  I have seen them called "Showgirls" which is a perfect name for them really. I will see if I can make some room for a trio before the summers out.

[chrismahon]

Turkens are the French Cou-nou, meaning naked neck. The phrase has been coined because the Brit's can't decide what the French have used to breed them and as they are so large thought Turkeys. Turkeys can't cross breed with chickens so that's a load of ......


Cou-nou have mid- neck feathers, which is the sign that the derivative Transylvanian Naked neck has been crossed with another breed, perhaps many times.  they now breed true so they are a breed in themselves in France. TNN's are not Turkens FrostyM so the guy you are talking to is........misinformed. If they are large they are not TNN's as there are no large TNN's in England, but there are Cou-nou cross breeds being passed off -saw one in the National show (not placed as shape and feathering all wrong).


We have Black TNN's. They are the best examples I could find in England before we moved. The hens are top show quality producing large eggs from a medium hen daily. The cockerel came from Romania. They probably have 25% of the feathers of a Wyandotte.


They are very flighty, perfect for free ranging and taste good. Downside is they go broody so often that they only produce 150 eggs a year. If they didn't go broody it would be 300.


What more do you need to know FrostyM and PM me. 99% of TNN's for sale are cross breeds that will surface in a few generations. Any neck feathers whatsoever is a previous cross. Shame -the ebay egg sellers have almost destroyed the breed as genuine TNN eggs are top dollar (we eat ours as no market here).

[taz08]

look up the "showgirls"

cross betreen naked neck and slikies 

[FrostyM]

Wow thanks for all that Chris. I am based in Ireland but would presume there is a similar selection of birds here. So it is probably a Cou-Nou cross I was shown. I wouldn't be interested in showing them. I would be interested in using them for a cross with other meat birds to see how that would turn out. And trying them pure for meat also. So in my case it probably wouldn't matter if they aren't actual TNN but it is good to know what I am dealing with so thanks for the info.


I have seen the showgirls taz. Wouldn't be to my taste but I am considering attempting to breed some. Mainly as an exercise in breeding as I am pretty new to breeding and think it might be interesting to try some cross breeding with a specific bird to aim for at the end of it. I could probably sell a few birds to people who like the "showgirl look" I am sure there must be someone who likes the look 

[chrismahon]

Cou-nu (sorry Frosty, just checked the spelling in my french breeds book) are very aggressive birds to other breeds and very placid on their own. Guess they are so big they can do what they want. 90% of the free ranging hens around her are Cou-nu. The cockerels are for meat. I have never seen a Cou-nu cockerel so perhaps they are auto-sexing. I spent half an hour with a Cou-nu cutting out the biggest bumble foot swelling I have yet seen and the hen remained calm all the time -entirely successful and she walks perfectly now.


You will find that the hens breed almost true, except for neck feathers, even with a cross (so all ours were completely black) and the cockerels are perfect except for their colouring.  Even with ours we had two browns (the proper original colour), one black and two cuckoo (one of the hens is a black/cuckoo TNN cross bought in full knowledge to make up a quartet). The bald neck is the dominant gene.

[MAK]

We have some black naked necks bought here in France. My neighbours has some very light ( sand and almost white) coloured naked necks.
Any thoughts on what they are best kept for as after 6 months she is still not getting many eggs.

[roddycm]

I have bred naked necks all my life, started with some medium sized birds I got from market and then went crossing the ladies to an orpington cock... Retaining the chicks that had naked necks. I have ended up with, what for me are, beautiful big birds that are hardy, lay well increidibly good mothers and no fertility problems at all. The males seem to grow especially fast and are very good to eat! I cannot recommend them more. I would say go for it and create your own "breed" according to what you want them for.
Oh and as an aside some of my girls lay green eggs, no idea where that came from but the kids love it!