Considering Naked Neck chickens? The 17 things you must know first
The Naked Neck. Is she adorable, or is she hideous? You either love that naked neck, or you, well, don’t.
The appearance of the Naked Neck, also called the Turken, is definitely the feature of this bird that gets the most attention. But there are so many other facets that make this chicken unique!
Naked Necks are one of the best breeds out there for hot temperatures. They are incredibly feed efficient. They lay a good amount of eggs, and often lay through hot summers and cold winters. They have incredibly tasty meat, and a carcass that may be the easiest to pluck in all of the chicken world.
And best of all, Naked Necks are little darlings. They are sweet, docile, cuddly, and each one has her own character. These birds are goofballs, and, no matter how you feel about their looks, you’ll have a hard time not falling in love.
There are many things you need to know about Naked Necks before deciding if they’re right for your backyard flock or your homestead. In this article, I cover them all for you.
You’ll learn:
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What are Naked Neck chickens?
Naked Neck chicken facts
Alternative names: Transylvania Naked Neck, Turken
Category: Pet, eggs, & meat
Origin: Eastern Europe (Hungary, Romania)
Egg-laying ability: Good
Broodiness: High
Meat production: Good
Cold tolerance: Poor-good (depends on comb size and strain)
Heat tolerance: Good-exceptional
Predator evasion: Good
Foraging ability: Good
Toleration for confinement: Moderate-good
Temperament: Docile
Aggression toward flock members: Low
Noise level: Moderate
Why are Naked Necks called “Turkens” and where do they come from?
You will often hear Naked Neck chickens referred to as Turkens, even many of the hatcheries sell them by this name. Where does “Turken” come from?
It’s a portmanteau. Remember Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as “Brangelina?” Well, unlike that once-endearing union, here we have the unholy union of turkey and chicken as “Turken.”
And you can kind of see that, right? These chickens do have a little bit of a turkey look to them. And interestingly, those in the UK have chosen a different portmanteau for this breed—the “Churkey.” I’ve got to admit, I actually like theirs a little bit better.
And then there are those that refer to this breed not just as the “Naked Neck,” but as the “Transylvania Naked Neck”—obviously, because the bird’s a vampire’s dream... No, not really. Coincidentally, this breed was actually developed in that region of Europe. No, I’m not making this stuff up.
The Naked Necks we have in the U.S. today were originally developed in Romania (in the Transylvanian area) and Hungary, and then refined in 19th century Germany.
Today, Naked Necks are available at many hatcheries and feed stores, but they are much less popular than they should be. Why do I say that? Because these birds are incredible. They are hardier than most breeds, have wonderful dispositions, and thrive in backyard and barnyard settings. They are one of the most underrated chickens out there, no doubt because of their unusual appearance.
The Naked Neck’s appearance
“[Naked Necks are] peculiar, but most unpleasant.”
What the heck is up with those naked necks?
The Naked Neck is an easy chicken to recognize. They’ve got that unbelievably conspicuous bare neck. In roosters, the neck skin is a bright red color. In hens, the neck skin is more of a pinkish-white.
The bare skin extends from the top of the neck down to beyond the chicken’s crop. So, the top part of the breast is also bare.
And that’s not all. The entire body of the Naked Neck carries considerably fewer feathers than those of other chicken breeds.
“In fact, they have only 40 to 50 percent of the total number of feathers that other chickens of comparable size have.”
Why are Naked Necks like this? Because they carry a special gene. This gene is responsible for their barer bodies with their fewer feathers.
And Naked Necks are not the only chickens to carry this gene. In fact, chickens with the naked gene have been around for millennia, probably originating in Malaysia. And birds carrying this gene likely dispersed into other regions of the world fairly early in history.
Even today, many chickens can be found in other parts of the world with this gene, including the Malgache Gamefowl of Madagascar and the Ga Don of Vietnam. In the video slideshow below, you can see some examples of these other birds.
And recently, scientists have actually used the naked gene to create chickens that are entirely featherless.
You can see an example of an entirely featherless rooster, Bule, in the video below. This is a cute little guy being raised in Indonesia with love and a lot of attention.
Wow, suddenly our Naked Necks aren’t looking so bad…
Naked Neck feather colors and patterns
Naked Neck chickens come in a variety of colors and plumage patterns, including:
Black
Blue
Blue Laced
Blue Laced Red
Buff
Cuckoo
Dun
Mottled
Partridge
Red
Splash
White
In the video slideshow below, you can see some examples of these different varieties of Naked Necks, including the Black, Buff, White, and Cuckoo varieties.
And in this next video, you can see a flock of Naked Necks that includes the following varieties:
Black
Blue
Blue Laced Red
Dun
Red
Splash
You may even find Naked Neck Frizzles—these have soft, curly feathers.
And you can also find Naked Neck Bantams (i.e., miniatures). Below, you can see an example of these tiny chickens:
Other notable features of Naked Neck chickens
Naked Neck chickens have a medium-size, upright single comb, medium-size wattles, and medium-size, red earlobes.
Most varieties have yellow beaks and shanks, and reddish-bay eyes.
You might even find some naked necks with some feather tufts on their necks. These chickens are likely heterozygous (rather than homozygous) for the naked gene—meaning they got the naked gene from one parent, but not from the other.
Below is an example of one of these types. You can see an adorable Naked Neck hen with a bib of neck feathers, who is caring for a bunch of mixed-breed chicks.
How big do Naked Neck chickens get?
The standard weights for Naked Neck chickens are:
Roosters: 8.5 lbs
Hens: 6.5 lbs
Bantam roosters: 34 oz
Bantam hens: 30 oz
What do Naked Neck chicks look like?
Different varieties of Naked Necks will hatch in different colors and patterns, but all Naked Necks are born with their necks already bare.
You can see a few different varieties of Naked Neck chicks in the video below.
In the video slideshow below, you can see a few examples of older Naked Neck chicks at different ages.
In the first video, you can see a man holding a Naked Neck on the palm of his hand high above the ground. Please don’t hold your chicks this high. This chick is not yet able to fly at all (his feathers are still mostly downy), so if he fell or jumped off the man’s hand, he could be injured.
The 17 things you must know before getting Naked Neck chickens
Here’s everything you need to know!
Naked Neck chickens are:
Incredibly feed efficient
Decent egg layers
Exceptional brooders and mothers
Not capable of sitting on as many eggs as other breeds
Good meat birds with an excellent taste
Easy-to-process meat birds
Great in hot climates
Possibly susceptible to sunburn
Variably cold tolerant
Prone to comb frostbite
Hardy free rangers
Happier in a large backyard than a tiny run
Escape artists
Lap chickens
Child-friendly
Peaceful in a mixed flock
Healthier than your average chicken
Now let’s get into the details!
#1 Naked Neck chickens have high feed efficiency.
There are so many benefits to the naked neck gene. If you think Naked Necks are a niche bird that must only be good for shock value, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Because Naked Necks have so few feathers—50-60% fewer feathers than other breeds—they just don’t need that much protein in their diets compared to other breeds.
Let me explain. One of the reasons chickens need so much protein in their diets is because their feathers are made up almost entirely of proteins. But when you don’t have many feathers, you don’t need all that protein.
So, when Naked Necks consume protein, their bodies are better able to put that protein towards egg and meat production, rather than feather production. This makes these birds incredibly feed efficient.
#2 Your Naked Neck chickens will produce a respectable number of eggs.
Egg color: Brown
Egg size: Medium-large
Age of lay: 6 months
Eggs/week: 3-4
Eggs/year: 150-200
You can expect your Naked Neck hens to lay about 150-200 medium-large brown eggs a year.
However, the number of eggs these chickens lay is highly variable, depending largely on the strain you buy. Some strains are actually prolific layers, laying anywhere between 250-300 eggs per year.
One Naked Neck chicken keeper described her hens this way:
“[They are} egg-laying machines, even below freezing… These are the best chickens I’ve ever had, laid eggs all winter when no other breeds were laying.”
Another said of hers:
“During a bad week, I may only get 4 large eggs from one of my hens, but that’s a rare occurrence with the majority of my girls giving me 6 huge eggs per week. In fact, my best laying Naked Neck only took a break from laying when she molted so heavily as to be completely bald and needed to grow the feathers back. She took 3 weeks off and went right back to giving me jumbo-sized green eggs, six days per week, and she’s 2 years old.”
(Note that Naked Necks are meant to lay brown eggs, not green eggs, so don’t expect green eggs from yours.)
However, other chicken keepers have said their Naked Necks don’t lay well in the winter and don’t provide a lot of eggs.
If the egg-laying ability of your Naked Necks is very important to you, I suggest both checking with your hatchery or breeder to learn what their strains are like and checking out reviews of your hatchery or breeder, if you can find them.
Below, you can see a video of a cute Black Naked Neck hen laying an egg. Notice how as soon as she lays the egg, she starts singing.
#3 Naked Necks like to go broody and are ideal mothers.
If you get Naked Necks, you’re likely to find your hens will go broody. This means that they will sit on their eggs with the intent of hatching chicks.
One chicken keeper said, “Mine fight over who will brood the eggs…”
And another chicken keeper said her Naked Necks do the opposite—they share brooding responsibilities. In her own words:
“The Naked Necks are beautiful to have in the garden as they never leave one another’s side, even when laying and going broody. My two Naked Necks take turns to sit on the eggs while they are brooding, quite strange, I know.”
If you allow your Naked Necks to brood, you can expect them to be superb mothers.
In the video below, you can see a Red Naked Neck hen tidbitting for her chicks.
#4 Naked Necks can’t brood as many eggs as your average hen.
Although Naked Necks love to sit on eggs and raise babies, they aren’t typically able to brood as many eggs as other chicken breeds. This is because these birds are somewhat tightly feathered. Their feathers are stiffer and sit more closely to the body than a lot of other breeds. And, as we know, they have a lot fewer of them.
Sadly, for Naked Necks, this tighter feathering means they aren’t able to keep as many eggs warm underneath them. Whereas a regular standard-size chicken can brood about 12 eggs at a time, most of your Naked Necks can’t.
So, keep this in mind when you let your girls brood. When they first start brooding, check to see how many eggs are under them and make sure it looks like all of the eggs are sufficiently covered. You may need to take some eggs out if not.
Don’t just leave it to chance, or you risk not having any of the eggs hatch. Broody hens like to move their eggs around a lot. So, if they have too many eggs to keep warm, chances are all of the eggs will stay too cold at some point and you won’t get a healthy hatch.
#5 Naked Necks are one of the best dual-purpose chickens for meat.
If you’re a homesteader and you want to raise your chickens for meat, Naked Necks are one of the best dual-purpose breeds you can get. Again, the reason why comes back to that naked gene, and the fact they don’t have a lot of feathers.
To begin with, Naked Necks tolerate heat really well, much better than your average dual-purpose bird. If your typical chicken gets hot at all, then they react by eating less and growing more slowly. Naked Necks, on the other hand, tolerate heat so well that they continue eating through hot summers and grow quickly.
So, if you’re homesteading in a tropical climate or just a climate that gets hot summers, Naked Necks are a great meat bird option.
And because Naked Necks don’t have a lot of feathers, most of their energy goes into building mass (and also making eggs, for the hens), rather than into feather growth. This means they are much more feed efficient than your typical dual-purpose bird. And these chickens tend to have less fat on them than other meaty breeds.
Additionally, homesteaders who raise Naked Necks for meat say they are delicious. One homesteader said of hers, “Not only are my Naked Necks prolific layers of large- to jumbo-sized eggs all year round, but they also provide the most delicious meat…”
Another said, “The meat is tasty and there is a lot of it and these birds are double breasted. All around a great dual-purpose meat and egg bird.”
And another said that her Naked Neck cockerels “were delicious and soo big.”
And Naked Necks actually do have skin that’s a bit different from the skin of other breeds, or at least those raised in hot climates do.
In one study done on Naked Neck meat, the authors concluded that at higher temperatures (as in tropical environments or hot summers), “…the reduced plumage was also associated with lower skin mass due to reduced fat deposition.” The authors noted that other breeds tend to have less collagen in their skin because they have more fat deposited under their skin.
Many homesteaders who raise Naked Necks claim they can taste the difference in this skin.
One homesteader said of her rooster, “He had a generous amount of meat on him, it was juicy and flavorful, and I could even see the oil from the fat bubbling under the skin which made the skin so crispy and delicious, like fried chicken without the oil and deep fryer!”
Another homesteader who raises Naked Necks for meat said, “I DO know that they are one of the best tasting chickens (their skin is a little different, and it makes them AMAZING when roasted).”
This homesteader says he slaughters his Naked Necks around 16 weeks, but that they grow so fast, you could still get a decent carcass at only 12 weeks.
#6 Naked Neck chickens are very easy to process as meat birds.
Your Naked Neck chickens may be the easiest meat birds you’ve ever processed. Once again, we have the naked gene to thank for this.
Carol Ekarius, author of Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds, explains this well:
“And as broilers, they dress very nicely: the carcass is easily and quickly plucked thanks to the bare areas and doesn’t have as many feather follicles under the skin.”
#7 Naked Neck chickens do very well in warm temperatures.
Naked Neck chickens are one of the best chickens you can get for hot temperatures. So, if you live in a particularly hot climate, or you just get miserably hot summers, you’ll definitely want to consider this breed.
And, contrary to most other breeds of chickens, Naked Necks do well in hot and humid environments, not just hot and dry. Once again, we have those naked necks and bare bodies to thank.
One of the main ways chickens cool off is by holding their wings out away from their bodies. The reason this helps to cool them down is because all chickens have tracts on their bodies that don’t have feathers.
When they hold their wings out, these featherless tracts get exposed to the air. This helps to cool them the same way putting your hair in a ponytail to get it off of your neck cools you, or the same way taking off your shirt cools you.
Because Naked Necks have 50-60% fewer feathers on their bodies than other breeds of equivalent size, you can understand how much easier it is for them to cool off. They’re not wearing the heavy, down winter jackets the other birds are wearing.
One Naked Neck chicken keeper said her birds don’t even have to hold their wings out to cool off. She said, “…in the heat, they just extend their naked neck out and cool down.”
Other Naked Neck keepers have said their birds have survived summer temperatures over 110°.
One chicken keeper said of her Naked Neck flock, “Our excessive Arizona summers barely faze them…”
However, just because these chickens are heat-tolerant, doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about keeping them cool. Your Naked Necks still need cold water at all times during the hot months, as well as plenty of shade.
#8 Do Naked Necks get sunburns?
With your Naked Necks having so much skin exposed, both on their necks and on other parts of their bodies, you might be wondering if these chickens get sunburned.
The truth is, I’m not completely sure if they do or they don’t. Naked Necks might be susceptible to sunburns. Opinions on the internet are all over the place on this, ranging from “absolutely not, never ever” to “yes, obviously.”
I searched in the academic research to find actual legitimate sources on chickens and sunburn, but I couldn’t find anything at all.
But here’s what you can know for sure. The exposed skin of Naked Neck chickens does turn a really bright red color in the sunny months. And according to the British Hen Welfare Trust, feather-bare chickens are just as susceptible to sunburn as we are.
And this article from New Scientist, also says featherless chickens are susceptible to sunburn—in this example, they’re talking about totally featherless chickens, but the principle should still apply.
“But critics say past experience with feather-free chickens resulting from random genetic mutation shows they suffer more than normal birds…’naked’ chickens of both sexes are more susceptible to parasites, mosquito attacks, and sunburn.”
So, do your Naked Necks need extra care in the sun? The British Hen Welfare Trust says if you have chickens with bare skin, “you may need to apply sun cream to their skin.”
However, some people on the forums are saying that sunscreen has an ingredient that is toxic to chickens. Nobody says what that ingredient is, or gives any source for this claim, but it’s a rumor floating around. I could not find any authoritative information on it one way or another.
So, really, it’s up to you if you want to take the risk. If you do decide your Naked Necks need a little sunscreen, you may want to go for a baby-safe sunscreen. These may be your safest option.
An alternative to sunscreen that some people have used on their chickens is coconut oil. Coconut oil is a natural sunscreen, although it’s nowhere near as effective at blocking the sun’s rays as actual sunscreen. It only blocks about 20% of damaging rays, whereas a sunscreen with SPF 30 blocks about 97%.
Still, coconut oil is better than nothing, and at the very least, will help your chicken’s bare, sun-exposed skin retain some moisture.
The most important thing you can do for you Naked Neck chickens, though, is make sure that they have plenty of shade. This way they can easily escape from the sun’s hot rays when they need to.
#9 Some Naked Neck strains are better in the cold than others.
All of the books I’ve read on chicken breeds say that Naked Necks actually tolerate the cold very well.
“Due to their naked, featherless neck, these chickens give the impression of being vulnerable. However, this is absolutely not the case. Of old, they survived the severe winters in Eastern Europe without problem.”
And some anecdotes do back this claim up. One chicken keeper said, “Don’t underestimate the missing feathers from their neck. They can withstand the bitter winters of negative digits (Fahrenheit)…”
And another said of her Naked Neck flock, “They had to be forced to go in the coop in below zero temps as they still wanted to hang out in the snow with their necks tucked under their feathers.”
However, I’ve come across just as many anecdotes that say the opposite. These Naked Neck chicken keepers say their birds don’t do well in the cold at all, and some of them really suffer.
One chicken keeper said of her Naked Neck hen, “We had to bring her in for the winter… she just wasn’t looking happy or healthy out in that cold. Once she settled in inside, to our amazement, she started laying!”
Why the discrepancy in cold tolerance in these chickens? Well, two things could be going on. One, some strains of Naked Neck may be better developed for the cold than others. Or two, people are using different definitions of “cold tolerance.”
Here’s something I learned the hard way as a first-time chicken keeper. “Cold-hardy” means your chickens survive in the cold, not that they thrive in the cold. Your chickens may be miserable and even get frostbite, but as long as they survive, your average chicken keeper would describe that as “doing great in the cold.”
The chicken keepers who are saying their Naked Necks don’t do well in the cold could very well be the people who care more about their chickens’ happiness and comfort.
#10 Your Naked Necks will be at risk for comb frostbite.
As is true for almost all single comb breeds—yes, including your best-known “cold-hardy” breeds like Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds—Naked Necks have a tendency to get frostbite on their combs.
Even some of the hens have combs so large they’re at a real risk for frostbite. For example, check out the size of the comb on the hen in the video below.
Some Naked Necks in Europe have small rose combs that are pretty much resistant to frostbite, but I’ve not been able to find that type here in the U.S., unfortunately.
However, there is a solution to this problem—and that is the Sweeter Heater. This is a radiant heater that you hang above your chickens’ roosting bars. It doesn’t heat the coop, but it warms the chickens on the roosting bars and prevents comb frostbite, particularly on those miserably cold winter nights.
You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here. I use them in all my coops and can’t recommend them highly enough. They are life-savers for single-combed breeds, and your Naked Necks will very much appreciate them!
#11 Naked Necks make excellent free-range birds.
Naked Necks absolutely love to forage, and they will spend much of the day foraging for their own food (although, you do still need to have feed available for them at all times).
One chicken keeper said of her Naked Neck flock, “They are hands down the best foragers I have.”
In the video below, you can see a Naked Neck hen who’s so good at foraging, she’s foraged herself up a tree (despite being a breed that doesn’t fly well). You can see her actually stretching her neck way out to eat the leaves off the branches! These are definitely intelligent and goofy birds!
#12 Your Naked Necks will be happier in a large backyard than in a tiny run.
Naked Necks aren’t happy in close confinement, but they do fine in a decent-sized run or yard. One chicken keeper said her Naked Neck chickens “prefer to be out all day in the yard or in the run.”
These are birds that like to scratch around and forage, so they do need some space for that. Additionally, if your backyard is really tiny, your Naked Necks will likely forage it into a wasteland in short order.
Below, you can see a flock of Naked Necks happily foraging in a backyard.
And here, you can see a couple of Naked Necks hanging out on a back porch. Watch it till the end so you can hear the Naked Neck rooster’s crow!
#13 Naked Neck chickens are escape artists.
If you talk to Naked Neck chicken keepers, there’s one thing you’ll hear over and over again: These birds are escape artists!
One Naked Neck keeper said of her flock, “Mine are too smart! They are the only ones to escape their coop!”
And another keeper had this story to tell:
“My birds are too smart for their own good and have a knack for squeezing through extremely small gaps (often resulting in torn delicate neck skin). I had to stitch one up this summer, he tore his neck so badly! At 3 months old the chicks would squeeze through 2" galvanized wire fencing and chain link, and attempt to get through any gap they could find. This is the only drawback [of the breed] I can think of.”
This is just another sign you shouldn’t keep your Naked Necks confined in too small of a run. They just won’t be happy there.
#14 Naked Neck chickens are docile sweethearts.
“Many people find Naked Necks revolting… but their characters are entirely different, for Naked Necks are pleasant company.”
Although individual chicken temperaments will vary within any breed, these chickens tend to be very friendly and docile. They love attention and can be very affectionate with their keepers.
One Naked Neck chicken keeper said, “All of my hens have been exceptionally sweet and friendly, and it’s not uncommon for them to perch on my lap, sometimes several at once, to be pet or just spend time with me.”
Another said, “They are like little feathered dogs, very happy to sweetly follow you around…”
And yet another said, “Of all my chickens, Naked Necks are by far my favorites. They are naturally friendly and ‘talkative.’ Mine like to jump in my lap and talk about their day.”
And, of course, these goofy-looking little birds have to have goofy personalities too. One chicken keeper told this story of her hen:
“We had one that liked to have the few feathers in 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.”
And another said, “They don’t seem to have much fear; they’re very bold and inquisitive. They perch on the dog and ride her around, cuddle with the cats.”
Below is a hilarious video of a Naked Neck chicken who follows her keeper everywhere, even when he tries to lose her.
What about the roosters? Most Naked Neck roosters are also very sweet, but, as with all breeds, you will find some individuals who may be aggressive.
#15 Naked Necks are one of the best chicken breeds for children.
Naked Necks are such sweethearts—children love them!
Skeptical? I’ll let little boy, Alan, tell you all about them.
#16 Naked necks do well in a mixed-breed flock.
Naked Necks generally get along well with other birds. They don’t tend to be aggressive, but they also do tend to stick up for themselves when need be. You can expect your Naked Necks to get along well with other standard-size breeds.
In the video below, you can see some Naked Necks peacefully integrated into a mixed-breed flock—and this flock even has multiple roosters.
#17 Naked Neck chickens are healthier than your average chicken.
The same gene that gives the Naked Necks their nakedness also leads to more immunocompetent birds. In general, these chickens have strong immune systems and are, to some degree, disease-resistant.
Why Naked Necks?
I hope I’ve convinced you in this article that there are numerous reasons why you might want Naked Necks, aside from their shock value (which is also a great reason!). This truly is such a unique breed in the chicken world.
I think this quote says it best:
“With a Naked Neck, you moreover have something really special in your chicken coop.”
Naked Necks: World’s ugliest chicken… or world’s cutest?
So, now that you are thoroughly familiar with Naked Necks, I ask you again.
The Naked Neck. Is she adorable, or is she hideous?
Let me know what you think below!
Breeds you may want instead of Naked Neck chickens
Naked Neck crosses
Naked Necks have been crossed with many other breeds—usually to create birds with a lot of shock value.
Perhaps the most common cross is the Showgirl chicken. This chicken is a mix of Naked Neck and Silkie genes. In my opinion, Showgirls are possibly the cutest chickens to ever walk the Earth—whereas my husband thinks they’re the ugliest.
You can see what Showgirl chickens look like in the video slideshow below:
And here, you can see a Naked Neck crossed with a Polish chicken—fast forward to about 1 minute into the video.
Other sweet dual-purpose breeds
If you just can’t get over the Naked Neck’s appearance, no worries! There are plenty of other breeds out there that may be perfect for you.
A few of my favorite dual-purpose breeds include, Barred Rocks, Sussexes, Buff Orpingtons, and Wyandottes. Learn more about these breeds in my articles below:
Buff Orpington chickens: The lovable, versatile egg-laying giants
Considering Wyandotte chickens? The 13 things you must know first
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Naked Neck sources
Bassom, Frances. Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care. Dorking: Interpet Publishing, 2011.
Damerow, Gail. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2017.
Damerow, Gail. The Chicken Health Handbook. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Dixon, Melanie. “Myth or fact: Coconut oil is an effective sunscreen,” Mayo Clinic Health System.
Ekarius, Carol. Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2007.
Fathi, M., El-Attur, A., Ali, U., and Nazmi, A., “Effect of the naked neck gene on carcase composition and immunocompetence in chicken,” British Poultry Science, v. 49, no. 2, 2008, p. 103-110.
Galal, A., “Immunocompetence and Some Hematological Parameters of Naked Neck and Normally Feathered Chicken,” The Journal of Poultry Science, v. 45, no. 2, 2008, p. 89-95.
Hobson, Jeremy and Lewis, Celia. Choosing & Raising Chickens: The Complete Guide to Breeds and Welfare. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 2009.
Singh, B., Singh, B.P., Singh, S., Chaudhuri, D., and Malik, C., “A Nobel Gene for Broiler Production in Tropical Climate,” Journal of Applied Animal Research, v. 13, no. 1-2, 1998, p. 37-48.
Verhoef, Esther and Rijs, Aad. The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens. Lisse: Rebo Publishers, 2005.
Young, Emma. “Featherless chicken creates a flap.” New Scientist.