Transylvanian Naked Neck

I’d be willing to bet that you’ve never heard of a Transylvanian Naked Neck, otherwise known, though incorrectly, as a Turken. Here is one I saw pecking about Temple Newsam Farm recently.



Until this week I thought that the names of breeds of chickens were all kind of warm and cuddly and reassuring. Buff Orpington. Blue Orpington. Rhode Island Red. Light Sussex. White Leghorn. Scots Dumpy. Cream Legbar. Duckwing Welsumer. Yorkshire Pillow. Okay, I invented the Yorkshire Pillow but all the rest are real and just the thing to make you go aaaaah. This is a good place to find out more.

And then there are the noises they make. Prrrrrrrp is my favourite. And their perpetual look of slight bewilderment. Not to mention the eggs.

Good things, chickens, altogether. But then I came across the Transylvanian Naked Neck, and I just don’t like its long, naked neck. Not that I have a problem with nudity in general, you understand: I just don’t like it on hens.

It’s also known as a Turken because, thanks to its naked neck, people thought it was a cross between a chicken and a turkey. It isn’t. You can’t.

They seem particularly keen on them in Australia. Go on, look at this site and you will find out more than you will ever need to know.