Unfeathered friends

You’re sure to be taken aback by the appearance of a Naked Neck chicken and not question the fact this breed has been known by names like Rubber Necks, Turkens and even Churkeys. Rest assured, it’s a dinky-di chook — no foul play has taken place with turkeys. It seems a random gene mutation centuries ago has resulted in birds with reduced feathering.

This scientific explanation puts a damper on the normal reaction, “Is it a victim of dog attack?” “Has the bird got a disease?” Along with the featherless areas on neck and breast, the skin turns a deep shade of red, and so the casual observer