The Naked Neck chicken first appeared in Romania and Transylvania in about the 1920s These birds lacking neck feathers, were selectively bred, soon becoming popular and eventually spreading into England and the United States in the 1960s The Naked Neck chicken is an officially recognized breed by the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association

Unlike the name implies, the Turken is NOT a mix between a turkey and a chicken It is simply a chicken breed with a trait that gives it less feathers There are actually 50% less feathers