Pre-Plucked Chickens

Seedless watermelon was one thing, but a featherless chicken? An Israeli researcher is growing bald birds that will stay cool in the sweaty Middle East and other hot regions.

The less fatty, crossbred chickens will fare better in warm tropical climates, where expensive cooling systems are needed to raise poultry, said Hebrew University's Avigdor Cahaner on Tuesday. The new birds are also better for the environment because without a feathery coat, no water or machinery is needed to process them.

Cahaner crossbred normal chickens with birds already balding because of a naturally occurring "naked neck" gene. The result is a somewhat funny-looking, normal sized boiler chicken that carries the special naked gene.

The university's agriculture school has several dozen of the new chickens, and Cahaner expects the birds could be commercially produced within two years.

They could catch on in developing countries, where poorer farmers often can't afford the expensive cooling systems. Without proper ventilation up to 20 percent of chickens can die because of the heat, Cahaner said.

Without feathers, the chickens are not only more likely to survive the heat, they are better for the environment, he said.

"Defeathering means all the feathers are dumped along with a lot of wasted water and electricity," Cahaner said. "We're talking about sustainable agriculture. Farming should be aimed at reducing waste."

Plucking feathers also damages chickens and leaves them with blistered wings and legs.

Israel's new breed is also leaner and more nutritious, Cahaner said.

Cahaner admits the birds wouldn't flourish everywhere; they'd get chilly in colder climates.

And what about sunburns? No problem; most commercially raised chickens are already kept in the shade under roofs.