WildBird
Lovin' The Homestead
Thank you!
Thank you! I'll start checking around, though nearly nobody keeps turkeys around here.
Turkeys?
- Thread starter baymule
- Start date
WildBird
Lovin' The Homestead
Thank you! Here I go...
A year, okay. I would definitely go for a heritage breed, and if I like them I might keep a pair or two around throughout winter so I can breed in the spring.
What breeds do you recommend? Egg laying is a bonus, but not necessary. And hatcheries you would recommend? My local hatchery doesn't have heritage breeds.
farmerjan
Super Self-Sufficient
The difference in the bb turkeys from the standard breeds is like killing a cockerel from your laying hens and a cornish. They have a fair amount breast meat, but not big huge full plump breast of the bb hybrids.....
The bourbon reds have nice carcasses. The royal palms are just a smaller more compact breed.... they are more like a "runner duck" compared to a "pekin"...... I only ate one because I had constant orders for people wanting breeders, and all.... it was good. Honestly, for the money put into the feed and all....feeding a broad breasted one is more economical in the end .....return on input. They need to be killed off at 20-30 lbs live weight so that you have a manageable size bird. All the bb ones that I raised out on pasture did very good. They are smarter than most give them credit for.
But I want to raise some Beltsville whites and Midget whites to do some comparisons. They are suppose to have more breast than some of the other standard breeds of turkeys. They were actually developed to produce a smaller sized table bird with all the good things of the other commercial birds. Neither are "broad breasted" but both are supposed to have more "breast" meat..... I would like to have some to show.....and eat.....
If you want to look at colors Porters heritage turkeys is really into gene typing and all sorts of different colors.
If you are not keen on flyers, then the Royal Palms might be too athletic for you. The Bourbon Reds will fly up to 10-12 ft off the ground....I've seen them fly up on a coop roof, then higher into a tree. That is one thing that the bb's don't do... they don't fly....
The bourbon reds have nice carcasses. The royal palms are just a smaller more compact breed.... they are more like a "runner duck" compared to a "pekin"...... I only ate one because I had constant orders for people wanting breeders, and all.... it was good. Honestly, for the money put into the feed and all....feeding a broad breasted one is more economical in the end .....return on input. They need to be killed off at 20-30 lbs live weight so that you have a manageable size bird. All the bb ones that I raised out on pasture did very good. They are smarter than most give them credit for.
But I want to raise some Beltsville whites and Midget whites to do some comparisons. They are suppose to have more breast than some of the other standard breeds of turkeys. They were actually developed to produce a smaller sized table bird with all the good things of the other commercial birds. Neither are "broad breasted" but both are supposed to have more "breast" meat..... I would like to have some to show.....and eat.....
If you want to look at colors Porters heritage turkeys is really into gene typing and all sorts of different colors.
If you are not keen on flyers, then the Royal Palms might be too athletic for you. The Bourbon Reds will fly up to 10-12 ft off the ground....I've seen them fly up on a coop roof, then higher into a tree. That is one thing that the bb's don't do... they don't fly....
WildBird
Lovin' The Homestead
They're beautiful!
You keep your turkeys with your chickens? I know there are a lot of rumors about blackhead, what is your opinion?
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WildBird
Lovin' The Homestead
Ah, thank you!
- Thread starter
- #106
baymule
Sustainability Master
Hahahaha!!
WildBird
Lovin' The Homestead
I'm considering going for Beltsville Small Whites, because the closest person to have them as far as I can tell is in Oklahoma (I'm in Idaho). But I have heard their taste is bland compared to Midget Whites? It is hard to find any info on them because the two are commonly confused.
