picking out a poult?

[insanity]

I ordered 1 female turkey from my local feed store. They are getting "holiday" whites and bronze varieties. I will not be butchering and want this bird to be a pet and live with my chickens.Which breed would be better adapted for my needs or does it even matter?

Thanks,

 

[Lagerdogger]

First, I would get at least two turkeys because they like company and birds of a feather....

Second, many feed stores only get broad-breasted birds. If you want pets with longevity, you want heritage breeds. Standard bronze is the obvious choice for a "natural" looking bird, and Naragansetts are a close second. Palms are interesting, and some like blues blacks, or chocolates. It's really a question of what color YOU like more than anything else.

 

[insanity]

Thanks,
I can't get heritage in locally so meat variety will have to do for now. If I like turkeys maybe I can order in eggs next year. A friend in town here has a Bourbon red tom who is a great guard against smaller predators (cats,rodents and such)for his chickens.My friend did have to separate his turkey a few weeks ago because the tom got spring fever and was beating up the rooster, I figured a hen shouldn't have that issue and hens aren't as loud as toms.

 

[retlaw]

Do expect your pet to live more then a year or two max unless you get a heritage breed.
And find a corner for it to sit because it will be spending most of its days sitting because its legs can't handle the weight.
In other words the factory birds make crappy pets.
I would get a heritage and avoid all the issues.

 

[insanity]

I realize meat birds don't live as long as heritages but they simply aren't available around here unless I order 10 + chicks. A hen should be lighter wieght and with free ranging and diet she shouldn't get to heavy,,I hope. Even if she does being my pet is still a better life than other more common turkey lifestyles. Besides this is sorta a test to see if I even like having a turkey or like waterfowl I don't( learned the hard way on that one). Maybe next year I can order in heritage eggs to hatch, something prettier like a blue maybe.

 

[retlaw]

What are you going to do if you get tom?

 

[insanity]

Send it to my friends house for dinner. He butchers out several every fall. He just got attached to one and kept it last year.

 

[chicken pickin]

If you look at craigslist or ask on your states thread here on BYC you may find some heritage poults. If you have an incubator you can have eggs mailed to you. Also call around to different feed stores in your area there may be one that gets in heritage birds.

I agree with the other that the Broad Breasted are not meant for pets. Yes they have great personalities and are super friendly but they do grow fast and get super heavy. When I raise the Broad Breasted they free range everyday and have a restricted diet and even doing that at the age of 5months the males were 32 and 37 lbs and the hens were both 25.5 lbs. They walked horrible toward the end and it made me sad and every day couldn't wait for process day because I felt bad for them. They make great meat birds but I would never make one a pet. I also raise Bourbon Reds and they are treated the same, free range and restricted diets and do SOOOOO much better.

 

[insanity]

Don't worry I will not let it suffer. If the wieght becomes an issue my pet will become dinner. Mainly I was originally asking which of the two breeds available to me would work better. I think I will go with the bronze. If I like keeping turkeys I will probably switch to a heritage breed.

How do they breed new generations if the legs go out before they are old enough to lay/reproduce? Just curious.

 

[Arielle]

Don't worry I will not let it suffer. If the wieght becomes an issue my pet will become dinner. Mainly I was originally asking which of the two breeds available to me would work better. I think I will go with the bronze. If I like keeping turkeys I will probably switch to a heritage breed.

How do they breed new generations if the legs go out before they are old enough to lay/reproduce? Just curious.

Hi Insanity-- I've raised BBW and several heritage breeds. My BBW sat the last month by the feed bunk waiting for "the day" to arrive. THey are not designed to live long. While I don't know for sure, I'm am betting the breeding stock is managed differently than the stock raised for the dinner table. Perhaps restricted feed-- but I am guessing. As it is my heritage toms waddle place to place, but the girls fly.

THis is a good time of year to get turkey eggs for incubating--- keep a female or two, and have the boys for dinner. Unless you do like I did, they are too sweet to eat.