Are these broad breasted whites?

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Hummingbird Hollow

Hummingbird Hollow

Songster
8 Years
Jul 1, 2011
1,499
172
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Colorado mountains
My four feed-store turkeys are now about 15 weeks old. I'm surprised that they aren't larger than they are. I was told they were Broad Breasted Whites, but when I look at photos of BBW, they are ALL white. My turkeys have black markings on their feathers, especially along the back. I'll post some photos when I get home this afternoon. In the meanwhile, are there other white breeds?
 
White Hollands are another white turkey variety. Also, there are Beltsville Small Whites, but they are rare in the United States. If your turkeys have black markings on their back, could they possibly be Royal Palm turkeys? Those don't grow quite as big as Broad Breasted Whites, and they are not pure white, either. A photo would certainly help.
 
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Maybe they are mixed with some other breed or palms, which are usually raised as eye candy or pets as they are not all that tender or tasty, I have been told by friends who grew them. Holland Whites, Midget Whites, and BBW are all white feathered turkeys. Pictures would be a big help. Feed stores usually only sell BBW and BBB for around $6, Heritage poults sell for $10 to $15 and mixed heritage breeds go for around $7 to $8, if that helps any?
 
Celie said:
These are Royal Palms and at $8, you got a real steal of a deal! They are the eye candy of the turkey world and make great pets! Good luck!
Click to expand...
Hmmm, while it is nice to get a real steal of a deal, I am actually partners with a friend, splitting the cost of purchase and feed in order to have a ethicaly raised Thanksgiving dinners plus some turkey sausage that my daughter will actually eat (she was the one who triggered first the egg laying chickens, then the meat chickens and then the recent move to turkeys). She hasn't participated in Thanksgiving dinner for three years, since she watched some videos and read some articles on the inhumane raising and butchering proccesses in most commercial farms.

What would you do if you were me: a) butcher them at 20 or so weeks? b) see if anyone wants to buy or trade for a different breed or c) start a breeding program with what seems to be 2 toms and 2 hens.

The fact of the matter is, keeping them as pets will never fly with my husband, who barely tolerates all my livestock as it is.
 
I pick B. If that doesn't work, I would then go with A. While a breeding program would be nice, if you got turkeys for meat, I think that it is best to keep that goal.
 

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