Bourbon Red, Naragansett or Royal Palm....or all???

[snewman]

I found a craigslist ad for poults of all three breeds. This is just my second year with turkeys, I only had BBW last year but would like to get into a self-propagating breed. Soooooo, should I get a couple or three of each of these breeds, hoping there's a male and a female of each, or just pick one breed (HOW DO I CHOOSE????) and get maybe six? I just can't decide!!! I guess I would ideally like to have mating pairs and hatch my own, eventually. Any thoughts?

 

[KellyHM]

If you buy 2 of each the odds are against for ending up with 3 pairs. I personally like my Royal Palms better than the Bourbon Reds. I think they're prettier plus the RP gobbler has a much better attitude. Here's a picture of "George" for some inspiration:

 

[farmerlor]

I think, and I could be wrong, but I think the Bourbons are going to be a meatier bird for the table. Certainly they're usually first or second in taste tests but I'm not terribly sure that the Palms would have been included in those tests.
I've got Bourbons and I adore them but we haven't actually eaten any of them yet.

 

[ChanceRider]

I love my BRs, friendly, curious, beautiful and they DO taste great. Personally I'd suggest buying at least 4 of whatever variety you decide on. That way hopefully you'd get your breeders and can process the extras for your freezer. I had 18 in the summer and am now down to just my "keepers" plus a few extra that we'll process soon.

 

[zephyrcreek]

It depends on what you are looking for. Royal Palms have been selected for looks not utility. BR's have been selected for meat and the few I have been around have been very personable to the point of being obnoxiously friendly. Naragansett were a meat bird, but are so rare they may not have been selected as much as needed recently. I personally have chosen Naragansetts for our farm. The dress out well and are nice meaty birds. I would have considered BR, but a good friend raises and sells those locally.

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

i love my Royal Palms. They are both nice and calm. The tom likes me more than his hen (he follows me around the yard and leaves the hen by herself LOL). The hen started laying this week and has lain one everyday since Wed. She layed her first on tues., she skipped wed. and has layed every other day.

 

[runamuck]

Naragansettare awesome, friendly and fun to have around. Havent butchered any as of yet but more thn likey will after this yrs breeding season. My friend had a royal palm turkey and he was the coolest bird ever he loved people and was always strutting all it took was for you to tell him he was a pretty bird and instant strut mode.

Larry ,curly and Moe

Fronze the royal palm

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Why does his tail feathers look so bad

?

 

[runamuck]

Well ...... Thats what happens to turkeys who spend alot of time in show cages and that pic was taken at the end of the yr and after 6 or so shows one was 2 wks at the state fair soooo its tough on tail feathers Also in this pic he was almost 7 yrs old sooooo part of it was I think age

 

[DaKid]

snewman
02/19/2010 12:01 pm I found a craigslist ad for poults of all three breeds. This is just my second year with turkeys, I only had BBW last year but would like to get into a self-propagating breed. Soooooo, should I get a couple or three of each of these breeds, hoping there's a male and a female of each, or just pick one breed (HOW DO I CHOOSE????) and get maybe six? I just can't decide!!! I guess I would ideally like to have mating pairs and hatch my own, eventually. Any thoughts?

Well Are you looking for them as pets or 4 raiseing and eating

I have a pr. or BR and a tom w/ 3 female's of Royal plams Turkeys that I keep from last yr. they are beauitful , clam and I love the way get along all together . If ur looking for a meat bird (turkey) to eat I would get Gaint white or the Broadbreasted Bronze they tast great . but for pets they BR and the Royals , and I ALSO liKE THE bLUE sLATE WHICH i LOOKING TO ADD TO MY fLOCK OF tURKEYS​