Breeding Broad Breasted White Turkeys?

[LikeTurkeys]

I've heard that they can't mate naturally, is this true? I don't have any right now but I've had them before and they are EXPENSIVE! so I want to see if I can breed my own. Have any of you ever had any success with them?

Thanks.

 

[R2elk]

I've heard that they can't mate naturally, is this true? I don't have any right now but I've had them before and they are EXPENSIVE! so I want to see if I can breed my own. Have any of you ever had any success with them?

Thanks.

BBWs are commercially raised through the use of artificial insemination. It is the most efficient method of reproduction on a large scale required for the turkey meat market.

BBWs are by far the cheapest turkeys to buy as poults making it more efficient to purchase poults annually rather than trying to breed your own. At least one site sells them for $3.75 per poult with a 20 poult minimum order and you can get them sexed or straight run.

Broad breasted turkeys can successfully naturally mate. Prior to the onset of artificial insemination, they were bred naturally. It is recommended to use yearling turkeys for the breeding stock since the older birds can get too big too quickly making it very difficult for them to successfully mate.

You can also learn to do artificial insemination yourself.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Thanks. Where I live they cost at least 10 bucks each, and I don't necessarily want that many. AI is probably the way to go then.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks. Where I live they cost at least 10 bucks each, and I don't necessarily want that many. AI is probably the way to go then.

My experience in dealing with minimums that are more than I want is to either find someone else to share an order or what I normally do is to buy the minimum and advertise the extras for sale as soon as I get them. I have not had any trouble selling the extras so far.