Broad Breasted White - Pet or Thanksgiving?

[Lamontelle4]

My experience is just the opposite. My BBWs never became aggressive.

Well that’s good. I don’t know what my turkeys problem was then. Maybe they were upset for some other reason. Every Single broad breasted white I had would become severely aggressive and attack me and my family members for seemingly no apparent reason. I guess everyone has very different experiences with them. I was never very fond of them, and I enjoyed having the broad breasted bronze more. It could have just been the fact that I live in Oregon USA and in the summers it would get really hot outside so maybe they were agitated by the heat. I tried to keep them in an air conditioned environment as much as possible but they still had rough days.

 

[R2elk]

Well that’s good. I don’t know what my turkeys problem was then. Maybe they were upset for some other reason. Every Single broad breasted white I had would become severely aggressive and attack me and my family members for seemingly no apparent reason. I guess everyone has very different experiences with them. I was never very fond of them, and I enjoyed having the broad breasted bronze more. It could have just been the fact that I live in Oregon USA and in the summers it would get really hot outside so maybe they were agitated by the heat. I tried to keep them in an air conditioned environment as much as possible but they still had rough days.

All of the aggressive turkeys that I have had to deal with were imprinted by people when they were poults. This applied to both BBs or heritage turkeys.

Food Effect on Aggressive Turkeys

 

[Lamontelle4]

All of the aggressive turkeys that I have had to deal with were imprinted by people when they were poults. This applied to both BBs or heritage turkeys.

Food Effect on Aggressive Turkeys

Well that might have been the reason then. I know I had this one turkey that whenever I went into the pen she would attack me and start making this weird noise to tell me off.

 

[jjb1953]

Did you decide to raise your turkey as a pet? I have no experience with turkeys but wanted to mention I did raise a cornish X hen as a pet. I was also warned about heart and leg issues. My girl lived 2 pretty healthy years. She was 16 pounds when she died. She only dev noticeable health issues the last few weeks of her life. Prior to that she free ranged far distances .... even attempted to fly when I called in for treats (running across the yard), she could get up on the top roost (and get down). She was an awesome pet. By far my fav chicken.

In the beginning I thought she was a leghorn .... until she doubled in size as the rest of the flock ... at that point she could barely stand. Once I realized what she was, I built her her own cage and had her exercise daily ...if she wanted to eat, she had to walk up one ramp ... and walk up a different ramp to drink. As an adult, she was in with my egg layers and ate with they ate ... including free ranging and finding bugs.
For us it was a great experience.

 

[teriz1091]

Yes, unless something happens such as the turkey becomes aggressive or is too loud to keep in town, Pebbles is safe from the freezer. My daughter loves him/her & constantly carries him around.

 

[meckieluva1988]

My husband wanted a turkey last time we were at Tractor Supply, so we came home with a Broad Breasted White. Initially I told him it would be Thanksgiving dinner since they are meat birds, but our 3yr old has named it & handles it daily, so it’s friendly.

I’ve never had a meat turkey before. Is the BBW the Cornish X of the turkey world? Will it outgrow it’s body if I don’t butcher it in a timely manner? Would it be inhumane to try to keep Pebbles as a pet? I don’t know how large they get or how quickly. I have no problem putting Pebbles on the dinner table if the alternative is letting the turkey suffer because it grows too large to support itself.

picture of the curious little stinker because Pebbles is cute.
View attachment 2158440

I know this is a very old post but I would of loved finding this reply when I was asking this question myself last year so it's for future people who get into this situation. I had a hen and a tom. The tom passed due to a foot injury that I honestly could of dealt with my knowledge now. Keep them exercised and fed plenty of veggies and Vitimins and you should be okay. Mine is the best pet I've ever had. She follows me like a dog and stays right where she should. If you run into a limp quarantine into a smallish space so they don't walk around too much and give them tumeric.

 

[Judykaymayes]

Sorry, yes. It’s 24% starter for turkeys & game birds.

Csn the be fed with ducks

 

[R2elk]

Can the be fed with ducks

The person you replied to hasn't been on BYC since August 2023.

It is not a good idea to brood turkey poults and ducklings together. Poults need to be dry. Ducklings make a wet mess of their brooder.

The 24% protein feed is not a proper starter feed for poults. They should have a 28 to 30% protein starter.

 

[Judykaymayes]

The person you replied to hasn't been on BYC since August 2023.

It is not a good idea to brood turkey poults and ducklings together. Poults need to be dry. Ducklings make a wet mess of their brooder.

The 24% protein feed is not a proper starter feed for poults. They should have a 28 to 30% protein starter.

Than makes good sence