Bronze heritage turkey or BBB?

[turkaholic]

How does he walk? If he's a BBB, he will walk slow, with a side to side step as if he has a two-by-four wedged between his legs. A standard bronze, even a large standard will still be able to walk relatively normal, and even run. But like Steve, I think you have a BBB if he's to heavy to lift!

 

[moetrout]

Yep sure looks like BBB now. What do you think?

 

[moetrout]

So if this is a broad breated bronze how long can he live? If he is doomed a short life then TG dinner he is. If he can stick around we'd like that. I'm good with it either way.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

How old is he Moe? looking at the one pic from the front he doesn't have the wide spread legs of a BBB but from the side he does have the rounded body shape. There is no telling how long a BB type will make it. Some people do keep them for years, keep a close eye out for leg problems, make sure he has plenty to space to move around. Only one way to find out how long he will make it.

Steve

 

[moetrout]

He is 18 weeks old. I wish there was some way to tell for sure if he is BB. I don't want to NOT eat him and then have him die on me. I guess I'll have to see how he's doing about mid-November and make the decision then. Right now all my birds (6 chickens and 1 turkey) are crammed into a small coup at night, but free range in my back yard all day every day. The new coup is in progress and should give ample room for him at night.

 

[goldenluver]

I would give him just 2 more months then you will know.

first, he appears large, yes but..........he seems real log legged and gracefull in his stance for a BBB

here are som pictures of mine at 6.5 months, I am finishing them out before butchering

and the smaller one in front is a RPx with another heiritage breed and it is about 19 weeks

 

[OmaBird]

A comerical breed BBW at 17 to 20 weeks should weigh 26.4 to 32.3 pounds says a UC Davis site I was reading. I would think BBB might be smaller because they are not breed comercialy anymore and are not the super hybrids that the whites are. I have posted before about my old BBB turkey. They can live long if you did not throw to much food at them when they are young. I think he was about 4 when the picture was taken.

That is mud on his feet. You can see his beard.

 

[moetrout]

I am soooo tempted to weigh him, but I'm having issues with pinched nerves in my back and that would probably send me off to the doc if I did try it.

 

[OmaBird]

He does look like my heritage bronze. I will try to get a picture if I get a chance before I leave. I am packing for Las Vegas.

 

[goldenluver]

last years BBB turkeys dressed out at 33lbs. I assume they weighed close to 45-50lbs. before processing. the ones in my previous post are about there now, I just want them to eat feed and greens only for a few weeks for flavor.