Bronze vs Broad-breasted Bronze

[Willowbrook]

I was given two turkey hens (I think). I know one is a hen as she has laid eggs, but both seem to sit the eggs. I don't know if a Tom will do that or not?

My main question is whether these are just Bronze or the Broad-breasted version. How can I tell? The woman I got them from was given them as chicks by a neighbor who ordered them and she is clueless as to what they are.

If they are both hens, I would like to get a Tom, but would need to know what species.

I just thought to ask this tonight so I don't have pictures to post, yet.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[ninjapoodles]

If you're just breeding for your own use, the turkeys wouldn't necessarily have to be of the same variety. Lots of folks here at BYC have kept BBW or BBB turkey hens and crossed them with standard (heritage breed) Toms. If your hens ARE the broad-breasted variety, and you got a BB Tom, he wouldn't be able to do the job, anyway. The very thing that makes them desirable as food makes them incompetent at reproducing naturally.

If you can post pictures, there are LOTS of really great, well-informed and experienced turkey folks here who could help ID them and help tell the genders. I have heard that some toms will sit eggs, but I don't know how common that is.

 

[Willowbrook]

Thanks Ninjapoodles.

That was precisely the reason I wanted to know. I read where the weight of these birds prohibit natural reproduction and shortens their life span.
They will not be butchered so I wanted to keep them around with an appropriate mate.

I'll get some pics tomorrow, hopefully.

Going to the post office (hopefully) to pick up a duck order from Holderreads.

Tomorrow will be just like Christmas for me!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
If you have a pair of broad-breasted hens, then any sort of Tom you wish to have around would be an "appropriate" mate, and I'd get whatever kind you enjoy looking at!

And if you have a pair of BBBs, male and female, then you probably won't get any babies, but you'll still have lovely turkeys to look at and enjoy.

Miss Prissy just butchered her Thanksgiving turkeys, which were BBB, and they were HUGE, but she kept out some of the hens and plans to breed them to her standard toms next year. She said that the hens can fly, and the toms, though huge, get around pretty well. If you can find that post of hers (probably in the meat birds section), you can get a good look at the birds.