Considering getting turkeys, advise please?

[marlene]

I am thinking of getting 3 turkeys, to breed and for meat. I am thinking of breeding them every year for meat, for myself and for family members for christmas dinners.
I have found a breeder selling slate female, slate male and a norfolk black female, are these good choices for what i am needing them for?
What size do these breeds normally grow to?
Are the females broody and good mothers?
What will i get if i cross the slate and the norfolk black?
How long to will it take a new hatch to grow to a decent size, suitable for the table?

Sorry for all the questions, i do not know much about turkeys but it's some thing i would like to get into so that we can become a bit more self substained.
I have been reading as much as i can on this thread and have learnt a lot from it, but i am not familiar with the different breeds of turkey.
I would appreciate all the help you folks on here can give me, any advise or suggestions will be great.

Thanks in advance

 

[ivan3]

As far as genetics/color results go (not specific to your question but some of the more knowledgeable folks who might be able to answer with some specificity), check posts #27/28 in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/617762/calling-all-turkey-colour-experts-blue-narangasett-pics I expect that if you perform an advanced search (user name) you'll get more info (they probably post over in the genetics forum as well).

Slates or Blacks would both be good as meat birds. Hang on to the heavier boys to use for breeding. We don't eat our Slates but have observed considerable variation in `mass' between individual toms from the same hatch (up to 4.5 kilos). All of our hens, regardless of variety, have been, or have tried to be, good mothers.

Here are a couple of sites: http://porterturkeys.com/ (lots of info on varieties)
http://albc-usa.org/downloads.html#turkey (general how-to)

 

[DM]

We got our Blue Slates about 1 yr ago. We selected Slates because we heard they reproduced better than most and were gentle. We found this to be true. We also read that smaller Toms have more success with the females. Our birds are laying eggs now and the males are breeding with the females. Size did not seem to matter. I do notice that the females choose the males. They will not sit down or stay down if they do not like a male...funny thing... right now we are hatching more in a brooder...will see how many are fertile. I did not candle this batch so it will be a surprise...We want to continue with our own stock for our food, for eggs ( they lay about a 100 plus eggs a yr.) and we want to sell Slates also.
We found them to be nice pets. the males just prance around all day trying to attract the females but the female are curious and friendly, even like to be held...My grandchildren and one of the female Slates have a thing going...so cute to watch.