Double breasted turkeys?

[BlackRubleHatch]

I have a few questions for you good folks that might know more about turkeys then myself which won't be hard seeing that I don't know anything about them lol.
1. How much compared to a chicken, how much do they eat?
2. Are turkeys are susceptible to disease?
3. Are they cold/heat harty?
4. Are double breasted turkeys hard to raise to egg laying age?
5. Do they have to be on special diets (double breasted birds) to keep them from breaking their legs?
6. Will their eggs be fertil if I artificial inseminat hens and actually hatch healthy keets?
Sorry for all the questions. I'd like to have all the information to raise and keep healthy birds before I buy them.

 

[cavemanrich]

Hi, and WELCOME here.

The only thing I know about turkeys is there are 2 ways to cook them. Bake in conventional oven with all the stuffin..... JUM JUM JUM.. and alternate fast route of deep frying in peanut oil. TASTY TASTY TASTY.
But I will follow this thread to learn more just as you will the same.

WISHING YOU BEST

 

[BlackRubleHatch]

I love turkey any way that it can be cooked. I love it!!!

 

[BlackRubleHatch]

I am trying to raise healthier more satisfying food for me and my family and make a little money to pay for feed and the birds. I'll be raising big stock chickens, gamefowl, hopefully turkeys, and a couple hogs. All of them will be non-gmo and no growth hormones. I'll also be raising a big nice garden with no chemical fertilizers at all. I'm gonna get a full check-up before I start a year of eating nothing but what I have grown myself and after the year get another check-up at the end of the year to see how my health has improved. I'm excited to see how it goes.

 

[copper2]

I've never had broad breasted turkeys before, but would suggest heritage( which I raise!) there immune systems are better, can free range well, which means less feed! There also very pretty and loving and are better than chickens I think!!!! They seem to eat a lot but I'm not sure how much they eat on average.... They also don't have joint problems like broad breasted do. They can fly well, and can fly into trees easily ( or a roof) you can get easily attached to them, and each turkey has a different personality. Beware they will chase you for feed, if there hungry! I usually feed them in the afternoon. They lay big eggs that have very hard shells! There supposed to be seasonal layers but two of my hens where laying only about a week ago but now have gone broody! Hope this helps,
Copper2

 

[copper2]

Heritage turkeys are heat/ cold hardy, just check on them make sure they have access to water and shade. If you want to breed BBW or BBBs I have no experience with them.

 

[copper2]

http://m.porterturkeys.com/site/mob...c137c934fc7268582d53a1&fb_sig_network=fw#0103 you should look at this heritage turkeys

 

[copper2]

They're pre-ordering right now and have a special breeders choice, going on right now!

 

[BlackRubleHatch]

Thank you! Ill be probably getting heratiage birds. I may raise a few double breasted birds just for meat tho.

 

[copper2]

There's also midget whites which are broad breasted white minis! They can breed naturally, but are small. I think a heritage tom can breed a broad breasted hen, but the hybrids usually are smaller then a BBW or BBB. I started turkeys sometime last winter, they are loving birds, and I hope you get some!