Free ranging turkey breeds

[copper2]

I am wanting to get a turkey that can find food for itself, can fly well( not broad breasted), raises chicks naturally, and is very flavorful( Thanksgiving) I'm looking at royal palms, but have read they aren't the best for eating.

The turkeys don't have to be huge!

 

[R2elk]

I am wanting to get a turkey that can find food for itself, can fly well( not broad breasted), raises chicks naturally, and is very flavorful( Thanksgiving) I'm looking at royal palms, but have read they aren't the best for eating.

The turkeys don't have to be huge!

Pretty much any heritage turkey can meet your requirements. The only possible reason that someone would say that Royal Palms aren't the best for eating is because of their size. They are one of the smaller varieties of heritage turkeys.

I currently have a Self Blue (aka Lavender) tom that has been banished from the turkey pen and he has been feeding himself all summer with no supplements from me (winter would be a different matter) and he does not appear to have lost any weight.

Royal palm toms that I have butchered have weighed 14 to 15 lbs. dressed weight. Bourbon Red toms have dressed out at 20 to 24 lbs. and Blue Slates have dressed at 18 to 22 lbs.

A neighbor raises Narragansetts and he allows his turkeys to free range and to hatch and brood their own. Of course they lost 60% of their poults to wet grass and predators.

 

[copper2]

Thank you so much for the info!