Good turkey for a pet?

[deerman]

Agree DO NOT get any BB white or bronze. Asking for a sad life for them, they get to heavy for their legs and etc.

For pet hen better than a Tom, less trouble with other birds. Had a Tom kill one of my peacocks.

Tom can get mean, most dont but i have seen a few.

A few other on here do raise alot of breeds, I have Royal Palms, and Bronze, not sure of the other breed, but the Palms are tame and easy on the eyes.

 

[moduckman]

Bronze turkeys are great (not all bronze are broad breasted) I raise show turkeys and have had several breeds. I currently just have the standard bronze we raise and show. The Palms were beautiful, but can be flighty. The narragansett's are a lot like the bronze in temperment, but the meanest toms I had (to other birds, not me) was the Narragansett toms. The Bourbon reds have a great disposition and the slates do to. Hens can be quite friendly. Toms tend to want to breed, whatever is closest if no turkey hens are around. It will all depend on how you raise them.

 

[ricklo]

I have aBlk Spanish Tom and two Bronze hens and the Tom loves to be be picked up and sits and lets the kids pet him.

 

[coloradochick]

Why do the males of most species have to be prettier than the females?

What would be the smallest of the Turkey family?

And do the females lay eggs like a duck does? Are they good for eating, baking?

 

[Struttn1]

As they get older, toms can become very aggressive toward people especially young children. I have a Black Spanish tom who was given to me last year by the lady who hand raised him from a 2 day old poult. When he reached 4 years he became very aggressive toward her and the young kids in her daycare.

He has not been a problem here since the young toms have established their dominance over him and he has lost his aggressive behavior.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
The smallest would be Midget Whites and Beltsville Whites. Toms about 20 pounds hens 12-ish. Both were bred to be a smaller meat type turkey. the Belts from the 1930's the midgets from the 50's.

most turkey hens lay every other day, eggs about twice the size of a chicken egg. Duck eggs are the better baking eggs but turks are good to. They make a nice over easy egg.

Steve in NC

 

[TexasVet]

I must be the unlucky one... my experience with turkeys has NOT been good. Our Rio Grande tom followed us around like a dog. That is, until he reached breeding age. Then he nearly killed two of my hens, and tried to mate with my poor duck too. So we got two hens to keep him company.

Second problem... once he had hens to impress, he attacked me every time I went into the coop to collect the eggs. It got to where I had to carry a stick every time I left my back yard.

Third problem... he hated the riding lawn mower, and would chase it non-stop for an hour at a time trying to defend his territory.

I've gotten rid of all of them except one hen, and I'm trying to trade her for a couple of Mallards via Craigslist.

Kathy in Texas

 

[coloradochick]

Hey thanks you guys for all the replies. Seems it might be easier to just stick with chickens and ducks for now.