Hatchery or Breeder Turkeys

[the simple life]

Does anyone feel there is a big difference in ordering heritage turkeys from a hatchery versus private breeders?
I want to start the heritage turkeys very soon but most breeders have not started selling hatching eggs yet and by the time I can get them and hatch them its going to be later than I want to start.
I can order bourbon reds and white holland poults from the hatchery and get them shipped in March and be good to go which is great because I want them to get big enough for the holidays but if I keep some as pets I am not sure how the quality would be for that.
I realize that stock varies from breeder to breeder and some may not be much or any better than the hatchery stock but on the whole what has anyone else experienced in this regard?

 

[farmerlor]

Well, in my little town we had a few hatchery birds go to the fair and win some nice prices. Would they have gone on to even a state level? I just really doubt it. I'm not any kind of expert at ALL when it comes to turks but even I could tell that one of the Bronze Toms didn't have good color and one of the Bourbon Toms was too small. For myself, my breeding stock consists of a hen out of Porter stock that I hatched and her mate who was a hatchery bird. My Midget Tom came from Steve and Sharon and his girls are also hatchery stock. With my Bourbons, they're both incredibly beautiful birds and I think they're probably close to good enough to show if I were so inclined which I'm not. My Midget is most definitely a beauty but his girls are not so quite so pretty. I plan to breed them and sell off the birds who don't really conform to what I'm hoping to breed for and who don't at least have some passing chance to place in a show and again, I'm not going to show but the people who buy from me are 4-H people and they want nice looking animals.

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

It is up to you to decide but hatchery birds you know are purebred but you run the risk of having some die and paying more for them. If you get some from a local breeder or even just a breeder that ships them you aren't sure they are purebreed but if you get them locally you don't have to pay as much and you don't have to worry about them dieing in shipment. I have recognized that some birds that you get from local breeders/breeders look pure breed but when you start hatching them you get all sorts of colors. Hope this helps

 

[sandspoultry]

With hatchery turkeys they in the business of selling as many as they can. I have heard that most of the turkey poults are drop shipped from Texas and New Mexico and they must be really big places to ship as many as they do. I think that is where the quality is lacking. From a quality breeder you are getting a nicer bird. My husband Steve is out with them all the time rating them. We hatched about 60 or more White Hollands last year for new breeders and when he is done there might be 10 that made the cut to be breeders.

Sharon

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
I agree with Sands Poultry, I have gotten some nice birds from Hatchery but have gotten much nicer better birds from breeders.
The choice is ultimately yours but for my money I can get better birds for not a lot more from a great breeder.


If you want Heritage breeds Bill and I have Jersy Buffs and I also just picked up a trio of Midget Whites.
can be picked up at Westford pm for a phone number for Bill and he can bring turkeys with him if he knows you want them.
I am hoping to have the Midget eggs for Westford at the begining of March.

 

[sandspoultry]

Thanks Gypsy. There is a night and day difference between breeder turkeys and hatchery birds.
Sharon