Heritage & Exhibition Turkey Thread

[Jake Levi]

It might be time to just call them all as BWs.

 

[java girl 2]

I have some questions for you now!!

I need to know what I need to look for in breeding turkeys for show or in normle breeding ??

 

[sandspoultry]

The body shape is a sure way to tell a Midget from a Beltsville. The Beltsville has a more rounded body shape and the Midget is more football shaped. You can see it more in the hens than the toms. When they hatch a Beltsville poult looks like a small BBW poult. They are very stocky and solid and a Midget is smaller and lighter framed.

Sharon

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
First, buy a Standard of Perfection (SOP) at http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm

Then study it!

The book Turkey Management is very helpful. Available at http://www.amazon.com/Turkey-management-Stanley-J-Marsden/dp/B0007HHRPW

The SOP shows only ONE shape for turkeys. In other words, ALL turkeys should be the same type. There are only varieties of turkeys, not breeds. Weights vary by variety, but type does not.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
First, buy a Standard of Perfection (SOP) at http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm

Then study it!

The book Turkey Management is very helpful. Available at http://www.amazon.com/Turkey-management-Stanley-J-Marsden/dp/B0007HHRPW

The SOP shows only ONE shape for turkeys. In other words, ALL turkeys should be the same type. There are only varieties of turkeys, not breeds. Weights vary by variety, but type does not.

The Midgets aren't in the SOP Jim....hence the difference in the body shape from the Beltsville as I stated above as a way to tell them apart.

Do you raise Beltsville turkeys Jim or have any experience with them?

Sharon

 

[java girl 2]

Quote:
First, buy a Standard of Perfection (SOP) at http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm

Then study it!

The book Turkey Management is very helpful. Available at http://www.amazon.com/Turkey-management-Stanley-J-Marsden/dp/B0007HHRPW

The SOP shows only ONE shape for turkeys. In other words, ALL turkeys should be the same type. There are only varieties of turkeys, not breeds. Weights vary by variety, but type does not.

The SOP book?

ttooo much money for me right now!!!

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
I agree, the man raises BSW and knows one when he sees it.
I would not know the difference!
Is there any diference other than size?
The tricky part is, so many want MW eggs in an effort to "save" the dying breed and have a midget sized bird.
My Tom is leveling out at 19 pounds or so..so he must be a BSW...so he will be a BSW from here on out!
We have learned so much!

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
He indeed must be a BSW.all of them.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:

From http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/midgetwhite.html

The Midget White turkey was created in the early 1960s by Dr. J. Robert Smyth at the University of Massachusetts. It was developed to meet an anticipated demand for a small version of the broad breasted turkey. Since this market did not develop as predicted, the Midget White never become widely popular

We have Narragansett turkeys. However, I do own a copy of the current SOP. From the ALBC information the Midget White is a smaller version of the Broad Breasted White. Poultry judges have told me that the Midget White is so close to the Beltsville that it will never be accepted in the SOP. This is the Heritage & Exhibition Turkey Thread. Our goal is to promote varieities of turkeys taht are either in the SOP or could one day be accepted in the SOP. We currently have a discussion in the Exhibition Turkey Fanciers about the differences and similarities of the MW and BSW.

The Midget White has little to offer that the Beltsville Small White does not offer. Perhaps it would be best if folks wanting to raise a small heritage variety would support the Beltsville and preserve it. Even in the 1960's the Midget White never did catch on. It was one man's creation that failed. Listening to folks more familiar with the two varieties is enough for me to support the raising of the Beltsville over the Midget. However, if enough breeders of Midget Whites want to apply for acceptance in the Standard, the ETF would support that effort. But it is doubtful it would be accepted.​

 

[Chickielady]

Ok I went back through records.
My Tom was hatched July 2011, which makes him 5 months old.
He is pushing 20 pounds...and IF he is a BW, how much more weight will he gain until "mature" ?
I am at this point going to believe the 5 judges at the poultry show who said he is a BW, not a midget.
I have never seen a midget....so how to compare?
They apparently have.
My birds are way over sized for Midgets, and this at 5 mo of age.
So, I am raising Beltsvilles, not midgets.
I have gone over the info Jim has kindly sent, and looked at Feather site at the BW & the Midget, and I must say, at this age & weight, they must be Beltsvilles.
Brian Decker raises BW, and knows one when he sees one!
The man who sold me these poults swore they were Midget Whites, not Beltsvilles.
But I suspect he was trying to make a few bucks.
None the less, I am delighted with this breed...docile & endearing and they sure packed the meat on fast..and did not eat as much feed as you'd think...they love grass!
Thanks again for your detective skills, Jim!