How to tell if it is a commercial white?

[Mentzer6]

We went to the feed store and picked up one of each kind of turkey they had. All have feathering on their wings, backs,etc but still downy on the head. Then, in a pen all by itself was a downy turkey just starting to feather on the wings. It is feathering out white and is yellow with a lighter brown shading on the head. Store clerk told us it was a Royal Palm, but when we got home and looked through a hatchery catalog, we noticed that the coloring is more like a commercial white poult. NOT what we wanted. So, how early do they start to chunk out and look like a meat bird? We accidentally got a Cornish Cross this spring and do not want to repeat this with a turkey!

 

[MissTurkey4]

Broad breasted whites can grow faster and have thicker legs. Royal Palms are small birds that start to get color at 3-6 weeks.

 

[Lagerdogger]

I don't know how things are where you live, but around here, the only thing you will find at feed stores are broad-breasted turkeys...

 

[Denninmi]

My royal palm crosses (they're half calico sweetgrass) were pure white at first, then started to get little hints of black at around 4-6 weeks. They didn't develop significants amount of black and later brown until they were about 2 1/2 months old, IIRC.

 

[Mentzer6]

Nope, they had heritage turkeys and on sale to boot! $5.50 each and they are probably around 3 weeks old. My guess is the littlest one is maybe a week old.

 

[Lagerdogger]

My oldest turkeys this year are 5 1/2 weeks old right now. All of the royal palms are showing color.

 

[Blisschick]

My royal palms had a few black flecks when they got their first set of feathers, but now the second set has come in and they've got a lot of black banding on their feathers, like minature adults. Mine are right at 7 weeks.