Is my turkey a Broad Breasted?

[FeatheredDinos]

Here’s my Griphon. My teenage grandson brought him and a girl to me, he was working at Atwoods and he knew I loved birds. I never intended for him to become food, but I’m afraid he’s the kind that is intended to be food.
Can anyone tell?
I read in here that BBB stand with feet apart but Griphon doesn’t. I’ve fallen in love with him and his girl “Siren.” I don’t want to kill them but I’ve read they will have serious and painful health problems if not slaughtered by 6 months.
He’s 4.5 months now.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Check his breasts, & if he's on the thinner side, he's most likely a standard Bronze. If he's filling out, or is filled out most of the way, then he's BBB?

 

[FeatheredDinos]

Check his breasts, & if he's on the thinner side, he's most likely a standard Bronze. If he's filling out, or is filled out most of the way, then he's BBB?

How do I check his breasts? Just reach into feathers and feel?

 

[MysteryChicken]

How do I check his breasts? Just reach into feathers and feel?

Yes, just feel around the breast bone.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Can you weigh him? That can help determining since I think by adulthood there's a 10 pound difference approx. In the weights listed by a hatchery.

We have a vet who owns broad breasted whites he got from a 4her, and that was a few years ago. I think if you don't let them eat all they want they can be kept fine

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is our last years Thanksgiving Turkey.
He topped off at 42lbs after butchering.

He's a BBB.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Our first year, we didn't know what we were doing and we had a BBW tom that was about 60 without his wings. I'm assuming that was also before they gutted him. We have him 24/7 feed access though and filled his bowl whenever it was low because we wrongly assumed the biggest turkey was guaranteed a win at fair. He also wasn't butcher until a week before thanksgiving, so he was 8 months old. He got excerise too though. Insisted on following us down to the barn and back which is about a 1/2 mile round trip 2x a day

 

[FeatheredDinos]

This is our last years Thanksgiving Turkey.
He topped off at 42lbs after butchering.
View attachment 2302693He's a BBB.

How old in that picture? Griphon is much smaller, and his feet are really close together but he’s only 4.5 months. I’m going to take the scale down there and weigh him. He doesn’t like me picking him up... but I will keep worrying until I know.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Our first year, we didn't know what we were doing and we had a BBW tom that was about 60 without his wings. I'm assuming that was also before they gutted him. We have him 24/7 feed access though and filled his bowl whenever it was low because we wrongly assumed the biggest turkey was guaranteed a win at fair. He also wasn't butcher until a week before thanksgiving, so he was 8 months old. He got excerise too though. Insisted on following us down to the barn and back which is about a 1/2 mile round trip 2x a day

Ours got excercise too. We also fed ours alot, like twice a day, but they also had access to the chicken food if they were still hungry. I gave them a protein boost at 4 months before butchering, added 24% chick grower starter feed to their 20% protein flock Raiser, grain mix.
We gave everyone a complex diet. They got butchered at about 7½ months of age.

I gave them good amount fatty grains blended with high protein food, for a super meaty bird, with a good layer of fat under the skin to keep the meat moist during the baking process. It was the best tasting, juicy turkey we've ever eaten our whole lives. Way better then store bought Turkey.

 

[MysteryChicken]

How old in that picture? Griphon is much smaller, and his feet are really close together but he’s only 4.5 months. I’m going to take the scale down there and weigh him. He doesn’t like me picking him up... but I will keep worrying until I know.

7½ months. This picture was taken before slaughter.