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bourbons and any heritage breed are all one big breed basically that are bred from the wild turkey. they breed naturally and most will breed true.
as you know, because you've seen them, we have bourbons here and we rather enjoy them. easy temperaments and good health.
we have had some just drop as poults now and again, but that is not atypical for turkeys at all. hardest points in their lives are hatch and point of lay.
sounds maybe like you could of just had a weak one.
meat turkeys (broad breasteds) are FAST growing turkeys that cannot breed (generally speaking) on their own due to their large breast size and have to be artificially inseminated. many people refer to them as 'stupid' and yep, they are. (there is no gene pool, that's why)
they are not hardy, they have short term lives and that's what they are bred for.
i honestly think we get hung up on treating livestock like children or human beings. yes, they can be pets and we care about them, but truth be told, they are not going to all live and they aren't going to outlive tortoises and the like. they are chickens and ducks and whatnot.
they live 6 months to 8 years. they get diseases and have heart weaknesses like other animals. do the best you can for the time you have them. God gave us charge over them so take it and do it well. but to have a 'save them all' attitude, it wont work.
i don't think, by the way, that Mommi3130 has expressed that attitude. i think she was just wondering what happened. i am just stating my opinion on the whole 'oh my gosh, i have to save all the birds in the whole world' mentality that sometimes goes on. they are chickens. c h i c k e n s dang it.