Raising Turkeys?????????

[chicks for better health]

I will be hatching some Bourbon Red, and Midget White turkey eggs in a few weeks.

I am wondering if heritage breeds are easier to raise than the broad breasted, and giant white turkeys. A friend of mine had very bad luck with the bb and gw.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

I am wondering if heritage breeds are easier to raise than the broad breasted, and giant white turkeys.

I would have to say no. With heritage birds they fly and fly pretty well. The bb turkeys don't they can barely walk. A 2' fence would keep a BB turkey in an are.Heritage would just jump that and laugh as they were going where they are not suppose to. There is a lot more work and attention needed for the heritage birds in raising.​

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
We have raised BB types and heritage and I'll take the heritage any day. The heritage tend to be more self sufficient and stronger over all. Our turkey areas are all set back in the woods with a 6 foot fence around it. They have plenty of room to forage and can clear the fence easy but it's very rare they do. When they do the spend the rest of the time out trying to get back in. One day I left the gate unlocked to our Beltsville pen and during the day the wind blew it open, I came home to about 30 turkeys milling around the front yard, I just shooed them back towards the gate and they went right in.

With the poults keep a close eye on them when they first hatch to make sure they are eating and drinking. Don't let them overcrowd or some will get pushed away from the food starve out. If you have any other questions feel free there is quite a bit of turkey know how here.

Steve in NC

 

[moduckman]

I agree with Sandspoultry. The BB varieties have a lot of problems if they are not butchered before having problems.Heritage breeds will just keep going, like the energizer bunny.

Worm them twice a year and just enjoy them.

 

[doubleostud]

I have to agree, I have raised bb as well as heritage and heritage seem to be easier to raise and tend to eat less since they are more mobile and able to forage more. I do still have a few BB bronze hens that are more like tanks than turkeys, they are about 2 years old and dont really walk, moreso they waddle.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

We only keep the wild/heritage breeds and have never messed with the massive BB's.
I have heard they have to be artificially inseminated due to there enormous size.
Maybe some of the folks here that have raised them can tuch on that topic too?

I would also have to agree with everyone on sticking to the smaller ones, wild or domestic

 

[moduckman]

The BB variety will try to breed, but due to their size, the chances of breaking the hen's backs are greater. Found this out the hard way several years ago.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

That's what I thought.