Scratch?

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Well said Happy you hit the origins of the heritage turkeys- they were developed on a local level for the most part - the Bourbon in KY, Narri's in New England etc etc. Once ours are older they get free choice 16% layer, whole corn in the afternoon, hard boiled eggs when we have the extras and whatever they can find to eat during the day.

Steve in NC

 

[pdpatch]

You don't even have to go back to the 1800's eat what they could find. When I read Happy's post, I started to remember being a small person and going to my Uncles farm in the summer. All of their chickens were free ranged, but they didn't go very far.

They had a lot of time and were not raising chickens and poultry to get them to market weight as quick as they could. When we did chores we would go to the barns the corn room (not one of those big metal bins), and get a bucket of corn for them and spread it out on the ground.

For water there was always that leaky water hydrant in the farm yard with a bucket under it. Yes they had electricity but not that long before I started visiting. They old hand pump hydrant was still there but it had a wind mill hooked to it.

But unfortunately not all people have all the time in the world to get things done, Or have the luxury of doing it the old fashion way. So each person must work to, what works for them, some things won't other things will.

Personally I prefer the old fashion taste in poultry where they are free ranged and less commercial feed. We do use medicated wild game starter for our poults to give them the best start, because they are not cheap when you purchase from a hatchery. Hopefully next year we will have our own poults and not have to go to the hatchery or farm store for poults.

The bottom line is if you need to get to the best weight to feed ratio go with a strict feeding program of commercial feed. Or you have time and resources to slow things down go with a free range feeding program, Usually most people just use something in between, because there is not just one way.

Tom

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

We don't raise ours for the fastest weight gain and to squeeze every pound into them for market so we can make the most on sales, that's not my idea of a method to preserve a rare breed - I'll leave that to Perdue, Tyson and turkey ranchers. we breed ours for conformation and APA standards

Please do tell on how you would preserve the breeds that went near extinct when nobody was eating them ?? so what would you do that will be so different ??

We don't try and squeeze nothing in to them ?? Ours range 24/7 and have a free choice of feed when ever they want it.

Plus we don't sell ours by the pound so it really doesn't matter if they weigh in another lb or two at slaughter as this will not affect anything, plus we only profit 10-15 dollars a bird so we don't make any money off them, just a way for us to be able to raise them, breed them and preserve the species.​

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Please do tell on how you would preserve the breeds that went near extinct when nobody was eating them ??

Next time I talk with Frank Albertson and Brian Tibbot I will ask them your question. In case you don't know the history of the Beltsville Small White turkey both the men aquired stock from the USDA research station at Ames, Iowa. Neither one raises market turkeys. I will post their answer when I get it.

Steve in NC​

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Warning #2.

Please share info in a manner that is constructive. If you are unsure as to what this means please PM a staff member.

Thanks