Size difference?

[VannahRAe]

My red bourbon poult and the broad breasted bronze poult are completely different sizes. Is that normal for the two breeds? The pictures aren't the best

 

[R2elk]

They are both the same breed, Turkey. Yes, BB turkeys grow faster so they can be turned into meat sooner.

Size differences of poults can also be due to the size of the egg they hatched from. Poults of the same variety can be different sizes at hatch time because bigger eggs yield bigger poults.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They are different breeds, same species. Red bourbon turkeys are heritage, bronze breasted turkeys are meat birds, designed to grow as fast as possible. Heritage get just as large,but about 2x as slowly as the meat breeds

 

[R2elk]

They are different breeds, same species. Red bourbon turkeys are heritage, bronze breasted turkeys are meat birds, designed to grow as fast as possible. Heritage get just as large,but about 2x as slowly as the meat breeds

The APA only recognizes one breed and the breed is Turkey. They do recognize 8 varieties although there are many more possible varieties.

All domesticated turkeys are from the same haploid group.

Heritage turkeys do not get as big as the broad breasted varieties can get.

 

[Molpet]

They are different breeds, same species. Red bourbon turkeys are heritage, bronze breasted turkeys are meat birds, designed to grow as fast as possible. Heritage get just as large,but about 2x as slowly as the meat breeds

One breed according to APA
http://amerpoultryassn.com/sample-page/apa-breeds-varieties/accepted-breeds-varieties/

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh, okay, my bad. I don't breed turkeys for show

 

[Molpet]

Oh, okay, my bad. I don't breed turkeys for show

We all learn as we go...
I don't show either, just sell a few and invite to dinner. Mine aren't a variety accepted by APA. There's lots of different varieties. https://www.porterturkeys.com/phenotypesandgenotypes.htm

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I usually just went by the hatchery catalogues with ducks/geese/turkeys and considered each different option a breed

Oh well

 

[R2elk]

I usually just went by the hatchery catalogues with ducks/geese/turkeys and considered each different option a breed

Oh well

Most of the hatchery catalogues are made by technicians that don't actually know about turkeys. Many college sites also give out false information because the sites are typically designed by college kids that have not researched the subject.

The term breed is so often misused that online dictionaries refuse to be tied to any specific definition. Each organization has its own specific definition. The APA defines chickens, ducks and geese as different breeds. Turkeys like Guinea Fowl are their own breed which are broken down into varieties.