Turkey Color Genetics Lessons

[R2elk]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would take a chance that someone might answer, and know. I want to create a heritage cross that is bigger than a beltsville white, but eventually will still be white. I plan to cross my beltsville hens with red bourbon toms. I am going to guess the offspring will be either white or bronze? Then if I cross them together can I get them back to white?

Crossing a Bourbon Red with a White turkey will theoretically produce all Red Bronze offspring.

bb Cc dd E- N- PnPn Rr SlSl SpSp

But the problem is recessive white will mask any other color genes that the white turkey may be carrying. There is the possibility of other combinations based on the hidden color genes that the white turkey is carrying.

An example is that if the white turkey has blue eyes, it is black based instead of bronze based. In that case the offspring would be Rusty Black Color Semi instead of Red Bronze.

If there were no hidden color genes affecting the production of the Red Bronze offspring, breeding them to each other should produce 25% white offspring with the other 75% being a combination of 6 different varieties.

 

[R2elk]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would take a chance that someone might answer, and know. I want to create a heritage cross that is bigger than a beltsville white, but eventually will still be white. I plan to cross my beltsville hens with red bourbon toms. I am going to guess the offspring will be either white or bronze? Then if I cross them together can I get them back to white?

Instead of going to all this trouble, why not just go with White Hollands or use White Hollands as your out cross on your Beltsvilles?

 

[minister man]

Instead of going to all this trouble, why not just go with White Hollands or use White Hollands as your out cross on your Beltsvilles?

I don't know where to get Holland whites. I have 4 Beltsville hens and two toms, and a Red bourbon tom. I would be happy with red burbons but can't find many of them around my area either.

 

[minister man]

Crossing a Bourbon Red with a White turkey will theoretically produce all Red Bronze offspring.

bb Cc dd E- N- PnPn Rr SlSl SpSp

But the problem is recessive white will mask any other color genes that the white turkey may be carrying. There is the possibility of other combinations based on the hidden color genes that the white turkey is carrying.

An example is that if the white turkey has blue eyes, it is black based instead of bronze based. In that case the offspring would be Rusty Black Color Semi instead of Red Bronze.

If there were no hidden color genes affecting the production of the Red Bronze offspring, breeding them to each other should produce 25% white offspring with the other 75% being a combination of 6 different varieties.

Thank -you. That is very helpful. I wouldn't mind having a flock of red bronze, instead of whites, but they are more complicated are they not? because they don't breed true?

 

[R2elk]

Thank -you. That is very helpful. I wouldn't mind having a flock of red bronze, instead of whites, but they are more complicated are they not? because they don't breed true?

Crossing Red Bronze with Red Bronze will yield Red Bronze, Bronze and whatever else they were originally made from. Not all Red Bronze have the same genetics because they can be made so many different ways. The simplest is by crossing Bourbon Reds and Bronze. The most complex may be from crossing Bourbon Reds and Whites.

 

[R2elk]

I don't know where to get Holland whites. I have 4 Beltsville hens and two toms, and a Red bourbon tom. I would be happy with Bourbon Reds but can't find many of them around my area either.

If you limit yourself to local sales only, finding Holland Whites can be problematic. McMurrays, Meyers and Strombergs all are selling Holland White poults.

When I want a variety that is not available locally, I order it. They have minimums but the way I get around the minimums is to either split an order with someone else or advertise the extras for sale as soon as they are delivered. I have not had any trouble selling the extras that I do not want.

 

[minister man]

If you limit yourself to local sales only, finding Ho;;and Whites can be problematic. McMurrays, Meyers and Strombergs all are selling Holland White poults.

When I want a variety that is not available locally, I order it. They have minimums but the way I get around the minimums is to either split an order with someone else or advertise the extras for sale as soon as they are delivered. I have not had any trouble selling the extras that I do not want.

This year I have to limit myself to local sales. I live in New Brunswick Canada. The American Hatcheries can't ship directly into Canada. we can usually go to Maine and pick up an order, but this year because of Covid the border is closed.

 

[minister man]

If I were to purchase a few of the commercial white hen turkeys from the feed store this spring and raise them and put one of my beltsville small white males on them, would they breed? They would make a larger white turkey I think.

 

[R2elk]

If I were to purchase a few of the commercial white hen turkeys from the feed store this spring and raise them and put one of my beltsville small white males on them, would they breed? They would make a larger white turkey I think.

It is something that you can try. At the worst, you can try artificial insemination.