Turkey Lifespan

[neenerbutt92]

How long do free range broad-breasted and non-broad-breasted turkeys live? I have one three year old royal palm tom and one Narragansett tom, I'd like to get them some girls. I found an ad on craigslist about a broad-breasted bronze hen that is 2 years old. The people have her as a pet, I don't want to get her if she's not going to live very long.
Thank you for any info you can give me!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

BB types normally aren't long lived but that is because they get so heavy they have leg problems. Heritage turkeys can live a long time 10 years+. If the hen is 2 now then she can carry her weight so to speak.

Steve

 

[ivan3]

Check her over really thoroughly (particularly skin along and to either side of keel - breast/abdomen - callus/blistering/scabs). She might be moving around pretty well if there is a stranger near the run but spending a lot of time hunkered down, otherwise. If she exhibits any evidence of favoring one leg over the other when walking (not just the usual BB hen waddle) don't bother.

Our neighbor's BB hen was three+ years old and still laying (bred successfully with their Boubon tom) when she was killed, on her nest, by a raccoon.