What breed?

[shawnellabella]

I am wanting pet turkeys to add to my flock, I really wanted broad or bronze breasted but I have heard they are like meat chickens and need slaughtered after a while because they get sick easy after a certain amount of time and I don't know if that's true or not, I look at them kinda like I do muscovys, they are meat birds but make great sweet pets too,

 

[Twistedfeather]

One thing you must know about Turkeys is that they are all the same breed just a different variety. It is true that you would need to butcher your Broad Breasted Bronze Turkey because they are designed to get so big that they can't live too long after that. Some are milked for AI in the turkey business but I doubt that's what you were planning on doing. What you need is a heritage turkey if you are determined to do turkeys. These slow growing turkeys do not need to be butchered right away and are slow growers. Though they might lose their texture at an old age. Royal Palms, Bronze, Bourbon Reds, Betsville small whites, and Blacks are some of the few recognized standard varieties you can show. There is a hatchery/breeder known as Porters that sell rare varieties of turkeys. If you want to have Muscovies that is also a good choice and you won't have to worry about butchering them like any of your commercial birds. But do not breed them with any other ducks because they will become sterile due to being different species and unless you raised ducks before you should be aware of the mess they can make and since they are the largest duck in the Standard and maybe the world they would create a bigger mess. Whatever you choose good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Stacykins]

Shawnellabella, since you are looking for pets, you definitely want a heritage breed of turkey. Steer clear of any broad breasted turkey. They truly are designed to gain weight quickly and their health can rapidly decline as they age. Pet broad breasteds are out there, but they must be kept on strict diets to keep them at a healthy weight.