What kind of turkey should I get

[james420]

I'm looking to get two turkeys the choices at local feed stores are bourbon reds wild and royal palms any info would be greatly appreciated thanks

 

[QueenMisha]

What do you want them for? Meat, pets, ornamental?

Heritage breeds like the ones you mentioned are OK for meat, but Broad-Breasted White or Bronze are gonna give you quite a bit bigger carcass in less time. It's way too late in the season to get a turkey ready for Thanksgiving anyways so no rush there - you'd be better off just waiting until some BBW/B are available.

If you are set on a heritage meat bird, I've heard Bourbon Reds are good. I myself have a Royal Palm tom, he's gorgeous, and very big. Hopefully gonna produce good meat poults for me next year.

As for pets/ornamental, like I said, I love my Royal Palm tom. I have a Palm/Narragansett cross hen too, she's a very nice bird, and beautiful - mostly white like the Palms are.

 

[james420]

We want them for meat purposes and want two get two would it be ok to get one of each or better to get two the same. Should I try to get a tom or hen does it matter

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Bourbon reds are more curious and friendly, but if you're eating them, any of those will grow and mature at the same rate, opposite sexes will only benefit you if you want to breed, so any that appeals to you if your just eating them will be fine. The only real big difference is the color of feathers, except if you're talking broad breasted.

 

[james420]

Thanks for all the info we just got 2 bourbon reds they said they should be ready to Butcher end of January I have always wanted a turkey so I'm very excited thanks for all the info greatly appreciated I'll post a pic of them thank you all

 

[james420]

 

[Kino]

My neighbor had 14 Standard Bronze Turkeys and killed 10 for eating, however saved 4 but they are devastatingly overweight because they are used for meat rather than pets. Those ones are the ones I recommend.. Since they're really the only common breed used for meat that I can think of at the moment. However, since those two breeds are only available, I'm unsure. I only know of those being used as pets, esp. the Bourbon reds.

Those are cute, good luck with them.

 

[james420]

Thanks they did have royal palm and some they said were just. Wild. They looked very small so we went with these now I'll have to figure outt if there male female or a pair

 

[Kino]

Thanks they did have royal palm and some they said were just. Wild. They looked very small so we went with these now I'll have to figure outt if there male female or a pair

Ah.. I understand more of to why you'd get the Bourbons then. And yeah, when they get older you'll be able to tell (I don't know how to sex turkeys, if it's even possible).