where to get turkeys

[fish n cheeps]

Hi everyone. I'm getting some turkeys in the spring and am loving the idea of a heritage breed, particularly Bourbon Reds. I ordered chickens this past spring from mpc, I loved the fact that I could just get a few. Although I love my birds, and wouldn't trade them for the world, they are not very close at all to the breed standard. Next time I get chickens I will buy from a breeder, not a hatchery. I'm not looking to raise them (or very many, at least

) Nor am I looking to show them, I just love the idea of them looking like they're *supposed to*.

I am concerned that if I buy turkeys from a hatchery that they will be "hatchery quality" and not like the big beautiful turkeys that I'm seeing pictures of on heritage websites. What are your experience with hatchery birds? am I being silly? Do you recommend one hatchery over another? Can you recommend anyone who breeds these birds very closely to the standard, and where can I get them?

I don't want to get 50 turkeys, but I'm sure that if I got 10-15 I could put some on craigslist or something. I would ideally keep 5 or so for myself and family.

thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

gobble gobble!

 

[Lotsapaints]

You can get a smaller amount from Cackle if you get chicks that's how I got 5 Royal Palms very good to SOP too. Turkeys are more delicate from shipping if you want fun colors and nice turkeys order from Porters now they get booked up and you will be waiting forever. I ordered 15 Midget Whites from Welp and ended up with 9 so ordering 15 isn't that bad. Turkeys are better than chickens for personality I just think my turkeys are a hoot...