which breed!!!???

[birdbrain5]

ive posted on here asking about certain breeds and i still havent come to a decision. ive tried to do some looking around to see whats selling in my area but its hard to say. i have the opportunity to get a pair of blue slates, spanish blacks, royal palms, or bronze. i think to be most successful id be best with a dual purpose bird, one thats striking enough for ornamental buyers, and ones meaty enough for buyers looking to eat them. from what im gathering, royal palms are on the smaller side so might not be as good of a choice as the other breeds, although i think they are soo pretty. black spanish are big birds, but may be a little "plain" to someone buying for looks, again with the blues and bronze. i guess it just depends on peoples taste as far as looks, but im needing a little advice on which my best choice would be. im looking to hatch some out this year (all pairs ive found are of breeding age) and sell poults, or butcher what i dont sell. i guess another question is are any of these breeds more successful with breeding/hatching?
thanks for any advice you can give! im so undecisive

 

[jasonm11]

Whichever breed you choose. Do not plan on making any real money out of raising for meat and or selling poults or eggs. They can be great fun, but by the time you build an enclosure to make sure they are safe and they lay where you cn find the eggs you will find you have a bunch of money invested. Don't getme wrong eventually you can make money, if the birds don't get sick, predators get to birds, or they fly off and don't come back. Get birds you canenjoy for whatever your endresult is. They are all pretty fun to care for.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Best suggestion I can give is do the research and then chose the variety you like. Most of the Heritage varieties are very similar in most ways except color. There are a few slight differencies like szie, but mostly color. Which color do you like best?

 

[Denninmi]

I think Black Spanish are stunningly beautiful.

 

[ColbyNTX]

I would say for what you want I would get the blue slate. When you breed the slate to slate you get 3 different colored poults, blue slate, self blue and black. I have a 2 year old blue slate bearded hen but no slate tom for her. I wish I did because I think she would be a great mama. She freeranges with a bronze and a RP tom so I may hatch some of her eggs this year to raise for meat.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
There is a big difference in the varietes if you have had them long enough. Size wise they go from a 20 pound Midget or Beltsville tom to a 40 pound Stanard Bronze or Holland. Bourbon Reds are very curious birds, Midgets are fence jumpers, Hollands are very calm natured, Beltsvilles are very uniform in size and standoffish birds, Royal Palms have a strong broody instinct, Bourbon Reds and Midgets taste the best, Beltsvilles lay the best. There is quite a bit of difference between them.

Steve

 

[jasonm11]

Quote:
There is a big difference in the varietes if you have had them long enough. Size wise they go from a 20 pound Midget or Beltsville tom to a 40 pound Stanard Bronze or Holland. Bourbon Reds are very curious birds, Midgets are fence jumpers, Hollands are very calm natured, Beltsvilles are very uniform in size and standoffish birds, Royal Palms have a strong broody instinct, Bourbon Reds and Midgets taste the best, Beltsvilles lay the best. There is quite a bit of difference between them.

Steve

What is your experience with eastern wild/merriam turkeys as far as temperment and taste?

 

[farmerlor]

Quote:
Actually the Blacks are quite beautiful with their iridescent feathering. In the sun they've got deep emerald, sapphire and some rust coloring. Totally gorgeous. I do love my Bourbons though. They're SO friendly and inquisitive. They make Greg crazy following him around and talking to him and checking out everything he's doing.

 

[birdbrain5]

lol yeah, in time when i find some i will surely get a pair of bourbons, unfortunetly i missed out on my chance with some that were for sale. im going to try my hand with the slates i think if they are still avail. if not im going to see about the BS. thanks everyone for info and suggestions!

 

[toto65]

I currently have 3 Blue Slate hens, 1 BS tom and 1 "teenager" BS that hatched late last summer. My Turkeys are all laying now but I have found the BS to be the most interested in trying to set their own eggs. One old hen will steal any egg she can find along with her own and will gather them in the community nest every day. Tonight I went out and found a second BS hen collecting eggs. I can't wait until it is warm enough for them to actually hatch them for me. I just hope by that time that they will not have lost interest.