will i end up broken hearted?

[Dust Bunny]

im in love with my lovely turkey hen "turkey" i got her last spring with 4 other chicken chicks, and the feed store said she was a "standard bronze" but she is huge (27lbs) so i think she is a bb, i love that dumb bird! cryed myself to sleep one night when she stayed out one night to set on chicken eggs she found in the woods (as i have lost 2 great birds that way) but i found her the next day by calling TUR KEY which she answered with a sweet woo woo. she is curently setting on 5 chicken eggs safely in the coop but i can't help but wonder how long i will have her as i'm told bb turks don't last long, she is not real gracefull but she walks decently (unless she has been eating fermented apples

) and i encourage freeranging so she gets a workout but i fear i'll be making that crappy life and death decision way to soon

 

[Morri]

Shes gawjus, now i want one like her, sorry i have heard similar things, but there are spacial individuals!!!

and good luck!!

I hope TURKEY lives a happy content life with you!

 

[pdpatch]

Some friends across town had a BB bronze Tom for 4 years, I have heard off hand of some females living 10 years, but i can't confirm that.

Tom

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

only feed her in the winter, let her free range on grass all summer, but put vitams in her water and that should be good i hope anyway lol

 

[Willowbrook]

I have a three year old BB bronze hen and tom. Both are "rubenesque" to say the least, but they are still going strong. I dread the day also when they may not be able to walk, but as has been mentioned, they are free range during the day and housed at night so they do get as much exercise as possible. Both are like puppy dogs with their affection towards me.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I think it really depends on the feed and how much. We bought som BBB and we too, fell in love with them. I did not know at the time that they were bred for the table. Their personalities were amazing. But within 5 months were noticed Tom was moving sluggish and were afraid of him 'kicking the bucket' so we did the deed. He dressed out at 30#. Tammy wasn't right either so we did the deed and found out that she was laying internally. We really do miss them. I am surprised that your hen is setting. I have never heard of that from that breed. I thought they were too heavy. She could break the eggs so be careful. Again, easy on the feed if you want to keep them around for a long while. Enjoy them!

 

[Dust Bunny]

Henry'schickens :

I think it really depends on the feed and how much. We bought som BBB and we too, fell in love with them. I did not know at the time that they were bred for the table. Their personalities were amazing. But within 5 months were noticed Tom was moving sluggish and were afraid of him 'kicking the bucket' so we did the deed. He dressed out at 30#. Tammy wasn't right either so we did the deed and found out that she was laying internally. We really do miss them. I am surprised that your hen is setting. I have never heard of that from that breed. I thought they were too heavy. She could break the eggs so be careful. Again, easy on the feed if you want to keep them around for a long while. Enjoy them!

she is really determined to hatch those eggs! pulled all the feathers out of her breast to keep them warm

i bring her food and water cuz i haven't seen her off that nest since she started setting

 

[ivan3]

Our neighbor's BBB hen was successfully bred by their BR tom. The following year she was torn apart by a raccoon while setting that spring's clutch. She would have probably waddled along happily for another couple of years had cruel fate (owner's no-account security, amen) not intervened.

Just watch her diet and enjoy her company while you can.

We started out with BBB's and didn't get too far: Way too social and prone to doom.

 

[Praxxus]

I had 4 broad breasted broze females and one eastern wild male. The females were so amazingly mellow and affectionate! They definitely have the sweetest personalities. He mated with the females and I incubated the eggs. The females were too heavy and clumsy. They kept cracking the eggs. The babies were less heavy and every bit as affectionate. The original BBB females were killed by a resident fox. The male wild turkey mated with his chidren and the new batch of birds is fantastic! They are enough removed from the BBB to be able to fly very well and avoid the foxes, but not too far removed to still have the gentle personality and walk up to me, tug at my hand and ask for treats. Turkeys are excellent pets!

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

My only tip is to not feed her grain. Make herwork for her food and she will stay trimmer. Her weight is the biggest contributor to leg issues so keeping that in check would be best. She probably can't fly but if she is willing to roost move the roost up slowly (if you can) until she is having to exert more effort to get up there. I think if you can keep her under 25lbs, as long as her genes allow, you should have your dorky darling for at least a few good years.