The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 30, 2011, 05:42:29 pm

Title: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 30, 2011, 05:42:29 pm

Hy folks,

  Im toying with turkeys again and have found a breeder who has pied crollwitzer, slate blue, lilac, bronze and bourbons.

I plan to get a breeding trio of 12 - 15 week olds and hatch my own next year. Any advice on breed, size, temprament etc.

Buffy

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Rich/Jan on September 30, 2011, 07:15:45 pm

I like them all but it has to be Crolwitzers - their pied colouring is really dramatic when they cozy up to a mate.  Jan

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Bright Raven on September 30, 2011, 09:32:51 pm

Whites pluck out clean but customers prefer Norfolk Blacks.
Norfolk Blacks have a fantastic quantity of breast meat and taste wonderful. Easy incubation and about 90% hatch rate.
This year I have Bourbon Reds - These are rare breed about 50% of the eggs hatched and one of these had splayed legs so was dispatched. Less meat and a bit of a rustic novelty. I now have four of these left after the dog incident. I started with 12 eggs. Not very economical and the finished bird will not be nearly as meaty as the blacks.
Next year I will do Blacks again, they seem very robust in comparison. :turkey:
Temperament wise the Red's seem a bit brighter and a bit more flighty than Blacks or Whites.

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Cinderhills on October 01, 2011, 08:22:01 am

I only have experiences with Bourbon Reds and this is the second year we've had them.  The meat is incredibly tasty.  Everyone who has eaten them here also agrees it's the best turkey they have tasted.  The dark meat is incredibly dark.  Unfortunately although we started with five last year only ended up with three (both males were killed by a fox).  The females dead weight was about 9lb each, but the males would have been much much heavier.

The guy who plucked them said they were very easy to pluck but that was because they lived outside most of the time so their downy feathers were fully formed.

Ours have been very friendly.  I love them while they are here but nearer Christmas can't wait for them to go because they can be messy.

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: manian on October 01, 2011, 08:30:59 am

hi
this is our first year with turkeys
we have a slate male (bob, and friendly) and norfolk black girls (the bobettes), again friendly
incubation rates are high (after our first cock -up with inci!!! :( )
babies are a mixture of grey and black so they look colourful in the pen.
not sure about taste yet till xmas :yum:

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on October 01, 2011, 08:36:39 pm

Thanks everyone,

  I really fancy the pied croweltzer based on looks but probably should read up a bit more about them.

Cinderhills, As I was intending to breed from I wouldnt be getting rid of them so I would have to get used to the mess. :-\

Buffy

Title: Re: Which turkeys to keep?
Post by: Bright Raven on October 02, 2011, 01:33:50 am

Turkeys are without doubt the most stinky birds ever. They are at their worst as chicks and poults. Mind you this could be down to the supplemented diet I provide. Extra boiled eggs in the crumb to provide additional protien. I do this when I can't get hold of turkey growers and have to use chick crumb instead. Woooooooooh do they smell.