Author Topic: Best breed of turkey for christmas and timescale (Read 6034 times)

WinslowPorker · « **on:** March 26, 2010, 09:31:57 am »

Hi all

Thanks for all the responses yesterday but i need to understand the following form resident experts:

1 - what are the old breeds of turkey and which one is the easiest to keep and get a good return of meat from?
2 - When do you start the rearing process in time for a juicy bird a christmas

3 - what do you feed them etc etc.

bamford6 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2010, 10:24:18 am »

Considered to be one of the finest turkeys for the table throughout Europe, Norfolk Black Turkeys are believed to have been one of the first turkey breeds in Britain.

Originally brought over from Mexico during the 16th Century, the breed became extremely popular with Norfolk farmers.

During the 17th Century the turkeys are famously known to have been driven in flocks from Norfolk to be sold in London, with their feet tarred and wrapped in Hessian to protect them during their epic journey.

Today, classified as a rare breed, Norfolk Black Turkeys continue to be a popular choice for the most important dinner of the year. should start naw and feed turkey startas for 3 months then mash pellits

WinslowPorker · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2010, 02:06:00 pm »

Thanks for that, so just to clarify i should be looking about now for a turkey so it will be ready for Christmas?

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2010, 04:00:38 pm »

now for eggs, about 6 weeks for off heat chicks. depending on what you get depends how big they get for christmas. if not careful you could end up with over large turkeys. fine for eating but difficult to fit in the oven. get at least 3/4 in case you lose any. you dont want to keep just one. ive just won some on ebay a ixed lot of eggs from 4 diffrent breeds. so those that like small turkeys will get some.

WinslowPorker · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2010, 04:08:10 pm »

Thanks ShetlandPaul, if i was going down the egg route though i would have to buy an incubator which seem incredibly expensive on flEbay so probably chicks would be the best thing. i was hoping to get about 10 then all of my family can have one as a gift (and also i can blackmail them to come and feed when i am on holiday

)

Do you have to be careful of them mixing with other poultry/fowl coz my friend has chickens, geese and a variety of ducks on his smallhold? just read some horror stories regarding 'Blackworm' or something like that? and how do you given turkeys a worming tablet? the dogs and especially cat are bad enough

Hermit · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2010, 09:08:55 am »

Turkeys are prone to a disease called blackhead that chickens are more resistant to. It is a parasite that lives in the ground. If you worm regularly with a proper wormer you can keep it away from the turkeys but the ground can be infested for years.It is best to keep seperated if only to keep land clean. I have known people with whole flocks lost to blackhead. Another reason to seperate is Turkeys are the most viscious things on the croft and can be docile for most of the time and then suddenly pick out another bird and attack to kill.
The smaller older breeds are tastier, we have wild north american bronzes,bred for taste rather than size.The larger are more 'bland' in my opinion

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2010, 09:55:59 am »

thats a bit harsh hermit. ours were beaten up by our bantams. in fact they were good peacekeepers they would step in and break up cock fights. have you eaten any yet. and what weight did they get to.

they are thick and can get into problems easily. sooty the gander is head of the pecking order. we seem to have another problem with another cockerel. oh well more chicken for tea soon.

Ive over ordered eggs for the next hatch do you fancy 6 jersey giant eggs. for free of course.

Hermit · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2010, 09:19:35 pm »

Have you seen my turkeys take flight and attack the crows and gulls Paul, They mean business. The post lady knows all about turkey fights ,found her one day trying to seperate them.When I go in in the morning there is usually a mashed starling or sparrow that has dared to sneak in.Good to keep the take away man away,those big white norfolks were too bumbly and just cowered when you went near them.It is twenty years since I last kept these and had to keep them under red light in a large shed to stop them attacking each other, so I cant remember weights.They remind me of those velocoraptors (sp) off Jurrassic Park. Great fun and characters, the dominant hen is the one to watch, Love her to bits.
Thanks for the offer of the Jersey Giants but in the middle of trying to build runs to seperate the breeds we have to do some experimenting for meat breeds,as well as buiding raised beds, concreting floors, cutting peats etc etc.

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2010, 10:41:30 pm »

must be the wild bit. ours have been realy wimpy. ruth was think of starting the peats near then end of april if it dries out. we have ordered 18 eggs this year with at least 4 diffrent breeds so there should be a good range of sizes the bronzes were just a bit too big.