I want to get some turkeys(heritage breed) and just wondering about temperament, great tasting, ability to be out in pasture(can they be pastured with a couple of bull calves?!). Just want to pick everyone's brain before I order!
Sue☺
Favorite Turkey Breed & Why
mine is Royal Palm....
Just cause turkeys are...ummmmm,kinda ugly
The royal palms pattern make them pretty
Haha, and I always felt bad thinking that...and never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings by saying it :) I am looking at getting some turkey poults this spring, but they sure do turn fuuugly!
I like the patterns of the Royal Palm, and Bourbon Red though...would like to get a couple of those as yard walkers, and then a couple of the broad breasted whites for butcher.
Ordered Royal Palms, Narragansett, and Crimson Dawns (a.k.a. Black-winged bronze) for later this spring. The Crimson Dawn toms have the most incredible patterning in their tail feathers of any species of poultry, BY FAR. If you don't know what I mean, you owe yourself a favor to find some live birds and check it out before you decide on another strain.
I have three Narragansetts. Tom-tom is absolutely beautiful, but they are, frankly, a pain in the butt. We raised 3 broad breasted bronzes last year and much prefer them. Both breeds were easy in the beginning, but as soon as the Narries began to fly, there was no keeping them where they belonged. They roost anywhere from my clothes line posts to the roof, but their favorite places to hang out are anywhere that they can see in the house (preferably the TV), this means the back deck or the front porch (on my porch swing, so they can SEE the TV). Tom-Tom is also super agressive to my husband, but no one else. I guess it's the old alpha male thing.
We origionally got the Narries (with the speeding ticket, the flat tire and 430 mile round trip, they cost about 50 bucks a piece) with the intention of allowing them to breed naturally and having a steady supply of turkeys. There were 4 and we butchered one around Thanksgiving. It only dressed out at 12 pounds and was a bit scrawny. The other three have been driving me nuts ever since. Lots of breeding, but no eggs yet.
About the same time, be bought three bronzes. They were so easy! They stayed inside a low fence exactly where they were supposed to be. Early November, we butchered and the biggest one dressed out at 42 pounds. I finially reasized that we didn't have to leave them whole to freeze them and cut the others up into legs, thighs, brest quarters and wings. One thigh is perfect for the two of us.
So, what will I be raising for our freezer this year? Bronzes or Broad Breasted Whites. I much prefer the big dumb turkey that is ready in 4 months and gives lots of meat. The Narries will hopefully give me some eggs or poults to sell and I can recoup a little of my outlay. Then they go either in the freezer or sold to someone who doesn't have a porch.
allright, maineiac, where did you order them from?
tf
TF,
There is a local guy that sells poults, who does ship - you could check with him. Dana Manchester, Shady Hollow Gamebirds, Morrill, Me. 1-774-273-0370. He has many heritage breeds. I have no experience with his birds, but he does seem reputable. I did not order from him, as I wanted to hatch them with my children from eggs. I ordered the eggs on egg-bid.
jylgaskin, since I do have a porch, I think I'll stay away from the narragansetts!lol! I like the thought of they are ready in 4 months with plenty of meat. I think the Royal Palms are absolutely beautiful! thanks for all the input everyone!
Sue☺
My girlfriend had a royal palm, it was beautiful and gentle, but it could fly too. (at least up to HER porch). I think any of the smaller breeds fly and roost as high as they can get. I've heard that after the Toms are a couple of years old, they are too heavy to fly. My Narry is one and has no problem flying over a 6 foot fence. I've clipped wings, but they still manage to get to the top of the fence, then over.
It's snowing today, so of course they are on the porch watching TV instead of their shed, which is warm and full of straw, with lots of food. Maybe I should try putting the TV out there.
Oh Lord, can it BE any more like the Beverly Hillbillies around here?
I just ordered 10 bronzes. Someone wants to buy 4 when they are grown, so that will pay for the rest. I'll pasture them at the back of the yard. That's going to be about 350 pounds of meat for little trouble. Hmm, better than a pig.