ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[Dreaming Of Goats]

My farmer friends say they've raised almost all the turkey breeds.. They say their favorites are narragansetts. They're pretty, friendly, non-flighty, and good mothers. However the commercial broad-breasteds are EXTREMELY skittish, off the wall, and they can't be normally bred if you decide to. So I would recommend the narragansetts. I might be getting turkeys next summer also

 

[77Herford]

What transfer?

 

[elevan]

What transfer?

To a new operating platform. Have you not been on the new BYC ?

 

[77Herford]

Nope

 

[elevan]

Everyone should nose around there a little bit to make it easier when we transition to the new platform (timeline hasn't been determined yet).

 

[wannacow]

I have bourbon reds. They free range beautifully, but still come to the barn at night to roost with the chickens. I like that they can fly if they need to, but they are very friendly and want to "help" when I'm working outside. Especially hanging up laundry... They are also very tasty. Mine are good egg layers, but not good nesters. They try, but the eggs just get broken. I have found that sticking the turkey eggs under chickens gives me a much more successful hatch.

 

[CYGChickies]

My farmer friends say they've raised almost all the turkey breeds.. They say their favorites are narragansetts. They're pretty, friendly, non-flighty, and good mothers. However the commercial broad-breasteds are EXTREMELY skittish, off the wall, and they can't be normally bred if you decide to. So I would recommend the narragansetts. I might be getting turkeys next summer also

We LOVE our Narragansetts! They weren't handraised and they're still very even-tempered. Our tom Renee always dances for us and the two hens have the cutesy curious little faces. We're so excited to handraise some of their babies! We get a ton of compliments on the ornamental factor as well, and they are very easy to move. Once youve got hands on them they freeze, and I can haul any of them across the property or into a travel cage by myself. Very laid back compared to some of the "BB" breeds I've experienced on others' farms. I strongly recommend these!

CYG

 

[Roll farms]

I guess to be fair, the Narragansetts and Bourbons are of equal temperament (calm, easily handled, etc.).... As are the Spanish Blacks, my second favorites.
I just like the RP best for looks, I think they are GORGEOUS.

Our RP compare in size to other heritage breeds. I realize that across the board there are differences, but they are all roughly the same size when mature. Only "big" heritage turkeys I've seen have been crosses, when people breed a BB hen to a heritage tom, etc. And yes, they're smaller / longer maturing...but they do NOT empty your feeder daily like the BB will. If you're free ranging, they're still going to mature 'normally', where a BB will NEED supplementation to reach it's full potential. Sort of like trying to raise a boer goat on pasture vs. a kiko...both will survive, but the kiko will THRIVE.

All of the BB we've owned were much more prone to illness than any of the heritage.

My RP's are decended from a friend's original 15 yr old group who are 'Darwin Turkeys'....all are pure RP, but they get *nothing*, no food, water, etc. Completely self-sufficient buggers.

The absolute, flat out most gorgeous turkey I've ever owned was burgundy. I had a SP tom, who crossed to my BR hens. One of the offspring grew up to be solid dark reddish, which looked burgundy in certain light. LOVED that bird.
So of *course* it was the one that DH sold while I was at work one day....when I said, "Don't sell the red bird" he thought I meant the Bourbon Red. *sigh*
Men...why can't they read our minds????

 

[autumnprairie]

THanks everyone for the feed back, sorry El that it was on your thread.
Rolls we would be in trouble if men could read our minds all the time

 

[jodief100]

I can't decide what kind of turkeys to get either so I am going to order the rare turkey assortment from Meyer Hatchery and try a few different kinds this year.