The Best Turkey Breeds for Your Homestead
Thinking about raising turkeys? You've made a great choice! But before you can get started, you need to decide which turkey breeds you'll raise.
Whether you want more meat, better hardiness, or improved flavor could decide how you choose the type of turkey you raise. You must weigh the pros and cons of each breed to make the best choice.
And by the way, did you know that some people raise turkeys for eggs? That would be something to consider, too.
In this post, I'll tell you everything you need to know about why, how, and most importantly, which turkeys to raise on your homestead. Let's get started!
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What is the Best Turkey Breed for Homestead?
Several turkey breeds stand out as being excellent options for your homestead, including the following:
Bourbon Red
Black
Broad-Breasted White
Broad-Breasted Bronze
Midget White
Narragansett
Royal Palm
Orlopp Bronze
Beltsville Small
White Holland
Blue Slate
Jersey Buff
For some interesting information on heritage turkey breeds, especially their coloring, you can watch this video:
What Breed of Turkey is Best for Thanksgiving?
With so many different varieties of turkeys available, you may wonder which is the best choice. Raising them on your homestead can be very rewarding, as you can have a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving.
Some of these options are excellent for small operations like a homestead while others are more geared toward larger farm settings. These are some of the best turkey breeds you should consider when making your selection.
Bourbon Red
The Bourbon Red turkey originated in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in the late 1800s as a result of a combination between Buff, Bronze, and White Holland turkeys. These turkeys are a rich red color with white wings and tail feathers.
Their original name was Bourbon Butternut; however, it wasn’t successful. Eventually, they were renamed Bourbon Red because of their healthy red color.
The standard weights are 23 pounds for young toms and 14 pounds for young hens. However, the Bourbon Red has not been selected for production for years, so most birds may be lighter than these standards.
Bourbon Red turkeys cannot compete in size with the Broad-Breasted varieties; however, they are able to reproduce on their own and are generally healthier. In blind taste tests, they outrank other birds as having the most flavorful meat.
Black
The Black turkey has its origins in Europe, directly descending from the Mexican turkeys brought back in the 1500s. In Spain, they became known as Black Spanish, while in England, they were called the Norfolk Black.
This breed eventually made its way to the Americas with early European colonists, where it was crossed with the Eastern wild turkeys to create what is known as the Black turkey. Black turkeys were once widely produced along the east coast.
They feature a lustrous, metallic black plumage that’s dull black underneath and has a greenish sheen on top. Any brown or bronze cast or white on the plumage is considered an undesirable characteristic. They have a black beak and red wattle.
Standard weights for the Black turkey are 23 pounds for young toms and 14 pounds for young hens. Because they haven’t been selected for production for several years, many birds may not meet these standard weights.
Broad-Breasted White
Most commercial turkeys are of the Broad-Breasted White variety. They’re known for rapid growth and massive processing weight. This breed is the result of a cross between Hollands and Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys.
Toms can weigh in at up to 40 pounds, while the hens are smaller at 25 to 30 pounds. Because of this, they produce more meat than any other breed, especially breast meat.
The downside to raising Broad-Breasted White turkeys is the health problems they face as they age. These include heart, joint, and respiratory issues. They are typically unable to breed naturally and will require artificial insemination.
Broad-Breasted Bronze
The Standard Bronze turkey was a product of the domestic turkeys brought from Europe and the wild turkeys found in America. The resulting hybrid was larger and more vigorous, with a coppery bronze sheen that gave it its name.
In the 1900s, a Bronze turkey with a broader breast was brought from Europe to Canada and then into the northwestern United States. These birds were crossed with others from the U.S. stocks to produce the Broad-Breasted Bronze turkey breed.
This bird quickly became the commercial choice for meat. With further selection, the legs and keel were shortened, resulting in an inability to mate. Beginning in the 1960s, this bird, like the Broad-Breasted White, had to be artificially inseminated.
At maturation, a tom can weigh 38 pounds, while a hen can reach 22 pounds.
Midget White
The Midget White turkey was bred to be a smaller version of the Broad-Breasted White. The original stock was bred at the University of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, there was little interest in the breed once it was developed.
It soon faced the risk of dying off completely until one of the creator’s students decided to revive it. Today, private breeders are working to restore the breed, but it is still at risk of dying out.
As the smallest turkey breed recognized, mature toms will weigh no more than 13 pounds, and hens can reach anywhere from 8 to 10 pounds. Despite their small size, they produce a decent serving of breast meat, which is said to be full of flavor.
Midget White turkeys don’t have any serious downsides when raising them. They’re not susceptible to any extra diseases. However, like all turkeys, they can get Blackhead. Because of this, they should be kept separate from chickens, which can spread the condition.
Narragansett
The Narragansett turkey hails from Rhode Island and is named for Narragansett Bay. It’s an improved and standardized breed descended from domestic turkeys that likely came from Europe. It was the foundation of the New England turkey industry.
In the 1800s, toms weighed between 22 and 28 pounds, while the hens were 12 to 16 pounds. Today, young toms average 23 pounds, while young hens average 14 pounds.
The Narragansett combines black, gray, white, and tan. It features a horn-colored beak and a red-to-bluish-white head.
Royal Palm
The Royal Palm is a smaller variety of turkey. The first birds of the species came from a mixed flock of Black, Narragansett, Bronze, and wild turkeys in the 1920s in Lake Worth, Florida. This combination is the source of their palm coloring.
Since their origination, specialization has been conducted to further stabilize the coloring and other characteristics. These turkeys are white, with sharp metallic black edging on the feathers.
Their tail feathers are white but feature black bands. Everywhere they have white feathers, they are accented in some way by black. Their heads are red to bluish-white.
Mature toms can weigh up to 16 pounds, while hens will reach 10 pounds. Because of their small size, they are not often raised for meat but instead are valued for their beautiful coloring and patterns.
Orlopp Bronze
The Orlopp Bronze has its origins from the same Bronze that led to the Broad-Breasted Bronze turkey. These turkeys feature black and bronze feathers and large in size. They will not mate naturally, requiring artificial insemination.
At finishing, males can weigh 40 pounds. On the other hand, females can reach 23 pounds. This breed is hardy and offers more breast meat than many other turkey breeds.
Beltsville Small White
In 1936, a survey was completed in which the results showed consumers were ideally searching for a well-finished, meaty bird with no dark pin feathers. Additionally, it would weigh between 8 and 15 pounds.
Researchers in Beltsville, Maryland, developed the Beltsville Small White turkey from a combination genetic base of White Holland, Narragansett, Bronze, White Austrian, and wild turkey breeds.
The Beltsville Small White turkey began being used in the 1940s. Its popularity peaked in the mid-1950s and almost fell into complete extinction in the 1970s.
Part of the problem was the bird’s lack of appeal for commercial operations; however, it was taken well by families. For those commercial situations, it was largely replaced by the Broad-Breasted White.
The breed offered excellent qualities, including the ability to mate naturally. Because of its size, it was easily selected, mated, and bred by smaller-scale producers. Young hens average 10 pounds, while young toms weigh 17 pounds.
White Holland
In the early half of the 1900s, there was no other commercial variety of turkeys besides the White Holland. Its primary advantage was its lack of dark pinfeathers. However, despite its massive early popularity, this bird is extremely rare today.
When White Hollands are occasionally seen at shows, they demonstrate wide breasts and short legs, leading to some confusion as this is a genetic influence from the Large White. In 1983, there was a change to the White Holland standard reflecting this.
The two varieties became merged into one. Large White and White Holland became interchangeably used.
The White Holland features snow-white feathers and a red-to-bluish head. Its beard is black, while its throat and wattles are pinkish-white. A young tom weighs 25 pounds, while a young hen weighs 16 pounds.
Blue Slate
The specific origins of the Blue Slate turkey are not properly recorded, leaving much up to speculation. However, the blue slate coloring of this breed comes from two different genetic mutations.
The bird is blue in color across its entire body, and hens tend to have a lighter hue than toms. They have bluish-white wattles, throat, and head. Their beards are black, and their beaks are horn-colored.
A young tom’s standard weight is 23 pounds, while a young hen is 14 pounds. The Blue Slate turkey is highly variable in color, making it difficult to breed consistently.
Jersey Buff
The Buff hailed from the mid-Atlantic and takes its name from its distinctive coloring. This coloring was highly advantageous during processing because its pinfeathers were nearly white. However, it was not prized for other qualities.
By the 1900s, it had largely fallen off the radar of turkey producers, becoming a rare specimen. There was great difficulty in meeting breed standards for coloring. By 1915, it was no longer recognized by the American Poultry Association and became extinct.
In the 1940s, in Millville, New Jersey, a methodical approach to recreating the Buff was undertaken, resulting in the development of the Jersey Buff. The result was a combination of Black, Broad-Breasted Bronze, and Bourbon Red turkeys.
The Jersey Buff features reddish-buff-colored feathers along its body, while its tail feathers are white. Males and females rarely match in color because the females become lighter as they age. Standard weights are 21 pounds for toms and 12 pounds for hens.
How to Choose the Right Turkey Breed
A heritage turkey is essentially a turkey that has descended from the wild flocks of North America or South America. They are defined as breeds that can mate naturally and have a long, healthy outdoor lifespan.
At this time, the American Poultry Association, which is the knowledge base for the poultry world, recognizes eight heritage breeds:
Bourbon Red
Black
White Holland
Bronze
Royal Palm
Narragansett
Beltsville Small White
Slate
Production, or hybrid, turkeys are the result of farms commercially producing turkeys for breast meat. These birds are known for having a massive weight and rapid growth rate that prevents them from mating naturally.
The Broad-Breasted Giant White and Broad-Breasted Bronze are two of the most commonly known production turkeys. The Giant White dresses easily and is highly preferred, while the Bronze is not as appealing because of its dark pin feathers.
When choosing between the two, you must decide if you want quantity or quality. Despite offering less meat, many say that heritage birds taste better than production birds. Frankly, I disagree - I don’t notice much of a difference. That said, the Broad Breasted Whites we raise on my farm do take up a lot of space due to their size, and they can be tough to butcher. It’s a matter of personal preference!
For these reasons, many homesteaders may find that heritage breeds are much less of a challenge to handle on the homestead and offer a better benefit with the robust flavor.
Challenges of Raising Your Own Turkeys
Raising turkeys can be challenging. You will be somewhat prepared if you have chicken experience, but turkeys are significantly different. You must consider several different things when preparing for your new birds.
The poults are delicate. Any slight change is something they will be sensitive to, including dampness and drafts. Turkeys move much slower than chickens, making them extremely susceptible to predator attacks.
You need a lot of space because even the smaller turkeys get to be a decent size. They’ll need enough room to spread out and have their own space. They also eat more protein than other poultry, so you must consider their diets.
If you’re raising them with chickens, they need separate waterers and feeders. Chickens will be bullies, preventing your turkeys from eating and drinking. There are also concerns about the spread of disease between the two, which is why it's generally a better idea to keep the two species separated.
Final Thoughts
If you want to change your routine for Thanksgiving and add something new to the table, consider raising your own turkey this year. With so many excellent options to choose from, you can easily choose one that meets the needs of your lifestyle.
Whether you want more meat or more flavor, you have an option. Weigh the pros and cons and choose the best one for your homestead. You’ll be glad you did.
