The size of a broad-breasted white turkey is 39.5-49.2 in (100.5-125 cm), which is 10 times bigger than a bald eagle. Another thing you can do is to use plastic chick feeders with oval-shaped openings to feed these birds. When it comes to housing Broad Breasted White turkeys, there are several important factors to consider. creative tips and more. Didn't find what you need? var adElem = document.getElementById('vi-ad');
In colder climates, you may need to provide additional heat sources such as heaters or heat lamps to keep them warm. Broad Breasted White Turkey. Why are Heritage Breeds Rare Turkey Breeds? The legs of these animals are very short compared to their size. To control turkey worms, seek advice from a qualified bird vet on the right wormer to administer. The Broad Breasted White turkey is the most popular and widely raised breed of domestic turkey. Commercially, heritage breeds compose a small percentage, around 25,000 produced annually compared to 200,000,000 industrial (broad-breasted) birds. During the cold winters, these birds will need extra care. After numerous days, breeders remove the pens and allow the young poults to meet with hundreds and thousands of mature birds. The farm raises approximately 20,000 broad-breasted white turkeys . By 1965 the Broad Breasted White had taken over the turkey market. Labels may say, young tom or young turkey. Most commercial growers process their birds at seven to twenty pounds and freeze them until the holiday season. var rect = adElemSticky.getBoundingClientRect();
Originally published in 2015 and regularly vetted for accuracy. The White turkey was not always the countrys top bird, but it was created to meet the rising demand for low-cost turkey with more breast meat than other birds. But most Americans will be sticking to the easy-to-find broad-breasted white. There is a second type of this breed which is known as broad breasted bronze turkey or heritage turkey. Roost bars are necessary because they birds love to roost just like chickens. No, broad-breasted white turkeys are not poisonous birds as they do not have any poison-producing glands. PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. One advantage of raising broad-breasted white turkey is that you do not have to worry about them as it does not has many predators. The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center responded in 1934 by creating the Beltsville White turkey, and it dominated the market until the creation of the Broad Breasted White turkey in the early 1960s. They can contract many diseases such as blackhead, avian influenza, aspergillosis, and coryza. Generally, a Broad Breasted White hen can lay around or up to 100 eggs per year. Proper feeding is essential for the health and growth of these birds, as it can provide them with the nutrients they need to thrive and produce high-quality meat. Except for Antarctica, white turkeys live on every continent in the world. Search our database of over 13528 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Though frozen turkeys reside in your grocery store all year, they become the main attraction during the final two months. They easily feed small families and fit in small refrigerators where other large meat birds will not fit whole. Unlike chickens, turkeys have few predators and require less supervision to keep them safe. Because of their size, predilection for overeating, and sedentary personalities,[2] they are flightless and prone to health problems associated with obesity, such as heart disease, respiratory failure and joint damage; even if such turkeys are spared from slaughter (such as those involved in the annual turkey pardons), they usually have short lives as a result. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. These birds generally reach slaughtering age within their 14 to 18 weeks of age. This breed is not known for its natural reproductive ability, and artificial insemination is often used to produce fertile eggs. Unlike wild turkeys that get to roam and forage freely, commercial white chickens are crammed in tiny spaces and forced to eat high-fat turkey feed to ensure they reach the market standard for weight. adElem.style.height = ''; The Broad Breasted White turkey quickly became a popular choice for commercial meat production, due to its large size and fast growth rate. Broad Breasted turkeys are very prone to leg problems because their legs have trouble supporting the weight, and turkeys in general can have heart problems (if I recall correctly they have very high blood pressure). Mature birds cannot be used for breeding unless the farm has special equipment and training. Oliver (Ollie) Jones - A zoologist and freelance writer living in South Australia with his partner Alex, their dog Pepper, and their cat Steve (who declined to be pictured). A good turkey feed should contain at least 20-24% protein, with a balance of essential amino acids. Disclosure. The resulting bird grew faster, larger, and had a cleaner looking carcass. This is the reason these little critters are fed on a gamebird feed because it contains 28-30% protein. The Broad Breasted White turkeys are a very popular breed of turkey in commercial farming. However, it is more expensive to breed, and its meat has a milder flavor. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. The broad-breasted white turkey bird earned its name from the fact that before arriving at European tables, this species traveled through the country of Turkey. Although these birds will live for just a few months because they will be butchered for meat. In 1987, there were only 300 breeding hens known to be in circulation. Optional Vaccination's are preformed at the hatchery. The breed was created by selectively breeding several strains of White Holland turkeys, which were known for their large size and meat quality. There are officially two varieties of Bronze Turkey: The exact numbers of the Bronze Turkey are unknown, but it is believed that the Broad Breasted variant is only bred in five or six hatchers across the US, while the Traditional Bronze is kept by hobbyists and backyard farmers. This does not influence our choices. Turkeys are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, so its important to keep their housing at a consistent temperature. The individuals in a group depend upon the area of the coot. adElem.style.width = (rect.width) + 'px'; Why do heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving cost more per pound than standard birds? Denying them a nesting area will encourage them to nest in the bushes. YES, its Safe! The Spanish were the first Europeans to bring turkeys back, resulting in breeds such as Spanish Black and Royal Palm. if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { Click to expand. Although, people kill them for their meat. Its floor should be strong so that predators will not burrow under and sneak in. We were given two turkeys last year and never planned on butchering them. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Genetic diversity is lacking in White turkeys, and most adult birds that are spared from the slaughterhouse do not live comfortable lives before dying. It is a large bird that requires a bigger area to live. The Broad Breasted White turkey is a meat breed. 3. Additionally, make sure the doors are big enough because these birds are big. They are ready to butcher as early as 5 months and only have a life expectancy of 18 months. 6oz pack per 128gal of water/ 1 GALLON DOSAGE: 1/4 tsp powder to 1 gal of drinking water. The conservation status of broad-breasted white turkeys is unknown as they are mainly domesticated and their population is stable presently. With that said, the species can be protective of its young, and overall temperament is often governed by the breeder and the amount of socialization the birds have undergone when young. Milder turkey meat tends to be more popular but fetches a lower price than gamey, heritage meat. Generally known as a chick, the baby broad-breasted white turkey is called poult or turkeyling. A 0.5-acre area is enough for a dozen turkeys in a fenced-in region. The incubation period of eggs is about 28 days, after which the breeders check the sex of the turkey poults or chicks and distributed them to the grow-out farms. They are like the turkeys you buy at the grocery store for Thanksgiving. They generally cant flight and prone to health problems associated with being overweight, because of their size (due to excess muscle). Organic turkey farms use neither antibiotics nor feed that has not been certified organic. The best ways to help the heritage populations are to join in the advocacy, to raise heritage turkeys if you have the farming space, and to purchase heritage turkeys for your meals if you cannot raise them. Average lifespan of a Broad Breasted White turkey is between 2 and 5 years. And they must be artificially inseminated. Most of them have slatted walls made of narrow strips of wood or metal with good ventilation systems, whereas some have concrete walls with no windows so that the breeders can use artificial lighting to enhance production. This is because a broad-breasted that is allowed to grow to maturity can dress out at over fifty pounds. Bon Apptit's Test Kitchen put that assumption to the test with a side-by-side . MAXIMUM OF 40 Broad Breasted White Turkey $ 9.95 Sold Out Breed Facts Description Video Reviews (21) Breed Facts Poultry Show Class: Not Applicable Weights: Hen-22 lbs (at 20 wks) The broad-breasted turkey is the most popular domesticated turkey breed in the world. I don't think I have the heart to butcher her. For turkey poults, the egg carton is a perfect initial feeder. There is a common procedure to rear turkey poults on poultry farms in the United Kingdom. Make sure to keep the eggs at a consistent temperature of around 99-101 degrees Fahrenheit, and rotate them regularly to prevent the embryos from sticking to the sides of the egg. } else { Yes you can we have a BBB tom that's 3 years old, we do kind of think this is his last year but he's such a sweetheart. What is the lifespan of a broad breasted turkey? However, the wood roosts should be strong enough because turkeys are big and heavy to support their weights. Ollie, originally from the USA, holds his master's degree in wildlife biology and moved to Australia to pursue his career and passion but has found a new love for working online and writing about animals of all types. If industrial poultry grew faster than it already did, it would suffer more health problems and mortality than it already does. Today, they are listed as endangered by the American Poultry Association and are almost extinct with very few species remaining. JavaScript is disabled. Dont hesitate to ask us if you have more questions. Learn more about pastured turkeys fromAcres USA. No! adElem.style.visibility = 'visible'; We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. It has white feathers and short legs. These birds have small and short bones that are covered in muscles and fat. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases.
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