Which is the most self sufficient and yummy turkey breed?

[Buster]

To be fair, broad breasted varieties raised on pasture taste significantly better than the store bought critters. They don't amount to the great taste of the Bourbon Reds and Narragansets I've raised, but they are still darn good birds.

There are three good arguments in favor of the BBW or BBB.

1. You are selling them and want to do so as efficiently as possible. The feed conversion rate of a BBW is right around that of the Cornish X, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.

2. You are selling them and you want a bird that more closely conforms to the uninitiated customer's expectations of body type.

3. You don't want to raise birds for 28 weeks in order to have a nice bird for your own table, or keep birds year round and hatch them out.

4. You want something that doesn't fly so you don't have to worry about escapes.

Wait, that's four. So four good arguments, I guess.

Not saying it's the best way to go, but they are valid reasons all, depending on your personal preferences and goals.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

hey Buster!

you forgot that the BBW's are funny birds who are always lookin' at ya sideways... that alone is worth the price of admission

;-)

i was gonna throw this in that anything you raise is gonna be better than anything you can get at the store. and its a great experience.

 

[Farmfresh]

All hail Turkey Steve!

There is no doubt that the Heritage breeds have more and better flavor than the BBB. I raised Bourbon Reds, Slates and Royal Palms in addition to the BBB, so I agree about that. But the BBB still wins in so many other ways for me personally.

What do you think about the cross I proposed Steve? Would I get a better flavor and reproductive ability while still keeping some of the other BBB qualities that I like so much?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Last year I raised about 12 BBB and BBWs. I LOVE them. I'll probably stick with the whites though, simply because they dress out much prettier. I had several people asking me to buy them, so I may raise more this coming summer. I thought I would want to get a heritage breed to keep year 'round, but after thinking more about it I know I want to stick with the BBs because I simply don't want to house/pay for turkeys year round. They did eat a lot, but I didn't feed them free choice (no way, Jose), and I never saw one have a hard time moving around. Our biggest tom dressed out at 24 lbs. We could have kept them way longer, but they were just eating us out of house and home. Plus, who *really* wants a turkey bigger than 24 lbs? It hardly fit in our oven!

Just like with Cornish X, a lot of their issues have to do with how they're raised. I may consider getting a few Bourbon Reds when we get a larger place, but for now I'll stick with the BBs because they're just a more economical way for us to go right now.

And they're very friendly!

 

[savingdogs]

That turkey in the last photo looks like it dressed out gorgeous. Which type was that one? The BBW?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

That turkey in the last photo looks like it dressed out gorgeous. Which type was that one? The BBW?

Yep, a BBW. The BBBs also looked like that, except there were a few dark pinfeather spots. The hens were amazing...plump! They were about 16 lbs. The toms were 20-24.

 

[patandchickens]

I have to say the couple of beltsville small whites I butchered and ate last fall were pretty impressive.

I saved three hens (was supposed to be just two, but I ran out of daylight on processing day ) and will put them to the heritage (Ridley-strain) bronze tom this spring and see what happens. (e.t.a. - yes Steve, I know this is Just Plain Not Right, but I can't afford to keep enough breeding stock to propagate any one breed *properly* so I am doing the mix-n-match mutt thing, so sue me, they're only for personal use)

(I also saved a Narragansett tom for breeding, but after eating his brothers over the winter, no way do I want those genes for table turkeys, so as soon as the weather warms up he is going in the freezer too, possibly the extra white hen too)


Pat

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I have to say the couple of beltsville small whites I butchered and ate last fall were pretty impressive.

I saved three hens (was supposed to be just two, but I ran out of daylight on processing day ) and will put them to the heritage (Ridley-strain) bronze tom this spring and see what happens. (e.t.a. - yes Steve, I know this is Just Plain Not Right, but I can't afford to keep enough breeding stock to propagate any one breed *properly* so I am doing the mix-n-match mutt thing, so sue me, they're only for personal use)

(I also saved a Narragansett tom for breeding, but after eating his brothers over the winter, no way do I want those genes for table turkeys, so as soon as the weather warms up he is going in the freezer too, possibly the extra white hen too)


Pat

Are those the midgets?

 

[patandchickens]

No, not midget whites, they are like smaller white hollands. I forget exactly but I *think* the toms dressed out at like 15-20 lbs, -ish, at about 6 months of age. They had weirdly *long* breasts, hard to stuff in fact b/c of how far back the keelbone went, but quite meaty for their size and pretty tasty.

Pat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

And the Beltsvilles were created right here in MD!!