Which is the most self sufficient and yummy turkey breed?

[Bubblingbrooks]

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

Something to look into!

We have already processed our black. Never again. The black goo and pins? Nasty all the way.
Its not a company turkey for sure.

 

[meriruka]

Random BR pic..... Jerry & his kids.

 

[Farmfresh]

Beautiful picture!

I have discovered that I REALLY like turkeys... A LOT! If I ever do get acreage I want a BIG old free ranging group of heritage turkeys on the place for my insect control. They are really beautiful birds.

 

[freemotion]

My BR pair has this spring to give me offspring and then they go in the pot. They are 3-4 years old and nothing yet. I will be incubating all eggs and not waiting for that silly hen to figure out nesting. She's only managed to raise chicken chicks...in February! Then the tom got amorous and squished 4 of the six, a rat go the last two the day after I rescued them.

I won't have freezer room, but if I raise a few (if I don't get poults from the BR's) I would need to can it. I canned some breast cubes last year from storebought turkeys ($0.49 per lb, couldn't resist) and when opening the jars, the chemical smell is overwhelming. I still have a dozen quarts, uneaten. That is enough to convince me to raise my own, whether I continue with the heritage breeds or raise up a few frankenturkeys.

Oh, and we ate two Naragansetts a couple years ago and they were so delicious! So different from what I was used to, it was as if it were not even the same critter at all. All dark meat and it reminded me a little of mild, tender beef.

 

[patandchickens]

She's only managed to raise chicken chicks...in February! Then the tom got amorous and squished 4 of the six, a rat go the last two the day after I rescued them.

This was my experience too; the tom don't care WHY the hen is sitting there, he figures she is just waiting to be jumped up and down on a couple times a day, and the eggs get squished.

Take home lesson for others: REMOVE TOM when hen starts nesting, if you want to be on the safe side.

(Mine got removed to the freezer, actually; he was quite tasty)

Pat

 

[freemotion]

Tom was removed, but he got determined and got over the wall....darn heritage turkeys can fly, even a 35-40 lb tom can use those powerful legs to assist takeoff when he is motivated by lust!

 

[Wifezilla]

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

He he he he

 

[savingdogs]

Is there a stigma for mixing turkey breeds? people do it with chickens all the time.....

And it seems like a cross between the types would really be kind of better......I can see why one might want to have a more multipurpose bird.

 

[Buster]

Is there a stigma for mixing turkey breeds?

Not really. Their poults and hatching eggs just sell better and higher if they are a pure heritage bird.

 

[Buster]

Random BR pic..... Jerry & his kids.
http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/286_p1010048.jpg

Is that netting I see in the background there to keep your turks from flying? If so, tell us about your containment system.