BBW turkey info

[cornish20]

I know these are the counterpart of the CX in the turkey world... and I've been able to find out quite a bit of info on the CX birds- through some extensive research... but can anyone offer any good places to start researching the BBW turkeys?

 

[RNAOGEA]

I have been researching turkeys in general quite a bit lately and the best information I have found has been posts on here. Everything gets contradicting the more I've looked on the internet and Atleast here you get quite a few people that have been raising them. Sorry not much help. I will try to find the forums I have found and post them.

 

[cornish20]

any direct links to ones discussing BBW birds?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

I think most here have the Heritage breeds. They want to reproduc etheir flock and the broad breasted do not mate naturally.

 

[RNAOGEA]

Well after going back through jims right. If your not looking for size I would go with a heritage breed fro the reproduction aspect but it all depends on your needs. We will be getting some Bourbon Reds in the spring. I will keep looking to see if I can find anything through the sites I have bookmarks.

 

[cornish20]

I dont' want to be preached at about 'heritage' turkeys, why i need them, or why someone else thinks I need them.

I want info on BBW turkeys- who owns the breeder birds, how long they've been in existance, if anyone has tried breeding them (Naturally on a restricted diet, or by AI), etc...

It's not my first rodeo folks...

The word 'heritage', is SO overused- they are just breeds of birds...

 

[ColbyNTX]

I don't think you will find too many people here who try to breed them. Like the cornishX, they are too much trouble to keep alive and AI. Most of them will start to die before they reach sexual maturity from broken bones or organ failure.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
I keep them sometimes... the only one I had that broke any bones was after the shelter collapsed under a snow load and the roof hit her (she was almost 2 years old). Right now I have a 7 month old hen and one that is about 18 months old. The older one waddles a bit when she walks, the younger one is in with the chickens and can still get up on their roost (which is only about 2' off of the ground). I just keep the growth as slow as possible while they are young. I don't have the huge toms when it's time to process... at 6 months old a 'huge' one for me is 25 pounds, normal is 22 pounds for toms and 16 or 17 pounds for hens (dressed weight). The same holds true if I get them from McMurray, Mt Healthy, or this year from the feed store that gets them from another hatchery. If I can get a year of normal weather instead of a lot of mud I plan to cross them with my WH tom and see if I can get a line going that is bigger than a heritage but small enough to naturally breed.

 

[RNAOGEA]

I apologize if you felt like I was trying to influence you in any way. I didn't mean to offend you or question your knowledge. I was just trying to be helpful. Once again I apologize and will not repost.

 

[cornish20]

Quote:
That's fine... I was just looking for knowledge, rather than someone to pursuade me from getting them.

eTo Frosty and Colby.... What kind of laying have you seen from the hens? How about hatch a bility of their offspring? What did you cover them with in the past?