Turkey's life span

[haystack613]

I'm have a broad breasted bronze hen that I love so much but I just learned that she isn't going to live that long because they are raised for meat meaning they weigh more and not pets like I intended on.So , I was wanting to know what turkey breed has a longer lifespan and that is really sweet,Thanks!

 

[ivan3]

As I mentioned, in the thread on her `socialization' skills... Just keep her foraging around, Schedule her feeding, and limit it to specific amount. One member reported keeping a BB hen alive for 11 yrs. Average seems to be about 5 if not allowed to gorge on crumbles and pellets. But, again, more activity/fewer calories from regular feed (keep her out eating bugs/stripping seed heads from grass) is the best strategy.

Heritage varieties maintained well? 8-12 yrs. Hen's fertility drops off significantly at seven years, or so.

Any of these varieties will do: http://www.porterturkeys.com/ Keep in mind, these turkeys fly (Palm hens are light weight and ours `wing it' quite a bit during their first couple of years).

Our first RP's were supposedly from a show quality line. Breeding in-and-in for `perfection' of conformation, before the judges, can introduce its own set of problems less obvious than those demonstrated in Whites & Bronzes bred for meat. But the potential for problems pales in comparison to the commercial varieties.

Your BB hen might waddle along for longer than advertised.

 

[DylansMom]

I'm have a broad breasted bronze hen that I love so much but I just learned that she isn't going to live that long

because they are raised for meat meaning they weigh more and not pets like I intended on.So , I was wanting to know what turkey breed has a longer lifespan and that is really sweet,Thanks!

Make sure you limit feed and offer lots of fresh fruit and veggies. We have a BBW who actually escaped from a processing plant and eventually made her way to us, she is over 9 years old now. She still gets up and walks around, although she is slowing down a bit. She has been a great pet.