Which turkey breed is best?

[boykin2010]

I have been thinking about getting a different breed of turkeys since my two rio grande turkeys turned out to be boys. I really want a tame breed. I want them to be yard turkeys and i want eggs. I know turkeys are seasonal layers but which breed lays the most eggs? I would also like ones that arent as aggressive. I have heard good things about bourbon reds but i also really like royal palms. I have heard royal palms are a little bit crazy. There arent many royal palms in my area so i am having some trouble finding some full grown ones. I am sure each person has their preferances on breeds but i would like to hear which breeds yall like best and WHY please.
Thank you

 

[ColbyNTX]

Which ever heritage breed you get won't be wrong! You can get good ones and bad ones in any color. I have eight types of turkeys and like them all and no bad ones (crazy) in the flock. It comes dow to what you want and can get.

 

[boykin2010]

How do you like your royal palms? Are they pretty good layers?

 

[ColbyNTX]

They lay quite a few eggs but I have never kept count. Like I said, I have 8 different breeds and don't really keep records of how many eggs each hen lays. None of my birds seem to lay more or less than any others. I feed my adults a good 20% layer feed year round.

 

[Evelle]

Quote:
8??? i didnt know there are 8 different breeds of turkeys WOW!!! you must go through alot of food.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
8??? i didnt know there are 8 different breeds of turkeys WOW!!! you must go through alot of food.

I guess I have only 1 breed and that is turkey!

I guess I should say 8 different colors of heritage turkeys and yes, I go through about 200lbs per week!

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
ok, so I recently decided I like having turkeys, and I want more... but your 200lb number is scaring me! how many turkeys *is* that?

 

[Lagerdogger]

I have found that the Bourbon Reds, Standard Bronze. and Narragansetts are the best "pet" turkeys. The seem more willing to let you get close than the Royal Palms and Midget Whites. But I like Royal palm too and so have a few. Most turkeys will be good pets if you spend enough time with them. The Bourbon Reds and Royal Palms seem to fly out the most when young. I have about 25 turkeys right now and I think I'm going through about 10 lbs per day (six 3/4 gallon scoops per day).

 

[boykin2010]

Thanks for all the replys. I really like the royal palms but since some say they arent as friendly, and i cant find any in my area, i dont think it will work out. I may just get some bourbon reds since they are for sale all in my area. One of the benefits i guess of having royal palms could be selling the poults i hatch locally. It may be a good business since there are none around me.
Since ColbyNTX said how much food he goes through, it made me think about how much i go through.
I go through 50 pounds of chicken feed a week, 50 pounds of sheep feed a week, 20 pounds ( guessing ) of grower a week, 20 pounds of dog food a week, 20 pounds of cat food a week. That means a month i am going through 640 pounds of food. Yearly that is 7680 pounds. That is almost 4 tons of food a year!

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
see now that's a calculation I've been warned never to do...