The amazing Heritage Turkey!

Bourbon Red & Royal Palm Turkey hens

The Heritage Turkey and their ancient association with humans make them surprisingly good pets.

Our definition of the Heritage Turkey are most turkeys that fall in between the two extremes of the Turkey spectrum: -That is the wild turkey & the modern broad breasted white-meat heavy factory bird.

Great photo sent in by Chris in Missouri

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The ancestors of Heritage Turkeys have roamed portions of North and Central America for over for 18 million years! The resilience of the modern Eastern Wild Turkey (and its wild cousins to the west & south) is best represented by the amazing success in re-populating their original home ranges and spreading widely into non historical areas. In fact, many people will assure you that wild turkey populations have reached nuisance status in many regions of Modern America. Wild Turkeys return to Kennedy Space Center.

“Heritage Turkeys” of course are more recent phenomena as they represent some of the early varieties of turkeys developed from selective breeding of the original wild stocks. In fact the history of the history of turkey domestication parallels the development of the new world civilizations and the formation of the young United States of America. The Modern science of DNA analysis together with archeological studies are only now unraveling the fascinating the journey of turkeys: The original domestication by Native Americans both in central America and the pueblos of the American southwest; the turkey diaspora around the globe and their eventual return to the America’s during the European expansion into the new world.

Heritage turkeys have been a new world sensation since before the founding of our nation and were once a common feature of farm and ranch. As with other “Heritage” breeds, the Heritage Turkey population plummeted with urbanization & the demise of the family farm.

I do get the sense that the Heritage breeds are succeeding in the struggle to step back from the brink of extinction.

The majority of heritage turkeys are excellent flyers and readily roost at night in trees when allowed.

My Can Turkeys Fly? page

The feathers of these people friendly birds can vary in color patterns ranging from the original wild brown to various arrangements of red, black, gray and white. My Turkey Feather page

Some of the more popular Heritage breeds (but not all) are the Royal Palm, Black Spanish, Bronze, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, White Holland and Eastern Wild turkey. We include the Domesticated Eastern Wild Turkey as they are commonly sold in modern hatcheries and readily interbreed with all the Heritage turkeys. In fact a common definition of the Heritage turkey is that they are biologically similar to their wild cousins in that most are admirable flyers and can breed without human assistance. (Beware of the wild tom turkey displaying his feathers and leading your domesticated hens away to his forest harem!)

"Christmas Boy" A Striking White Holland rescue

How much do Heritage Turkeys weigh?

Well the temptation was to repeat what the Internet sources say…..But instead I snuck wife’s new scale outside to weigh them for myself….

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Privacy policy: This site may use cookies and Google Analytics. But I don't really know and don't know what I would do with the information if I did know.

Diversity Statement: Sanctioning no discrimination of turkeys, regardless of their feather pattern, country of national origins, genetic markers or if they are they wild, broad breasted or Heritage birds.

Mission Statement: To enhance the status of Heritage Turkeys via information and by reflecting upon the complex diversity of this misunderstood bird. And when needed provide sanctuary, feed and shelter.

"Inky" a Spanish Black Tom tipped the scale at 24.1 pounds. Note: Inky is overweight & is no longer allowed to roost in the tree. His landings are dismaying and his nights are now spent on a low perch inside the chicken coup.

"ButterBall" -a half wild, half Bourbon Red hen, would not cooperate on the scale, however her sister "HoneyBird" weighed a graceful 12.7 pounds. Both spend their nights high upon maple tree branches.

In fact nearly all our backyard flock comprising of a variety of Heritage Turkeys: Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, Blue Slate, Black Spanish, Florida Royal Palm and domesticated Eastern Wild spend their nights in trees. The heavy Toms all stay on the lower branches.

Broad Breasted varieties (as in the Presidents pardoned turkeys) are not considered “Heritage Turkeys”

The White Holland Turkey a striking turkey that falls somewhere in the middle, in that they can breed naturally, but have been selected for the broad breast and is placed the Heritage Turkey category.

Broad Breasted

Todays “factory turkey” (which I have heard comprises 98% of all turkeys on the planet) are birds that are generally white or bronze in color (depending upon which market/country they are being sold to) these profitable birds often have their beaks burned short-so they can be raised in crowded conditions and are then for slaughtered for market as soon as possible; one consequence of their enormous size is they unable to fly or breed naturally. In general they are termed “Broad Breasted”- Broad Breasted White or Broad Breasted Bronze.

The broad breasted varieties are generally short lived compared to heritage turkeys – as the heavy breasted birds quickly grow overweight to the point of being unhealthy and bones break- --yet they still make excellent pets!

Point of fact, that they become flightless after a few months makes them ideal for yards with limited space, or neighbors with fences & dangerous dogs. The broad breasted bird will not be able to fly over the fence to face injury or worse.

Very informative link on turkeys and problems faced by production turkeys due to over crowding Feather picking, spacing, burned off beaks, turkey murders and such. (sort of sad but a lot of information)

Heritage turkey descriptions: