Red Bourbon Turkey

Red bourbon turkeys are a heritage breed turkey and are a dual purpose bird good for both the eggs and the meat. They typically out at 11-13 pounds at just 8 months of age and are recognized by the American Poultry Association, we strive to breed towards that standard. They are what you need for longevity of breeding.

There are 2 kinds of turkeys, heritage and meat. Meat birds would be BBB or BBW, Broad Breasted Bronze or White. Heritage is all the other turkeys that come in a variety of colors. I breed Red Bourbons. Heritage birds can reproduce on their own and go broody. They can fly and roost. I have not found them hard to raise and they are super inquisitive. Anything new will cause them to alert and they make popping noises as they “discuss” the new thing. Hens will “bark” and males will gobble. Breeding sets are 1:3-4 and I successfully keep 2 toms and 6 hens together.

To get more information, listen to the Poultry Nerds Podcast here as we discuss turkeys, both kinds.