Just a Couple of Turkeys

Our three littlest ones looking at the turkeys

I have been contemplating for some time now, the idea of raising Heritage Turkeys.  We don't have extensive property, so it would be on a very limited basis.  But when I've thought of home based businesses, that is one idea that has flitted though my head. 

Some considerations are space.  How much space does it take to raise, say, a dozen turkeys?  Feed type.  Would we want to do organic, or free range, or standard, or what?  Market.  These birds, when finished, bring in potentially $80 each.  At that price, is there any market for them in this corner of the world?  If not, how far owuld we have to go to sell them?  Regulations.  There are always government regulations, but I assume, from the little I know about it, that we'd have to use an FDA approved locker.  If we do that, rather than butchering them ourselves, there is another added cost.

So at this point we are not raising Heritage turkeys.  But we've thought about it. 

I thought that perhaps we could get a couple, just to raise for practice, then if we ever decided to pursue the idea further, we'd have that experience under our belts. 

With that in mind, when Joe called the Fleet Supply in Bemidji to find out about chickens, he asked about turkeys, too.  He found out that they can special order the Eastern Wild, so we'd need to get a full dozen.

Inge is very curious

The other variety the sell is the Bronze.  Now, from my previous reading on Heritage breeds, I know that there is the Standard Bronze, which is a Heritage breed, and the Broad Breasted Bronze, which is a commercial breed.  When we asked, the Fleet Supply people did not know which they had, as the order forms specify only Bronze.  I asked which hatchery they used. 

Hoover. 

When I got home, I checked the website and the Bronze birds they sell are the Broad Breasted Bronze.  So we still do not have Heritage Turkeys. But  we have turkeys and we will have fun with them and learn as we go along.

Inge letting a poult eat from her hand