# Keeping broad breasted white turkeys?



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Soooo....I found myself in possession of two broad breasted white turkeys. They are currently about 10 weeks old. I am barely feeding the poor things, making them forage for most of their food. They get lots of exercise and I am so in love with them. I have heard that, while they CAN have the same issues as a cornish cross chicken, it's not as guaranteed. Has anyone had any luck keeping them long term? Meet the sweethearts, Ginger and Wasabi.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I LOVE turkeys!!! Oh my gosh they are the best! I unfortunately have not had one for very lot term, the first one was when I was a little girl and we traded our neighbor something for her (I can’t remember what) she was fed very well by him before we got her and then she was just a free range turkey here. She ended up dying about a year after we got her. I was young so I can’t really recall why she died. She was the best though. She followed me every where I went and adopted kittens lol I would ride my bike and had a turkey and 4 kittens following behind.
I wanted my kids to have the same experience so I got another one a few years ago. I did the same as your doing. Not letting her get too fat. We had her for about 2 years and then she got a egg stuck (which I had no idea could happen!) and she passed. 
We just got a Spanish and a Royal palm chicks and I hope we have better luck. But you know what you have these, you love them, so keep doing what your doing! I really do think if mine didn’t get a egg stuck she would have lived longer. 
Total warning though even though we adored Fluffy Buzzard she was not the smartest thing in the world! I couldn’t even tell you how many times she got her self into situations that she had to be saved. So you basically have toddlers on your hands with no common sense so watch them lol


----------



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

@Jessica84 I love the fact that yours lived two years before the egg incident...that even happens with chickens so I am assuming it wasn't size related. I am hoping these live great long lives. I just can't get over how sweet they are. They rode with me in my car, crammed in a box they barely fit in, for 14 hours and were fine and happy as clams when I got them home. I will definitely watch for any dumb accidents. I am used to that with my goofy goats anyway. I have had then 2 weeks and they already follow me like puppies. They even run in the house and have to be scooted back out. They really are just amazing little things.


----------



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

@Jessica84 I just had to add, I love the story of you and your turkey when you were little. That is the sweetest thing ever!


----------



## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

New-goat-mom said:


> Soooo....I found myself in possession of two broad breasted white turkeys. They are currently about 10 weeks old. I am barely feeding the poor things, making them forage for most of their food. They get lots of exercise and I am so in love with them. I have heard that, while they CAN have the same issues as a cornish cross chicken, it's not as guaranteed. Has anyone had any luck keeping them long term? Meet the sweethearts, Ginger and Wasabi.
> View attachment 160041
> View attachment 160043


You are doin right by limiting their feed and makin them move and forage! That is the most important thing to do. We had two bb bronzes... they were at leasa year old when we got them because they were laying. And one lived two and half more years. So keep doin wat you are doin and they will live a good bit for you... not like a heritage but still a bit.


----------



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Sfgwife said:


> You are doin right by limiting their feed and makin them move and forage! That is the most important thing to do. We had two bb bronzes... they were at leasa year old when we got them because they were laying. And one lived two and half more years. So keep doin wat you are doin and they will live a good bit for you... not like a heritage but still a bit.


Awesome! You guys are making me feel much better. I was honestly pretty worried.


----------

