Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Animals: poultry
Practices
- Animal Production: livestock breeding
- Education and Training: display, youth education
- Farm Business Management: marketing management
Abstract:
I would like to explore poultry production by hatching and raising heritage breeds of turkeys, including Blue Slate, Bourbon Red, Royal Palm, and Bronze. I have always been fascinated by heritage breed turkeys for their beauty, and I'm interested in raising them for breeding pairs and meat production. I have raised Blue Slate turkeys and market turkeys in the past, but I would like to expand my eexperience to lean about incubating and hatching eggs, as well as raising the birds to the adult stage as pastured antibiotic-free poultry.
Raising heritage breed turkeys is important to my family because we live on a small acreage and would like to use this land efficiently by producing and promoting small-scale farming. I am also interested in preserving the heritage breed turkeys and providing breeding pairs for other enthusiasts to enjoy.
This aspect of Sustainable Agriculture is important to my community due to an increasing demand for antibiotic-free food with a higher quality and better taste. The smaller dressed size of heritage turkeys is perfect for smaller families not wanting the larger commercially bred turkey.
Finally, I would like this project to be a source of income; recent antibiotic-free, pastured turkey prices in my area were $3.49 per pound dressed, and breeding pairs sell from $50 to $75.
So far, my Hatching Heritage Breed Turkeys and Raising Pasture Poultry project has experienced great success. My original plan was altered slightly due to delay in funding until after turkey breeding season. Funds originally for hatching eggs were used to purchase 8 Blue Slate, 2 Royal Palm and 2 Heritage Bronze poults from a local breeder.
Project objectives:
- Explore poultry production by hatching and raising heritage breeds of turkeys
- Blue Slate
- Bourbon Red
- Bronze
- Learn more about preserving heritage breeds
- Provide breeding pairs for other heritage breed turkey enthusiasts
In November at the Ohio National I purchased my incubator and automatic turner. My Blue Slate hens are now laying so I currently have 14 eggs set to hatch in the next month.