Sweetgrass Turkeys
I always knew I was going to raise turkeys for our hobby farm. But what kind!? This was pondered on for a few years! Then as I was doing my research and reading about all the different kinds, I saw a photo of probably the most beautiful turkey I had ever seen! They called it "Sweetgrass" originating from a farm in the US MT. Well now! They were just what I was looking for! Beauty, size, temperament, and a rare heritage breed. Perfect! Finding some was not as easy as I had thought... I first tried my hand at hatching some shipped eggs from out of province. Out of 7 eggs, 2 hatched. And then one of our wonderful barn cats got into the brooder that very night I put them in, and ate them :( Thanks kitty.... So, after some more searching (and money of course) I found some Poults! We were able to acquire 7 new poults! YAY! So the summer of 2022 was a success! 2 big gorgeous gentle toms and 5 sweet hens to start our flock!
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Here's to offering eggs/poults for the 2025 year and making others dreams come true just as those who helped me make mine come true!
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More about the Sweetgrass: They were originally created with breeding Royal Palms and Bronze turkeys for a beautiful plumage of black, white and chestnut coloring. They breeding easily naturally and have a calm disposition. Being a heritage breed, they do tend to grow slower, though make a delicious tender meat for the table. They are excellent foragers, stay close to their home and easy to coop train. They lay on average 100 eggs per season. They begin laying later than other breeds in the late spring. Their eggs have a beautiful pink hue with brown speckles. Turkey eggs hatch at roughly 28 days. The hens make great mothers and will easily go broody. The toms are protective of their hens during peek breeding season.
Tid-Bits *
Frequently asked:
When do they begin laying? ​​
~ Our flock usually begins laying in mid March, sometimes a bit sooner, depending on the weather. We begin offering hatching eggs in mid April. Once we have tested fertility in our own incubators. Time lines are approximate, animals are unpredictable after all! lol
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How many egg do they lay per year? 80-100/hen.
What do they eat?
~ Grains, bugs, plants, and a higher protein diet in the winter months and or during molting. Water soluble vitamins once a week. Please visit our Poultry Feed & Care page to learn more about what we offer our birds. Your local feed store should also be able to educate you in making an informed decision about what to feed your birds!
~ They breed true to color.
~ Toms develop a large flap of skin above their beak called a Snood. It's purpose is to attract hens during mating season and changes colors like bright red. It can also help them regulate their temperature. A greyish duller color can represent a calm happy turkey.
~ The "Wattle" is under their chin and runs along the front of the neck, changing color same as the snoods purpose.
~ The toms develop a " Beard" on their chest. It looks and feels similar to horse hair. It's purpose is unknown for certain but is most likely related to presenting themselves to attract mates. The hens can also develop beards but may not be a prominent. They can grow up to 5inces per year.
~ Toms develop spurs on their feet for breeding purposes the same as a rooster.
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