Bourbon Red turkey
The Bourbon Red is an American heritage turkey with reddish-brown plumage. It was once an important commercial meat breed.
The Bourbon Red is a pure-bred turkey breed in the PCGB Heavy class. Its origin is given as Kentucky, USA. It appears on the RBST Watchlist as a priority breed, so keepers of pure stock help conserve it.
It is kept in heavy form. Recognised colours: Bourbon Red.
It lays cream, speckled eggs.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, rbst.org.uk, turkeyclub.org.uk, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Turkey
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Heavy
- Origin
- Kentucky, USA
History
It was developed in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in the late 1800s. The work is usually credited to J. F. Barbee and is thought to have started from a dark Pennsylvania strain, the Tuscarora Red, with some White Holland and Bronze added. It entered the American Standard in 1909 and was later displaced by the Broad Breasted White. It was formerly called the Bourbon Butternut or Kentucky Red.
Appearance
Tall and high-breasted, with reddish-brown plumage. Detailed markings were not confirmed this pass.
Recognised colours
Bourbon Red
Size and weight
- Forms
- Heavy
Eggs
- Egg colour
- Cream, speckled
- Notes
- No egg figure was found.
Temperament
Not recorded yet.
Hardiness
Not recorded yet.
Broodiness
Not recorded yet.
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Good to know
- Now the most numerous heritage turkey in the USA. It is recognised by PCGB and Slow Food has added it to its Ark of Taste. Turkey Club UK has no standards page for it.
Conservation status (RBST)
A priority breed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist.
Breed club
- Turkey Club UK, umbrella · Website
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
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