Sam's love for pheasants and birds in general, goes back to when he was a boy and his grandparents had oriental pheasants.  Between his love for animals and his grandfather's encouragement, Sam soon was raising several species of pheasants.  Obviously, Lazy "B" has to incorporate them into the homestead somehow!!
Interesting fowl facts

Gambel Quail

Bobwhite Quail

Japanese Quail
 

Guineas Hens 
For those who may want them!

Narragansett turkey

Bourbon Red Turkey

For a comical little turkey song click on the turkey!
Kids will love it!!

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Coturnix or Japanese Quail The Japanese call the birds "uzura", and have raised them for centuries. Early American colonists called them "Bible quail" and found them to be economical providers of protein. Modern homesteaders, however, refer to them as Coturnix (from their generic name) and delight in the virtues of these astounding little fowl. Coturnix quail, you see, require no more care than do chickens ...but they mature faster, produce more eggs, need less food and space, and have more uses than virtually any other kind of domestic poultry!   There are six varieties of Coturnix, which differ from one another primarily in size and color: British Range, Tuxedo, English White, Manchurian Golden, Pharoah Dl, and the comparatively new Australian Speckled Fawn. Of these, the Pharoah Dl is both the largest and the best egg producer.    These our photos of our "starter" birds.  We kept them indoors for a while until we got good weather that would permit them to be moved outside with out drastic temperature changes.   Once acclimated to the outdoors, they do fine.  They came from a pen that had a couple of dozen birds jammed in it and was indoors!   We rescued three healthy birds and took our best guess at a trio.   They first started laying eggs in November 2006 and it appears we were successful in getting a trio - at least three out of the first five eggs were fertile.          Coturnix or Japanese quail are a delight to raise, their space requirements are small, they don’t eat a lot, convert feed into protein efficiently, and are much more congenial creatures than even the sweetest-tempered chicken. These engaging fowl have been raised under domestic conditions since the Pharos ruled beside the Nile.  The modern Coturnix has been bred to begin producing eggs when less that two months old. Once she starts laying, the hen will produce an egg daily for at least a year. The males are equally rapid growers, being ready for the table at six to eight weeks of age.  Yes they are edible and is why they are so popular on homesteads.   Every thing in life has a purpose.   We raise these because we enjoy them and should we have excess eggs and birds we can not sell ... well it IS a homestead! Coturnix eggs are nearly identical in taste and nutritional quality to chicken eggs. Coturnix hens, however, need less than two pounds of feed to produce a pound of eggs. Chickens need almost three pounds of feed to make that same pound of eggs. You can use the eggs yourself or sell them in gourmet markets. Because of their small size, they are especially attractive as hors d’oeuvres, either pickled or hard-cooked. Five Coturnix eggs equal one chicken egg. Quail eggs are all different in appearance, being speckled and mottled.  What an interesting egg hunt they would make at Easter time!   Coturnix are very easy to prepare for eating, also. Quail meat is delicious. Even the breast meat is dark, as is true of all birds that fly. The meat needs to be tasted to understand the the wonderful flavor. The meat is tender and can be broiled, baked, roasted, stir-fried, or stewed.  There are three ways to acquire your first birds, you can either buy adult birds (which is how we got started and what we would recomend), chicks or hatching eggs. If you are only interested in keeping a few dozen birds for eggs, buy young hens. However, to get both meat and eggs you will need to purchase young chicks or hatch your own eggs.  They are very difficult to almost impossible to sex.   Educated guessing is the best we can do! The hatching rate for Coturnix eggs is about 60% and generally half of them will be young cocks. The same ratio usually applies to day-old chicks. Separate the cocks and hens as soon as you can determine their sex.  Over crowding will lead to problems! If you are going to keep your own eggs to hatch for replacement birds, it is a good idea to get a few males from another source so that your gene pool remains varied. If you keep breeding related birds back to one another, you will weaken your flock and recessive abnormalities will begin to show up. At the very least, you will soon have hens that do not lay daily and fertility will decrease. Because of their small size, Coturnix can be kept in small pens. Plan on a square foot of space per bird. When startled, quail tend to fly straight up and can gain enough upward momentum to break their necks when they hit the top of the cage. If your cages are high enough to allow flight, make the tops of burlap, nylon netting, or canvas, otherwise you will be removing dead birds as they smash themselves on the solid cage tops. Cages can be raised or rest on the ground. Many quail breeders favor raised cages because they are easier to keep clean. The droppings fall through to the ground and can be raked up and removed to the compost heap without disturbing the birds. In raised cages, the birds will never be standing in manure and the eggs will remain clean. A nesting or brooding box is necessary if you want to get eggs. This should be a solid box with a small opening for the hens to enter and leave by and a large door for you to collect eggs and change bedding. You should be able to get into the nesting box from outside the cage. You can keep 40 birds in a cage three feet by three feet by seven feet. Like most birds, Coturnix like to take dust baths in hot weather. If your birds are in raised cages, give them a cat-litter pan full of dry soil for dusting. As with all animals, always provide the birds with fresh, clean water. Very young chicks can easily fall into water and drown, so take this into consideration when selecting water dishes.   we often will use as shallow water dish and/or place marbles in the dish to prevent accidental drowning.    Special water dishes made for small birds can be purchased. These containers have small openings for the birds to get at the water but too small for them to fall in and drown. Study the ready-made water containers and you should be able to duplicate them with a little ingenuity and some empty milk jugs. Birds being raised only for meat will thrive and grow plump on a high-carbohydrate diet. Hens will need laying mash if they are to produce lots of eggs. Most feed stores sell special feeds formulated for quail and other game birds. Be sure to read the label carefully and do not purchase feeds that have been treated or medicated. You should not have any trouble buying untreated feed for your birds. Tell the feed store people that your are raising birds organically and they will steer you to the correct products. You can supplement your hen’s diet with chopped greens from the kitchen. Food scraps that you would normally put in the compost pile can be processed through the Coturnix hens first. Chop leaves and other vegetable scraps fine enough for the birds to eat easily and there will be almost no waste. Cock birds being raised for the table can be given all sorts of table scraps like stale bread and cakes. You only need to keep these birds plump and happy and they do not require extra nutrition for forming egg shell. Even if you use a few of them for breeding to get fertile eggs, they will still do very well on a basic diet of quail scratch and stale bakery products. The added bonus of raising quail is their pleasing voices. They are not raucous and shrill like chickens and listening to them coo and whistle to one another can be very soothing after a stressful day. Your quail cock birds will never wake you from a sound sleep by crowing loudly under your bedroom window.   They will "chatter" to one another often. for more info on Coturnix  Quail, visit  That Quail Place. Back to Pheasants and foul Top of Page                           Bobwhite Quail Colinus virginianus This beautiful quail is found in most parts of the United States and can be classified in many different subspecies with the most common being the Eastern Bobwhite.  The males are beautiful in color and are distinctively known for their "Bob-White" call.  The males have white on their head while the females have brown as you can see from the pictures above.  It's always a joy to be in the out of doors and hear these birds make their calls back and forth to each other.    Our state requires special license to sell these birds so we will raise them for our use and to enjoy until we have enough to make such a license feasible.     Back to Pheasants and foul                                   Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii) The Gambel's Quail is a well known species in aviculture and in the wild. Also known as the Arizona, top-knot or desert quail, they are found in arid areas of the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. Gambel's Quail have also been successfully introduced to Lanai and Hawaii in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Paul Johnsgard describes seven subspecies, all of which are similar and I don't believe that the subspecies are differentiated in captive populations. This species is often confused with the related Valley Quail. Males of both species share the black top-knot plume. Male Gambel's can be distinguished by having no scaling on the lower breast, but rather having a yellowish belly with a large black spot. The top of the head is rusty brown with a white border and a black face, forehead and chin; the back and upper breast is grayish brown with rusty brown flanks that have white streaks. Females also have a top-knot, but it is much smaller in size. Her overall coloration is similar to the male, but she lacks the black and white face, the black breast spot and the rust color on her is much lighter. The hen is also slightly smaller than the male. In the wild, Gambel's Quail form large groups or coveys. During the spring, these large flocks break up and the males begin to draw females to their chosen territory. Fights between rival males can become quite vicious while they try to draw mates into their territories. This species is real joy to have in your aviary and the male's call reminds one of the old-west movies! They are very active and nervous, therefore require a larger pen than most quail.    Gambel's can be quite aggressive when adding new birds to an existing flock during the breeding season. If you must add a new bird, do so during the winter when they form coveys. It is also a good idea to keep many birds together during the cold months, this way they will naturally form a covey for warmth. Back to Pheasants and foul                                                                     Sebastopol Goose No other waterfowl have the curly, twisted feathers of the Sebastopol. A pair of Sebastopol is a fascinating sight. They are quiet and very friendly.Though no geese require bathing water, the Sebastopol benefits most from it as their curly feathers often drag the ground and become soiled without bathing water. They appear to have originated in southeastern Europe.  Theses geese,  cannot fly, and are very gentle, make nice pets, lay eggs fairly well, and will reach a medium size of 10 to 14 pounds.   Back to Pheasants and foul                                                                                       Guineas Hens Exerpt from Feb./Mar. 2006 issue of Backyard Poultry Got ticks & bugs? Get Guineas! BY JEANNETTE FERGUSON Got ticks? Got obnoxious bugs and garden pests? Tired of insects destroying your flower beds and leaves and gardens? Just maybe guineas are for you. Years ago when I was unable to participate in the local garden club flower shows, I discovered guineas to be the solution to my problem. Just over a year after raising guineas, not only was I able to enter flower shows, but I won 102 ribbons and several rosettes that first season. Guinea fowl range across the property taking bites of weed seeds, insects, grasshoppers, Japanese Beetles and other obnoxious bugs with nearly every step they take. They prefer selecting pests that are on top of the ground or on plants and leaves within their eyesight and reach. Guineas can often be seen darting across the yard after a moth or other flying insect. Many people keep guineas because they eat ticks, alert them to strangers, or kill many types of snakes. I also keep chickens but have been unable to free range them because of the damage they would do to the flowers and flower beds-mostly due to scratching for bugs and insects beneath the surface, or scratching to dust bathe and in the process, pulling up plants-roots and all. So the chickens are confined to their house with attached poultry yard while the guineas are permitted to free range by day and return to roost inside their safe house with the chickens by night. The farmer's watchdog Guinea fowl are very entertaining to watch as they patrol across the property. Typically, the birds forage for food as a group or in small groups within eyesight of each other. They emit a low-level warble sound, not unlike chickens that is only audible when listening close by, i.e., within a few feet. Occasionally the birds will be disturbed either by some abnormal activity or sound or when they get separated and need to locate each other. During these times the birds can emit a louder sound as an alarm signal. This alarm call is what gave them the title years ago, "the farmer's watchdog". Guineas can be seen following a lawnmower that stirs up bugs. They can be seen chasing each other like little roadrunners during mating season, and can be heard giving the dickens to anything or anyone who is strange or unusual to them by sounding their "alarm call" that usually lasts for about 20 seconds at a time. Guineas can be trained to come to you when they are called. For the person who cares to put some effort in to taming a guinea as an animal to be held and petted, that too is possible. If you want an unusual, spotted bird that can alert you to intruders, can make gardening more pleasant by eating bugs, insects and ticks, can entertain your family and visitors alike, and can supply you with beautiful feathers, eggs and/or meat, guinea fowl might be for you. Before purchasing, consider this... But before rushing out to purchase hatching eggs or keets (baby guineas), there are a few things to consider... Unlike chickens, guinea fowl can run faster, fly higher, range further, and "sing" louder than most poultry. Guinea fowl can be very difficult to catch unless they are trained. They can fly up onto the roof of a house or high up into a tree. Although they are not as loud as peafowl, they are more "talkative", especially during that first year of life when everything they see and hear is new and unusual to them. If guineas are not trained to roost inside a poultry shed at night, they will take to the trees and have all night slumber parties, talking into the wee hours-especially during a full moon. A guinea hen, the female adult guinea, makes a two-syllable sound, "buck-wheat, buck-wheat". She can also imitate the call of the male guinea cock's one syllable sound, "chi-chi-chi". However, a guinea cock cannot imitate a guinea hen. This is the easiest way to identify if a guinea is male or female. Adults can be vent sexed, but keets are sold only as straight run, unsexed. The sex of a guinea keet cannot be identified until it is around eight weeks old when it begins making either the one or two-syllable sounds. Guinea Fowl will dust bathe to clean their feathers, and they will normally select a place that is free from grass like a bald spot in the yard or freshly tilled soil. Covering the soil in flowerbeds with mulch can help to discourage them from selecting those areas. At my place, there is a special area in the back yard near their house that we keep tilled especially for dusting, and our flock seems to understand and enjoy this area that is softer and easier for them to make their little pits to dust bathe in. While guineas can rid the vegetable gardens of unwanted pests, it is best not to allow them into that area until plants are established and well rooted in the spring. After a long winter without greens to munch on, guineas can get themselves into trouble by following the owner across the garden - pecking at the nice green onion sprouts as they are planted only to have the owner finish planting the row, turn around and see the onion sets scattered behind him. Later, guineas might peck at a few tomatoes or other veggie, but the benefits of keeping guineas far outweighs any damage they might do. In most cases, planting a few extra plants will make up for any losses. Check into the rules and regulations where you live to see if you are permitted to keep poultry. If you have neighbors and you want to garden with guineas and allow them to free range by day, make certain your neighbors are knowledgeable about the benefits of having guinea fowl around, and ask if they will mind visitors. Guineas can fly over any fencing and will surely get curious about the grass that might be greener on the other side. There are things you can do to encourage your flock to stay on your own property, but the occasional visit to the neighbor's side of the fence must be contemplated. If "noise" is a concern, you might consider keeping only guinea cocks. Although they can be just as loud as guinea hens, they do not "sing" as often. And unlike keeping too many chicken roosters that sometimes fight to kill, other than an occasional darting or peck demonstrated by the pecking order, guinea cocks do not fight to kill each other. Like all animals, guinea fowl need care They need predator-proof housing, proper feed and fresh water. Predator proof housing for guineas is extremely important. Housing provides a safe and secure place for guinea fowl to roost overnight. Guinea fowl cannot see well at night, and if left to roost in trees they will eventually become a midnight snack for hungry owls, raccoons or other overnight predators. Dry, draft-free housing will also keep them safe from frostbite during hazardous winter weather. Guineas will come to know their house as the place they can find food, water and safety. Proper housing should be considered and constructed before you get guinea eggs to hatch, guinea keets to brood, or older guinea fowl to raise. Keets are raised on starter feed, turkey starter with amprolium (a coccidiostat) has the high protein content needed for these fast-growing birds. Adults can be fed a chicken layer ration or a gamebird feed. Feed and fresh, clean water should be available 24/7 inside their poultry house - guinea fowl will not overeat. Eggs, keets and older guinea fowl can be ordered from Guinea Farm, the world's largest guinea fowl hatchery (www.guineafarm.com). 30 keets per order is the minimum order so the keets will stay warm during shipment. Keets are available in 22 different varieties. Eggs and keets can also be purchased from local breeders within your state. A guinea fowl breeder's list is located online at www.guineafowl.com/GeneralStore/breeders.html. The list is larger during breeding season, generally from March through September in most areas of the USA. You can also order eggs or keets from a National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)-registered flock outside your home state, as indicated on the breeders list. Learn more about guineas at... The Guinea Fowl Breeders Association is for anyone interested in guinea fowl. This is an Internet group that meets annually to learn more in-depth and up-to-date information about keeping and raising guinea fowl. Details at www.gfba.org Throughout the year, members hang out online at a Guinea Fowl Message Board and help others with questions, comments and answers about keeping guinea fowl at www.guineafowl.com/board. Here you will also find links to hundreds of photographs of brooders, housing, guineas and even a guinea fowl color chart and sound files to help you identify the birds in your flock. Gardening with Guineas is a step-by-step guide to raising guinea fowl from egg through adult and is available through the Backyard Poultry Bookstore. Back to Pheasants and foul

Golden Pheasant

Many people may be surprised to learn that the Golden pheasant, which is one of the best known and easiest pheasants to keep and breed in a backyard aviary, is still not well understood in its natural homeland of China. This is because in nature the pheasant lives on mountainous slopes, ledges, and rocky hills, often impenetrably covered with dense scrub bamboo, bushes, and woods. In the minds of many who breed pheasants, the Golden is unsurpassed in brilliance, beauty, and desirability as a pheasant for the game farm or aviary.

Golden Pheasants were first brought to Europe at least by the 18th Century, and George Washington was the first American known to have kept and raised this pheasant, which he did at Mt. Vernon. The Chinese have recognized golden pheasants for centuries in art, literature and mythology. Others have claimed that the pheasant is the Phoenix of Greek mythology ("History," Liv. 10 Caput 2. p. 5), which is a bird fabled to have lived for 500 years. The pheasants had a cyclical life, and at the end of each half millennium they supposedly burned themselves to ashes and then arose in renewed beauty and immortality. Whatever its actual role has been, few people would question that this pheasant is among the most intriguing creatures ever to enliven and beautify the earth.

Golden Pheasants are often one of the first acquired by the beginner getting started in the pheasant raising field. Sam received his first pair of pheasants from his grandfathers stock and of course they were Golden Pheasants!   Like its cousin the Lady Amherst Pheasant (Sam's Favorite), they are quite disease resistant and hardy in most climates. It does well on a standard pheasant diet which can include mixed grains, greens, and/or manufactured game bird feeds in the off seasons and layer feed just before and through the breeding season.   We try to avoid medicated feeds.  Since they are polygynous, compatibility and good production will usually result by having several of the pheasant hens with each male. Sam always tried to run trio's (two hens / one male).    A fairly spacious aviary is recommended for this pheasant to allow them to chase about as their lively courtship ritual is happily carried on in spring.   Too small of a pen will also tend to break the beautiful tail fethers as well.    Always provide "run through boxes" to permit a "speed bump" should the courting persuit get to much for the hen.   Sam's grandfather always told him to use square perch boards not round ones.   Pheasants are ground birds and in cold weather square perches are better for them.  In captivity, Golden Pheasant hens generally lay from about 5 - 12 cream colored eggs per clutch that hatch in 22-23 days

Mutations of the Golden Pheasant have been developed and have been described in the Game Bird Gazette and in the Pheasant Standards book published by the Gazette. They include the Yellow Golden Pheasant (below), Buff Golden Pheasant (variation of the Yellow), Dark Throated Golden Pheasant, and Salmon Golden Pheasant. Yellow Goldens are the most beautiful and popular of these pheasant mutations.

Golden Pheasants are most closely related to the Lady Amherst Pheasant, and unfortunate it is for their preservation that fully fertile hybrids have been regularly produced in captivity in zoos and some private aviaries over over a period of many decades. Impurity in the adult male Golden Pheasant often shows up as a reddish tinge in the crown, lack of distinct barring in the tail, and larger than normal size.  Since Amherst cocks have a red crest this often transfers when hybridization occurs with the Golden Pheasant.

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Turkey Breeds

Royal Palm Turkey	Narragansett turkey	Midget White Turkey
Bourbon Red Turkey TURTLE WORLD Dual Purpose Chickens Our Other Birds Ornamental Chickens Homestead Menu

Should we decide to purchase turkeys for the homestead, there are four breeds we would consider.   All are great homestead breeds and are becoming more and more difficult to find - thus need to be raised in order to maintain the species identity.   Time, space and availability will be the determining factors.    Of course if we are given the opportunity to rescue turkeys, we will be obligated to do so and will either give them a home or find a suitable one for them.    After all that is part of our purpose!    Sam's personal favorites are the Royal Palm and the Bourbon Red Turkeys. 

The American Poultry Association (APA) lists the following varieties of turkeys in its Standard of Perfection: Black, Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, Slate, Bourbon Red, Beltsville Small White, and Royal Palm. The Buff variety was accepted in 1874 but removed this century when it became quite rare. The term "variety" is used purposefully, since the APA considers the turkey to be a breed and the sub-breeds to be varieties. Turkey varieties as genetic units are somewhat similar to the breeds and varieties of other domestic species. Though there are not many varieties, there are fewer differences between them, and, with the exception of the Bronze, they have been poorly documented.  For much of this century, the turkey industry has focused on a single variety, first the Broad-breasted Bronze and now the Large White. The other varieties have been neglected for some time and are rare today. As they were of value in the past, however, they merit conservation today.

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Royal Palm Turkey

The Royal Palm is one of the smallest turkey varieties. It was selected as an ornamental and hobby bird and recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1971. Royal Palm turkeys are active and thrifty, excellent foragers and good flyers. Standard weights are 22 pounds for toms and twelve pounds for hens.  Sam's Grandfather had some of these turkeys and that was his first introduction to these birds.

Royal Palm turkeys are white with black edging on the feathers. The saddle is metallic black in color, which provides a sharp contrast against the white base color of body plumage. The neck is white with a narrow black edging running the entire width of each feather. The tail is pure white with each feather having a broad band of metallic black terminating in white at the end of the tail. The coverts are white with a band of black, and the wings are white with a narrow edge of black across each feather. The breast is white with the exposed portion of each feather ending in a band of black to form a contrast of black and white similar to the scales of a fish. Body feathers are white with a black band terminating in white, and the legs and thighs are white with a very light black edging. The turkeys have red to bluish white heads, a light horn beak, light brown eyes, red to bluish white throat and wattles, and deep pink shanks and toes. The beard is black.  The feathers are often used in Native American art and other decorative manners.

The Royal Palm lacks the commercial potential of the other varieties, but it has a role to play on small farms, for home production of meat or where its ability to control insect pests would be of value.  Although smaller than most breeds, on a homestead or for personal use the bird is often the perfect size for homestead use.   Most Royals that we have seen have been very good natured and appeared to be easy going birds.

Status: Critical.

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Bourbon Red Turkey   (All info. is from ALBC)

The Bourbon Red turkey is named for Bourbon County in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region where it originated in the late 1800’s. It was developed by J. F. Barbee from crosses between Buff, Bronze, and White Holland turkeys though the initial steps actually took place in Pennsylvania, where Buff turkeys of darker red hues – called Tuscarora or Tuscawara – were bred and then taken west with settlers bound for Ohio and Kentucky. These dark Buff turkeys would be the primary foundation for the new variety.

After some years of selection, Mr. Barbee was able to produce consistently good-sized dark red turkeys with white wing and main tail feathers. He christened these “Bourbon Butternuts.” For some reason, perhaps because the name did not appeal to the public, the birds did not attract attention. Barbee rechristened them “Bourbon Reds,” Bourbon for his home county and red for the rich, chestnut color of the plumage. The name change seemed to work, and better sales were reported.

The Bourbon Red variety was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1909. It was ambitiously selected and promoted for utility traits, including a production-type conformation with a heavy breast and richly flavored meat. Early breeders of the Bourbon Red also claimed that their birds would grow as large as any Mammoth Bronze, a precursor to the Broad Breasted Bronze. The Bourbon Red was an important commercial variety through the 1930s and 1940s. As time went on, however, it declined in popularity as it was unable to compete with the broad breasted varieties. Since 2002, renewed interest in the biological fitness, survivability, and superior flavor of the Bourbon Red has captured consumer interest and created a growing market niche.

Bourbon Red turkeys are handsome. They have brownish to dark red plumage with white flight and tail feathers. Tail feathers have soft red bars crossing them near the end. Body feathers on the toms may be edged in black. Neck and breast feathers are chestnut mahogany, and the undercolor feathers are light buff to almost white. The Bourbon Red’s beak is light horn at the tip and dark at the base. The throat wattle is red, changeable to bluish white, the beard is black, and shanks and toes are pink. Standard weights for Bourbon Reds are 23 pounds for young toms and 14 pounds for young hens. Since, however, the Bourbon Red has not been selected for production attributes, including weight gain, for years, many birds may be smaller than the standard. Careful selection for good health, ability to mate naturally, and production attributes will return this variety to its former stature.

The Bourbon Red is an attractive bird for either exhibition or just for the backyard. They are active foragers, and would probably do well in a pasture production system, either as purebreds or when crossed with white turkeys. They also present an attractive carcass when dressed, since the light pinfeathers leave no residue of dark pigment showing the feather follicles as with the Bronze. Unfortunately we have no recent information on growth rate, feed conversion or egg production for any of the rare varieties. Documentation of performance information is urgently needed so that this variety can be promoted for use in sustainable agriculture as well as for backyard breeders.

Status: Watch

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Narragansett Turkey

The Narragansett turkey is named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, where the variety was developed. It descends from a cross between native Eastern Wild turkeys and the domestic turkeys (probably Norfolk Blacks) brought to America by English and European colonists beginning in the 1600’s. Improved and standardized for production qualities, the Narragansett became the foundation of the turkey industry in New England. Though it was valued across the country, it was especially important in Rhode Island and Connecticut. The American Poultry Association recognized the Narragansett in 1874.

According to an 1872 account, it was not uncommon to find flocks of one to two hundred birds, the product of a breeder flock of a dozen hens. Little supplemental feed was given to the turkeys; instead they ranged for grasshoppers, crickets, and other insects. Farmers raising the turkeys were aware of the benefits of genetic selection and raised young toms that weighed between 22-28 pounds and hens that were 12-16 pounds.

While the Narragansett was never as popular as the Bronze variety, it was widely known in the Midwest and mid Atlantic States as well as in New England. Interest in the Narragansett began to decline in the early 1900s as popularity of the Standard Bronze grew. The Narragansett was not used for commercial production for decades until the early 21st century, when renewed interest in the biological fitness, survivability, and superior flavor captured consumer interest and created a growing market niche.

The Narragansett color pattern contains black, gray, tan, and white. Its pattern is similar to that of the Bronze, with steel gray or dull black replacing the coppery bronze. White wing bars are the result of a genetic mutation which removes the bronze coloration and is not known outside the United States. The Narragansett’s beak is horn colored, its head is red to bluish white and its beard is black. The shanks and feet are salmon colored. The standard weight for young hens is 14 pounds and toms is 23 pounds. Since, however, the Narragansett has not been selected for production attributes, including weight gain, for years, many birds may be smaller than the standard. Careful selection for good health, ability to mate naturally, and production attributes will return this variety to its former stature.

Narragansett turkeys have traditionally been known for their calm disposition, good maternal abilities, early maturation, egg production, and excellent meat quality. As recently as 50 years ago, they were well regarded for production qualities. This historic variety, unique to North America, merits evaluation for production in sustainable agriculture systems. The Narragansett turkey would make a useful and beautiful addition to the family farm.

Status: Threatened

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Midget White Turkey

The Midget White turkey was created in the early 1960s by Dr. J. Robert Smyth at the University of Massachusetts. It was developed to meet an anticipated demand for a small version of the broad breasted turkey. Since this market did not develop as predicted, the Midget White never become widely popular.

Soon after the development of the Midget White, the University of Massachusetts had to reduce its poultry holdings. The Midget White turkeys were dispersed. Dr. Bernie Wentworth, a former graduate student of Dr. Smyth’s, never forgot these turkeys. Much to his surprise, Dr. Wentworth, who had taken a position on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, found some of these turkeys, with University of Massachusett’s wing bands in the flock of a backyard fancier. These birds were added to the University of Wisconsin’s poultry program, which continued to refine and then fix the standard for the Midget White variety we know today. Dr. Wentworth is largely credited in preventing the breed’s extinction. As Dr. Wentworth prepared to retire in the late 1990’s, the university decided to disperse the flock. Some were passed to poultry hobbyists, but the majority of the flock was sent to the USDA poultry facility in Beltsville, Maryland. The Beltsville flock was dispersed in April of 2005 and the remaining birds were distributed to poultry enthusiasts located in the eastern US. The survival of this breed now lies completely in the hands of private individuals. It is important to note that the Midget White turkey does not have any genetic relationship to the Beltsville White and that the two breeds are distinct and should be managed separately.

The Midget White, with its broad breast, has the appearance of a miniature of the commercial Broad Breasted White turkey. This quality provides the variety with good meat production and makes the Midget White a fine table fowl. The variety was developed from a cross of a commercial Broad Breasted White turkey and an exhibition Royal Palm. Midget White toms average 13 lbs., hens average 8 lbs. In Wisconsin, the birds were selected for higher egg production, fertility, and hatchability. The hens laid an average of 60-80 large eggs per year, weighing only three to five grams less than those of the broad breasted white turkey. Hatchability was 75-80%.

When breeding Midget White turkeys, care should be taken in the selection of breeding stock to retain the small size of the breed. Once the young turkeys are well feathered they have the ability to fly, so care must be taken to prevent escape. Adult Midget Whites are less likely to take flight as they get heavier. These diminutive turkeys are unusually friendly and will approach people and pets without much concern.

Status: Critical
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