Domestic turkeys| domesticated turkeys – Facts, Diet, Habitat and Pictures here on Florida reptiles home.

The domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo domesticus) is a large fowl, one of the two species in the genus Meleagris and the same species as the wild turkey. Although turkey domestication was thought to have occurred in central Mesoamerica at least 2,000 years ago, recent research suggests a possible second domestication event in the area that is now the southwestern United States between 200 BC and 500 AD.

However, all of the main domestic turkey varieties today descend from the turkey raised in central Mexico that was subsequently imported into Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century. Compared to wild turkeys, domestic turkeys are selectively bred to grow larger in size for their meat.

Standard Bronze

Some describe the Standard Bronze as stately and imposing. It could have something to do with the fact that these are among the largest of the heritage turkey breeds. Before they’re even fully mature, these birds can measure an impressive 25 pounds. A cross between wild turkeys and domesticated turkeys from Europe, these are some of the most commonly raised commercial meat birds.

Turkeys have been domesticated for centuries

Turkey relics dating as far back as 25 A.D. suggest that Native Americans domesticated turkeys before Europeans ever set foot on the continent and that turkey-raising may well be one of the oldest forms of organized meat production in the Northern Hemisphere.

Spanish explorers took Mexican wild turkeys domesticated by the Aztecs home to Europe in about 1519 where they spread rapidly through Europe and were introduced in England between 1524 and 1541 and became highly sought after for gourmet dinners.

Where Did The Domestic Turkey Come From?

Domestic turkeys come from the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), a species that is native only to the Americas. In the 1500s, Spanish traders brought some that had been domesticated by indigenous Americans to Europe and Asia. The bird reportedly got its common name because it reached European tables through shipping routes that passed through Turkey. On a continent where fine dining still included eating storks, herons, and bustards, the meaty, succulent turkey was a sensation.

The domestic turkey is a popular form of poultry, and it is raised throughout temperate parts of the world, partially because industrialized farming has made it very cheap for the amount of meat it produces. Female domestic turkeys are called hens, and the chicks are poults or turkeylings. In Canada and the United States, male turkeys are called toms ; in the United Kingdom and Ireland they are stags.

The great majority of domestic turkeys are bred to have white feathers because their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed, although brown or bronze-feathered varieties are also raised. The fleshy protuberance atop the beak is the snood, and the one attached to the underside of the beak is known as a wattle.

What’s the difference between domesticated and wild turkeys?

Pros of Raising Turkeys

They are cleaner to keep than chickens

Our turkey pen is always cleaner than our chicken pen, and I believe this has to do with the fact that turkeys don’t have that constant instinct to scratch. Our chickens dig through bedding throughout their waking hours and throw soiled bedding everywhere. When you feed turkeys, their food stays where you put it, the water stays bedding free and the droppings are not scattered like they are in our chicken pens.

Facts About Raising Turkeys

Heritage breeds

If you’re thinking about raising turkeys, I encourage you to research heritage breeds. Heritage breeds may not grow to the huge sizes that the white factory turkeys reach, but they are full of flavor. They reproduce on their own (more about this below) and your breeding pairs will live longer lives.

By raising heritage breeds you are also helping to keep these breeds alive. Many heritage breeds are in danger of extinction because backyard keepers aren’t raising turkeys like they were before farm factories were invented. Large-scale farms concentrate on only one or two breeds.