Bourbon Red Turkey

The Bourbon Red turkey was developed by J.F. Barbee. He began his work in Pennsylvania in the late 1800s, using Buff, Standard Bronze, and White Holland birds. He finished the process in the bluegrass region of Bourbon county Kentucky. Mr. Barbee originally called these turkeys Bourbon Butternuts. Their popularity did not increase until he renamed them Bourbon Red. They became the most popular variety of heritage turkeys, making up 33% of the heritage turkeys being bred and raised in the United States. The Bourbon Red turkey was first included in the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1909.  This turkey breed was extremely important for commercial production in the 1930s and 1940s, equally compared to the Broad Breasted Bronze. Eventually, this was overtaken by the Broad Breasted White Turkey. The Bourbon Red turkey is currently on the Livestock Conservancy watch list.

This breed is an American Classic that has a deep, rich red color over most of its body. They have a bright white tail that has a soft, red bar across them and their flight feathers are white too. Their wattles are red and the beard is black. The legs and toes are pink. The Bourbon Red turkey has a heavy breast and richly flavored meat. This breed also can mate naturally.

This heritage turkey is excellent in egg production, producing 90-120 eggs per year. They also make a great table bird weighing 22 pounds in just 28 weeks. With their great foraging ability and sustainability, the Bourbon Red turkey makes a great choice for any backyard. This is not just a dual purpose heritage turkey breed but also has a friendly temperament.