Bourbon Red (Turkey) (Goat) — FarmPal

America's most beautiful heritage turkey. Rich chestnut-red plumage with white markings. Flavorful dark meat that bears no resemblance to commercial turkey. Can reproduce naturally.

Origin
Bourbon County, Kentucky
Conservation Status
watch

Traits

Toms: 23-33 lbs
Natural mating
Excellent forager
Beautiful plumage
Flavorful meat
Heritage breed

✓ Pros

  • •Can breed naturally (unlike commercial)
  • •Outstanding flavor
  • •Good foragers reduce feed costs
  • •Heritage premium pricing ($8-12/lb)
  • •Beautiful ornamental value

✗ Cons

  • •Slow growth (6-7 months to market)
  • •Lower breast meat yield
  • •Poults are fragile first 6 weeks
  • •Need protection from predators

Housing Requirements

Space
Chickens: 4 sq ft indoor, 8-10 outdoor. Turkeys: 6-8 sq ft indoor, 20+ outdoor. Ducks: 4-6 sq ft. Geese: mostly outdoor, minimal shelter needed.
Fencing
Chickens: 4-5 ft fence or electronet. Turkeys: 4 ft fence (clip wings) or free-range with guardian. Ducks/geese: low fencing works they don't fly much.