Bourbon Red Turkeys

The Bourbon Red is an American breed of domestic turkey. It is named for its reddish-brown plumage and for its area of origin, Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it was developed in the last years of the nineteenth century. It was accepted into the Standard of Perfection of the American Poultry Association in 1909, and in the early twentieth century was an important commercial meat breed until the Broad Breasted White began to dominate industrial production.[9]: 454 [10] The Bourbon Red is considered a heritage turkey; it is an endangered breed, classified as 'watch' by the Livestock Conservancy. It was formerly known as the Bourbon Butternut or as the Kentucky Red.

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The Bourbon Red was bred in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky in the late nineteenth century. The breeding work is usually attributed to J.F. Barbee, and is thought to have been based on a particularly dark strain of Buff Turkey from Pennsylvania called the Tuscawara or Tuscarora Red, with some admixture of White Holland and Bronze stock.[9]: 454 [2] It was initially called the Kentucky Red or Bourbon Butternut, but became better known once the name Bourbon Red was adopted.[9]: 454  It was accepted into the Standard of Perfection of the American Poultry Association in 1909.

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In the twenty-first century numbers recovered and it has become the most numerous of the non-industrial heritage turkey breeds. In 1999 the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities found approximately 1000 birds, and in 2003 the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (as it was then known) counted more than 1500.[9]: 455 [5]: 228  A United States population of 2147 was reported to DAD-IS for 2015, and in 2023 the world-wide population was estimated at 3000.[4][12] In 2022 the Livestock Conservancy listed the conservation status of the breed as 'watch'.

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The Livestock Conservancy lists an ideal weight of 15 kg (32 lb) for mature toms (males) and 8 kg (18 lb) for mature hens, while for young birds it gives weights of 10 kg (23 lb) and 6 kg (14 lb) respectively. As for many years there has been little or no selective breeding for productive charactistics, many birds are likely to reach lower weights.

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In addition to their striking appearance, Bourbon Red turkeys are known for their friendly and docile temperament. They are very social birds that enjoy interacting with people and other animals. They are also good foragers and will roam around freely if given the opportunity.

Bourbon Red turkeys are not known for their prolific egg-laying abilities, but they do produce a respectable number of eggs each year. A mature hen can lay anywhere from 20 to 40 eggs per year, with an average of 25 to 30 eggs. The eggs are a creamy white color and are slightly smaller than chicken eggs.

Bourbon Red turkeys were originally bred for their meat, which is considered to be some of the tastiest of all turkey breeds. They have a rich, flavorful meat that is dark and juicy. They are also used for exhibition and as pets due to their friendly disposition and striking appearance.