Royal Palm Turkeys
Royal Palms' ability to find their own food and their hardiness make them an economical choice for the homesteader. Their adaptation to the Central California climate makes them more heat-tolerant than other varieties. They thrive in a free-range environment where they can actively forage and explore. We have two friendly Toms available now, and we expect our eggs in early April.
About The Breed
Royal Palm turkeys are white with a sharply contrasting, metallic black edging on the feathers. The saddle is black which provides a sharp contrast against the white base color of body plumage. The tail is pure white, with each feather having a band of black and an edge of white. 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. 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.
These thrifty turkeys are active, excellent foragers, and good flyers. Standard weights are 16 pounds for young toms (Jakes) and 10 pounds for young hens (Jennys). The Royal Palm hasn’t been purposefully selected for either growth rate or muscling, being used primarily as an exhibition variety.
The Royal Palm has a role to play on small farms, for at-home meat production, protecting your other poultry, or where its ability to control insect pests would be of value.
Eggs
Royal Palm eggs are large in size and cream to medium brown with spotting. Hens lay 10 to 12 eggs per clutch, and can lay up to 100 eggs per year.
Temperament
Royal Palms are generally curious, friendly, and easily tamed, but much depends on breeder preferences and raising methods. Toms may be aggressive toward other species.
Reproduction
Hens nest in late March or early April, incubate eggs for about 28 days, and then hatch their poults in late May or early June.