blue slate turkey

Name: blue slate turkey
Brand: Florida Reptiles
SKU: 6168
Price: 35 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

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$35.00

Order Blue Slate Heritage Turkey Poults Online – Day-Old blue slate turkeys Poults & Rare Breed Heritage Turkey Breed Information at Florida Reptiles

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Blue Slate Turkey

Blue Slate Turkeys are named for their ash blue coloring. Blue Slates — also called Blue or Lavender turkeys — can have a few black flecks on their feathering.

Hens are lighter in coloring than toms. Like the Blue Andalusian, the blue gene can produce several colors: solid black, solid blue and blue flecked with black spots. Often Blue Slates are a combination of these colors.

The babies are gray with brown tinges.

The Blue Slate is a rare, Heritage breed fowl and a very old breed — recognized as a standard breed in the U.S. in 1874. These beautiful birds are medium-sized. Young toms will average 23 lbs., and young hens will average 14 lbs.

While most early texts state that Slate turkeys originated from a cross of the Black turkey on a white turkey, there is little genetic evidence to support such a conclusion. The slate gene is a legitimate mutation that arose, similar to how the gene for blue in the Andalusian chicken is the result of an unrecorded mutation. One added element of confusion in defining the variety is that there are actually two different genetic mutations – one dominant and one recessive – that produce the blue slate color, lavender blue slate turkey, and these produce slightly different shades. White and rusty brown markings may be present but are considered a defect.

Blue Slate Turkey

The Slate, or Blue Slate, variety is named for its color, which is solid to ashy blue over the entire body. They may also have a few black flecks. It’s also called the Blue or Lavender turkey, with hens being lighter in hue than toms. The head, throat, and wattles are red to bluish-white. Their beak is horn in color, their eyes are brown, and their beard is black. The shanks and toes are pink.

The Standard weight for a young tom is 23 pounds and 14 pounds for a young hen. Since, however, the blue slate turkey poults hasn’t been selected for production attributes, including weight gain, for years, many birds may be smaller than the standard. Careful selection for good health, ability to mate naturally, heritage blue slate turkey, and production attributes will return this variety to its former stature.

The Slate was accepted by the American Poultry Association in 1874. It’s been popular in exhibition circles and is gaining popularity in pastured poultry production. Renewed interest in the biological fitness, survivability, and superior flavor of the Slate has captured consumer interest and created a growing market niche. The Slate is less well documented and more variable in type and color than any other variety. This makes it more challenging to breed consistently than the others. Its production potential today isn’t known.

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blue slate turkey