Ridley Bronze Toms

Hey Everyone,

The other day I took a moment to relax with my Ridley Bronze Turkeys, grabbed a chair and sat out in their run and was entertained with wonderful displays and drumming, they are rather gentle and sociable, and full of beautiful bronzing in their feathers. Very pleased with our personal line.
We have been working with our own personal line for a number of years now, improving where need be. Over the years, we have been challenged with our numbers, only getting one - two Jennies per hatch, and numerous Jakes. Despite the unwanted numbers in relation to the breed's sex, I have to admit that despite their size, they are wonderful natural breeders, and fertility rates have been incredible. Why we get so many toms and so little hens when we hatch is besides me.

Here are a few recent pics of my Breeding Toms for 2014 Season.

They are beautiful! not at all like the wild turkeys I used to see when riding my horse on neighbors farms.

Stunning!

Great colours in their plumage...very nice looking birds

Impressive!  They really are stunning.

Make sure to let us know the weights and pictures if you eat any this winter. I'm looking for a nice heritage eating turkey for next year.

Thanks everyone,

I want to invest in a good quality camera one day, and learn about photography. If only I could capture the intense colour in these boys on my iPhone. I do plan to bring them to the Nov CHB Show for judging. You can see some of the bronze colour in a few images, but these pics make them look much darker in the front, then what they are in person.

Islandgal, I will let you know, we have once again only two Jennies and I believe 7 jakes as up and comers, I hope to sell off a few of the Jakes when they become toms, and put the rest to the table. We haven't really harvested our Ridleys much, we have in the past and they were delicious and perfect table fare.

I have to say that I am very pleased with how hardy and strong this line has become, over the past few years.

They are beautiful. Perhaps you would be willing to part with one of the Toms you bring to the show?  We are on the lookout for a Tom unrelated to our females. We kept back one Jake, perhaps we will bring him to the show, and four females.

I see silent auction written all over one of those beaut's!

Jonny, my turkey is a sorry site. He is moulting and has all of two tail feathers left. He is so embarrassed he will not display.

Schipperkesue wrote:I see silent auction written all over one of those beaut's!

Jonny, my turkey is a sorry site.  He is moulting and has all of two tail feathers left.  He is so embarrassed he will not display.

Isn't that how you bought him? LOL

feed him lots of corn, it really helps during the moult!

Beautiful ! love it when the Toms strut , and they look like they carry a bit of weight ?

I don't know the best way to weight him to get an accurate weight. ??

Those are beautiful birds Jonny. You should be proud, sure looks like they are  

Very nice!  This was our first year with turkeys and thought it was just our bad luck when we ended up hatching 6 boys and 1 girl.  I am liking them a lot but our boy showed off so much rubbing under things and mounting everything so he became a sorry looking broken feathered mess!  He's looking nice again though.  When the light hits the feathers right they sure shine pretty

Funny, if I were hatching eggs for table birds I'd be thrilled with the ratio you're getting Jonny.  

Those birds are stunning.  Will you be selling poults or eggs in future?  After my traumatic first attempt at turkey raising a few years ago, I think my startle reflex has calmed down enough for me to try again.   

And on a different note, how's school going for you and KareBear?