PORTERFIELD EXOTICS

 

Bourbon Red Turkeys

  

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    The Borbon Red was developed in Bourbon  County Kentucky in the late 1800's by one Mr. J.F. Barbee.  He developed this breed using the exceptionally dark Buff (known then as the Tuscawara), Bronze and White Holland Turkeys.  After a number of years of selective breeding he was consistently producing the deep red bodied birds with the white wing and tail feathers.  The Bourbon Red was first introduced as the Bourbon Butternut and then changed to the Bourbon Red.  The Bourbon Red was excepted by the APA as a pure breed in 1909.  This breed was widely excepted and sought after by both hobby breeders and commercial meat producers.  The large body, relatively good feed conversion, superior flavor and shear beauty made it the bird to raise throughout the 1930's and 1940's.  The Bourbon Red is still one of the most desired ornamental birds and due to the back to health, humane treatment, and better flavor movement is rapidly making a huge comeback as a table bird favorite.  Recent blind taste tests comparing numerous heritage birds and commercial birds found it to be one of the top birds in flavor and texture.   

We currently have a small breeding group of 7 hens and 1 tom of this breed.  We also have 20 well started poults and are expecting more poults from different suppliers yet the summer.  We are currently setting eggs from our adult breeders and hope to have a nice breeding flock by 2009.