Bourbon Red
Breed Description

The Bourbon Red Turkey derives its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, where the breed was developed by J.F. Barbee in the late 1800s, though the exact development period is debated with sources citing dates from 1880s to early 1900s. Barbee created the variety by crossing Bronze, Holland (a now-extinct white variety), and possibly Tuscany turkeys, selecting for the distinctive dark red coloring with white wing and tail feathers that characterizes the breed. The name Bourbon Red reflects both its geographic origin and its striking reddish-burgundy plumage.

The breed is sometimes referred to simply as Bourbon Reds or abbreviated as Bourbons by turkey enthusiasts. No significant alternate names exist, as the breed's distinctiveness and relatively recent development in a specific location gave it a clear, consistent identity from the beginning. The American Poultry Association admitted the Bourbon Red to the Standard of Perfection in 1909, recognizing it as a distinct variety worthy of preservation and exhibition.

By the mid-1900s, Bourbon Reds were among the most popular heritage turkey varieties in the United States, raised widely on farms and valued for their beauty, meat quality, and productivity. However, the rise of broad-breasted commercial turkeys in the 1950s and 1960s led to dramatic decline in Bourbon Red populations, as industrial agriculture abandoned naturally-breeding varieties in favor of fast-growing, large-breasted birds. By the 1990s, the breed was critically endangered with populations dangerously low.

Conservation efforts by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (now The Livestock Conservancy), heritage breed enthusiasts, and small farmers have helped recover Bourbon Red populations from the brink of extinction. Today, while still listed on conservation priority lists, Bourbon Reds have rebounded significantly and are among the most popular heritage turkey breeds for small farms and homesteads. Their exceptional temperament, stunning appearance, and excellent meat quality make them favorites for those seeking alternatives to commercial production systems. Modern Bourbon Reds maintain the characteristics established over a century ago: rich red plumage, white-tipped wings and tails, moderate size, calm disposition, and natural breeding capability.

Bourbon Red Turkeys display stunning, rich chestnut to dark brownish-red plumage covering their body, creating a deep, lustrous appearance particularly striking in sunlight. The body feathers show this characteristic red coloring with each feather edged in a darker shade, creating subtle depth and texture. The most distinctive feature is the contrasting pure white tail feathers and white primary and secondary wing feathers, creating a dramatic color pattern when wings are extended or tails are fanned during displays. This red and white combination makes Bourbon Reds among the most beautiful and easily recognizable turkey varieties.

Mature Bourbon Red toms typically weigh 23-32 pounds at full maturity around 24-28 weeks, while hens reach 12-16 pounds. They're slightly smaller and leaner than Bronze turkeys but larger than many other heritage varieties, representing a medium to large heritage turkey. Their body conformation is moderate and balanced—neither as extreme as broad-breasted commercial types nor as lean as wild turkeys. This structure allows natural mating, roosting, flight to escape predators, and normal turkey behaviors while providing good meat yields with well-developed breast meat.

Their heads and upper necks feature bare skin that changes color with mood and arousal, displaying shades of red, white, and blue when excited or displaying. Toms develop prominent snoods (fleshy appendage above the beak) and wattles that become engorged and colorful during courtship. Both sexes grow beards (modified breast feathers), though toms' beards grow longer, sometimes reaching 9-12 inches in mature birds. Their legs and feet are typically pink to red, and they possess powerful claws used for scratching and defense.

Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with mature toms being significantly larger than hens, displaying more impressive beards and snoods, and exhibiting characteristic strutting behavior during breeding season with tails fanned, wings dropped to the ground, body feathers puffed, and chest swollen. Hens are more streamlined and less showy but share the beautiful red and white coloring that defines the breed. Poults are reddish-brown with lighter markings that gradually develop into adult plumage over their first several months.

The breed standard calls for dark red plumage on the body with soft white or creamy white on tail and wing flight feathers. The breast and body feathers should be rich, dark red without excessive black or brown. White should be clean and pure rather than gray or soiled-looking. Their overall appearance combines elegance, substance, and striking color contrast that has made them favorites at poultry shows and on farms where beauty and productivity meet.

Bourbon Red Turkeys are universally recognized as the calmest, most docile heritage turkey breed available, displaying remarkably gentle temperaments that set them apart from other varieties. They exhibit minimal nervousness or flightiness, approaching novel situations with curiosity rather than panic. When raised with regular, gentle human interaction from the poult stage, Bourbon Reds become exceptionally tame, often following their keepers, approaching for treats, and even enjoying gentle petting. This calm nature makes them outstanding choices for families, beginners transitioning from chickens to turkeys, and anyone wanting manageable, friendly birds.

Hens are particularly sweet-natured and docile, going about their daily routines of foraging, dust bathing, and socializing with minimal drama or stress. They establish gentle hierarchies within flocks and integrate well with other poultry species when raised together. Bourbon Red hens are attentive, protective mothers when broody, incubating eggs faithfully for the 28-day incubation period and defending poults vigorously from threats. Their calm maternal behavior combined with good fertility makes them excellent for those wanting to raise heritage turkeys through natural reproduction.

Toms, while more assertive during breeding season, are notably calmer and less aggressive than toms of many other turkey varieties. Outside the spring breeding period, Bourbon Red toms are often friendly and personable toward familiar humans, sometimes becoming quite attached to their keepers. During breeding season (typically March through June), toms display normal territorial and mating behaviors including frequent strutting, gobbling, and defending their hens, but they tend to be more manageable and less likely to attack humans than more aggressive varieties. This seasonal behavioral change is natural and manageable with appropriate handling—giving displaying toms respect and space prevents most issues.

Bourbon Reds are social birds who thrive in small flocks rather than isolation. They communicate through varied vocalizations including gobbling (primarily toms, especially during breeding season), soft clucking and purring when content, yelping and cutting calls, and sharp alarm calls when threats are detected. They're reasonably vigilant, alerting to hawks, dogs, or other dangers, though their calm temperament means they're less prone to panic responses than nervous varieties. Heritage Bourbon Reds retain limited flight capability, able to fly into low trees for roosting or to escape immediate threats, though sustained flight is impossible at their weight.

Daily routines when free-ranging involve leaving shelter at dawn to begin foraging, covering substantial ground while scratching, pecking, and investigating for food. They spend considerable time dust bathing—essential for feather maintenance and parasite control—often dust bathing communally in favored spots. They drink frequently throughout the day, rest during midday heat in shaded areas, and naturally return to familiar shelter areas near dusk to roost. Turkeys establish roosting hierarchies with more dominant birds claiming preferred elevated spots. Their intelligence is notable; they recognize individual humans, learn routines and feeding times, remember locations of food and water sources, and solve simple problems to access desired resources.

Bourbon Red Turkeys require substantial, secure housing providing 15-20 square feet of indoor space per bird minimum, with 25-30 square feet ideal for optimal comfort and reduced stress. Turkey shelters must have higher ceilings than chicken coops—ideally 6-8 feet minimum—as turkeys prefer roosting higher and need vertical space to feel secure. Provide very sturdy roosting bars set 2-4 feet high and spaced adequately apart, as even heritage turkeys are heavy birds requiring strong support. Roosting bars should be 2x4 lumber set wide-side-up (4 inches wide) to accommodate their larger feet comfortably, and wood should be smooth to prevent splinters that cause bumblefoot infections.

Excellent ventilation is absolutely critical while preventing drafts that chill birds, as turkeys are highly susceptible to respiratory diseases exacerbated by poor air quality, ammonia buildup, and moisture accumulation. Position vents high in walls or through roof, allowing moisture and ammonia to escape without creating floor-level drafts. Many successful turkey shelters have entire upper walls screened with hardware cloth for maximum air exchange, with solid lower walls preventing wind. Windows provide light and additional ventilation, essential for turkey health and well-being.

Outdoor space should provide 50-100 square feet minimum per bird for confined situations, though 200+ square feet per bird allows more natural behaviors and reduces potential aggression or stress. Bourbon Reds truly thrive with access to pasture where they can forage extensively, and many small farms successfully free-range Bourbon Reds over several acres during daylight hours. Fencing must be at least 6 feet tall with sturdy construction, as heritage turkeys can fly over shorter barriers when motivated. Electric poultry netting works well for daytime containment when combined with secure nighttime housing, providing flexible pasture management while deterring predators.

Predator protection is absolutely essential and represents one of the greatest challenges in turkey keeping. Use hardware cloth (never chicken wire, which predators tear through easily) with 1/2-inch mesh on all coop openings including windows, vents, and doors. Bury hardware cloth 12-18 inches deep or extend aprons outward 12-18 inches to prevent digging predators like foxes, coyotes, and dogs from tunneling under. Install predator-proof latches on all doors, as raccoons can open simple hooks or latches. Automatic door closers ensure birds are secured before dusk when nocturnal predators become active.

Major turkey predators include coyotes, foxes, bobcats, large domestic dogs, raccoons (particularly threatening to young poults), great horned owls, and in some regions, mountain lions, bears, and eagles. Even large adult turkeys are vulnerable, and a single predator attack can devastate a small flock both through direct losses and lingering trauma affecting survivors. Some keepers use livestock guardian dogs, donkeys, or llamas to protect free-ranging turkeys, finding them effective deterrents to many predators.

Bedding options include straw, wood shavings (pine or aspen), or sand, with the deep litter method working excellently for turkeys by generating heat through decomposition and reducing labor. However, any wet or soiled bedding must be removed promptly, as damp conditions lead rapidly to respiratory infections and foot problems. Provide nest boxes or secluded ground areas for laying hens, though many prefer to create hidden ground nests in sheltered corners. Ensure at least one nest area per 4-5 hens, with boxes at least 18x18 inches to accommodate turkey size.

Winter management requires draft-free but well-ventilated shelters protecting birds from wind, rain, snow, and extreme cold while allowing moisture to escape. Bourbon Reds tolerate cold excellently with their dense plumage but absolutely require dry conditions and wind protection. Position roosts away from walls to prevent tail and wing feathers from contacting cold surfaces that can cause frostbite. Unheated shelters work well in most climates including northern states. Provide unfrozen water using heated waterers or heated bases, critical for maintaining egg production and health. Summer management requires shade, excellent ventilation, constant fresh cool water, and potentially shallow pools or misters during extreme heat. Turkeys are more heat-sensitive than chickens and can suffer heat stress above 85-90°F without adequate cooling measures.

Bourbon Red poults require specialized turkey starter feed containing 28-30% protein from hatch until 8 weeks of age, significantly higher protein than chicken feed due to turkeys' rapid growth rates and protein requirements for healthy skeletal and muscle development. This high-protein starter prevents leg problems, supports immune system development, and ensures proper growth. Starter comes in crumble form sized appropriately for small poults. Provide fresh, clean water from day one using poult-specific waterers that prevent drowning while allowing easy access, as very young poults can drown in even 1/2 inch of water. Water availability 24/7 is absolutely essential.

From 8-12 weeks, transition to turkey grower feed containing 20-22% protein, supporting continued healthy growth while preventing excessively rapid weight gain that stresses developing legs, hearts, and respiratory systems. From 12-16 weeks, switch to finisher feed with 16-18% protein for birds being raised for meat. For heritage turkeys kept as breeding stock long-term, provide flock raiser or gamebird maintenance feed containing 18-20% protein year-round for optimal health and condition. Increase to breeder-specific feed containing 20% protein with enhanced vitamins (especially E and selenium) and minerals 4-6 weeks before breeding season to support fertility and hatchability.

Adult Bourbon Red turkeys consume substantial amounts of feed, with hens eating approximately 1/2 pound daily and toms consuming 3/4 pound or more depending on size, activity level, and foraging access. Provide feed free-choice in appropriate turkey-sized feeders preventing waste and contamination, ensuring all birds can access food simultaneously to prevent competition that leaves subordinate birds undernourished. Turkey feeders should be taller and have larger capacity than chicken feeders to accommodate their size and consumption rates.

Bourbon Red Turkeys are exceptional foragers who actively and efficiently seek grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, grubs, seeds, greens, berries, and other natural foods throughout their range. Their foraging provides high-quality protein from insects, essential nutrients and pigments from diverse plants, natural grit for digestion, and mental and physical stimulation. Free-ranging Bourbon Reds during growing season may reduce commercial feed consumption by 30-50% while maintaining excellent growth rates and gaining superior flavor from their varied, natural diet. However, always provide commercial feed free-choice even to free-ranging birds to ensure complete nutrition, particularly for growing poults and laying hens whose nutritional demands exceed what foraging alone provides.

Foraging significantly contributes to the superior flavor and texture characteristic of heritage turkey meat compared to confinement-raised commercial birds. The varied diet, exercise, and slower growth rate produce meat with better flavor, firmer texture, and higher nutritional quality. Many customers seeking heritage turkeys specifically want pasture-raised birds, making good foraging management both economically and gastronomically important.

Grit is essential for turkeys to digest whole grains and fibrous plant material consumed while foraging. Provide insoluble granite or flint grit free-choice in a separate container, sized appropriately for turkeys (larger particles than chicken grit, often labeled as turkey or gamebird grit). Grit collects in the gizzard where it mechanically grinds food since turkeys lack teeth. Without adequate grit, turkeys cannot properly digest food and may develop impacted crops or digestive issues. Oyster shell should be provided free-choice to laying hens during spring and early summer laying season to supply additional calcium for strong eggshells, though turkey layer or breeder feeds contain adequate calcium for most hens.

Fresh, clean water must be available at all times in quantities sufficient for large, active birds. Adult Bourbon Red turkeys drink 1-2 quarts or more daily depending on temperature, diet moisture content, and activity level. Water consumption increases dramatically in hot weather, potentially doubling or tripling on days above 85°F. Provide water in shaded areas during summer to keep it cool and encourage consumption. Use heated waterers or refresh water multiple times daily in winter to prevent freezing, as turkeys cannot obtain adequate moisture from snow.

Treats and supplements can include cracked corn, whole grains like wheat or oats, fresh vegetables (particularly greens), fruits, and protein sources like mealworms or soldier fly larvae. Treats should not exceed 10% of total diet to maintain nutritional balance and prevent obesity. Many keepers provide whole corn during winter months, as digesting corn generates body heat helping birds maintain temperature during cold nights. Avoid feeding moldy or spoiled foods, chocolate, avocado, raw or dried beans, and excessively salty or sugary items, all of which can cause illness or death.

Bourbon Red Turkeys are generally healthy, robust birds when provided appropriate care, housing, and nutrition. Heritage breeds like Bourbon Reds typically demonstrate better disease resistance, vigor, and longevity than broad-breasted commercial varieties due to less intensive genetic selection and maintenance of broader genetic diversity. With proper preventive care emphasizing biosecurity, housing quality, and nutrition, Bourbon Reds can live 10-12 years, though most meat birds are processed at 24-30 weeks. Breeding stock remains productive for 3-5 years or longer with optimal management and can continue living as pets or flock members well into their second decade in some cases.

With proper care emphasizing biosecurity (particularly avoiding chicken contact), appropriate housing with excellent ventilation, quality nutrition, and comprehensive predator protection, Bourbon Red Turkeys are reasonably healthy, manageable birds. Their heritage genetics provide significantly better disease resistance and overall vigor than broad-breasted commercial varieties that have been selected solely for production traits. The primary health challenge is blackhead disease, which is highly preventable through strict separation from chickens and good sanitation. Most other health issues are manageable or preventable through attentive husbandry and basic preventive care practices appropriate for all poultry.

Bourbon Red Turkeys' exceptionally calm temperament makes them the easiest heritage turkey breed to handle, though their size and strength still require respectful, careful handling techniques. Begin handling poults early and very frequently to ensure adults remain thoroughly comfortable with human interaction and develop strong trust. Young poults respond excellently to gentle handling, calm talking, hand-feeding treats like mealworms, and positive interactions, creating lasting associations between humans and good experiences. Regular interaction throughout the growing period produces adults that actively approach keepers, don't panic when handled, and tolerate necessary procedures for health management.

Catching adult Bourbon Reds is generally easier than with more nervous turkey varieties due to their calm nature, but still requires patience and proper technique to avoid stress or injury. Corner birds calmly in shelter or small enclosed area rather than chasing through open spaces, which causes extreme stress and can lead to injury from flying into obstacles or overheating from exertion and panic. Approach slowly and confidently without sudden movements, then grasp bird firmly with both hands controlling wings against body while supporting substantial weight. Even calm turkeys can struggle if frightened, and their powerful legs with sharp claws can scratch handlers or injure the bird if they thrash.

For routine health examinations, inspect Bourbon Reds monthly or more frequently if any concerns arise. Check eyes for clarity, brightness, and absence of discharge or swelling that indicates respiratory infection; nostrils for clear breathing without discharge or bubbles; head and neck skin color (pale or darkened heads can indicate illness or stress); body condition by feeling breast muscle depth and overall weight; vent area for cleanliness, normal appearance, and absence of parasites or prolapse; feet and legs for bumblefoot, injuries, or scaly leg mites; and overall feather condition including any damage or loss. Examine carefully under wings where external parasites like lice and mites commonly congregate. Turkeys' size makes thorough examination more challenging than chickens but equally important for early disease detection when treatment is most effective.

Bourbon Red Turkeys are among the best heritage turkey choices for those new to turkey keeping, particularly for experienced chicken keepers ready to expand into turkeys. Their exceptionally calm, manageable temperament, beautiful appearance, good productivity, and reasonable size make them outstanding for small farms and homesteads. However, they still require more space, housing, and management than chickens, making them inappropriate for complete beginners without prior poultry experience. Those with chicken keeping experience can successfully transition to Bourbon Reds with proper research, preparation, and commitment to meeting their specific needs.

Before acquiring any turkeys, thoroughly verify local zoning ordinances and regulations, as many municipalities prohibit turkeys entirely even where chickens are permitted. Turkeys' larger size, noise (particularly gobbling), space requirements, and housing needs make regulations more restrictive than for chickens. Many urban and suburban areas prohibit all turkeys or specifically ban toms due to gobbling noise. Some jurisdictions limit numbers, require specific setbacks from property lines, mandate permits or inspections, or impose detailed requirements on facility construction. Homeowner associations frequently ban all livestock including turkeys regardless of municipal regulations. Thoroughly investigate all applicable rules before investing in birds and infrastructure.

Consider neighbor relationships carefully when planning turkey projects. Tom turkeys gobble loudly and frequently, especially during spring breeding season, with calls carrying considerable distances—easily heard hundreds of yards away or more in quiet areas. While Bourbon Reds' calm temperament means less alarm calling than nervous breeds, gobbling alone makes them challenging for suburban settings with close neighbors. Maintaining secure, attractive facilities, managing odors through excellent sanitation, controlling rodents through proper feed storage, and preventing birds from accessing neighboring properties promotes good relationships. Some keepers successfully maintain small flocks of turkey hens without toms, eliminating gobbling entirely while maintaining modest meat production.

Time commitments for Bourbon Red Turkeys exceed those for chickens. Daily tasks including feeding, watering, egg collection during laying season, and health checks require 20-30 minutes for small flocks of 4-8 birds. Weekly responsibilities include spot-cleaning heavily soiled bedding and thorough bird inspections. Seasonal tasks include deep bedding changes, complete shelter cleaning and disinfection, and equipment maintenance. Financial investments are also substantial: secure housing construction costs more due to size requirements, with materials for predator-proof shelters running several hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on flock size and construction method. Feed costs run approximately $40-60 per bird from poult to processing weight at 24-28 weeks. Heritage turkey poults cost $8-20 each depending on source and breed quality, significantly more than chicks.