Bronze








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The General Secretary
Victoria Roberts BVSc MRCVS generalsecretary@turkeyclub.org.uk
Bronze

Bronze
Origin: Europe
Classification: Heavy
The bronze turkey is the closest in colouring to the Eastern Wild. It is the most popular variety of turkey there is and a good Bronze is difficult to beat at exhibitions. The Bronze was further developed in England and re-introduced to the Americas where it became extremely popular. There are far fewer standard Bronzes than Broad-breasted (meat) Bronzes.
Male
Head: Red, changeable to bluish white.
Eyes: Iris, a dark hazel, pupil blue-black.
Beak: Horn
Throat-wattle: Bright rich red.
Plumage of both sexes a good metallic bronze throughout.
Neck: Copperish bronze
Back: From neck to middle of back – a rich copperish bronze, each feather terminating in a narrow black band, extending across end. From middle of back to tail coverts – black, each feather having a broad, copperish bronze band extending across it near the end, the feathers ending in a distinct black band, gradually narrowing as the tail coverts approached.
Tail: Main tail and coverts – dull black each feather evenly and distinctly marked transversely with parallel line of brown; each feather having a bronze band extending across the feather, bordered on each side by a distinct band of intense black; the feather terminating in a wide edging of white.
Wings: Shoulder and wing bow coverts – rich copperish bronze, ending in a narrow band of black; coverts, rich bronze, forming a broad band across wings when folded, feathers terminating in a black band, separating them from the secondaries. Primaries, each feather alternately crossed with distinct parallel black and white bars of equal width; flight coverts, barred similar to primaries; secondaries, dull black, alternately crossed with distinct parallel black and white bars, the black bar taking on a bronze cast on the shorter top secondaries and the white bar becoming less distinct.
Breast: Exposed surface of feathers rich bronze, unexposed parts black. Each feather on lower part of breast approaching body terminating in a narrow black band extending across the end.
Body and Fluff: Body black, each feather with a wide bronze band extending across it at the end, a narrow band of black bordering the bronze and terminating in a narrow edging of pure white. Fluff, a dull black.
Legs and Feet: thighs: dull black with slight edgings of greyish white. Shanks and toes – dull black but changing to horn with maturity.
Toenails: Horn
Female
As male, but with faint white lacing on the breast.
Defects
Any brown in secondaries.
Day-old poults
The head is light brown with dark brown blotches and streaks. The neck and back have a broader dark streak down the centre with narrower streaks on either side. The wings have two dark streaks in the centre and a dark spot near the tip. The underneath of the poult is a yellowish white on the surface and pale grey beneath. The legs and feet are mainly flesh coloured with some smoky pigmentation below.
Mature stag 13.60 – 18.14kgs (30-40lbs)
Young stag 11.33 – 15.87kgs (25 – 35lbs)
Mature hen 8.16 -11.79kgs (18 – 26lbs)
Young hen 6.35 – 9.97kgs (14 – 22lb)
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