Porter's Rare Heritage Turkeys

           Light Gray aka Oregon Gray Turkeys

           

The Light Gray later known as the Oregon Gray turkey variety has been considered extinct for a decade now as the last known pair died back in the late 1990's. But they can be recreated since the necessary genes are present in several other Heritage turkey varieties.

I have been able to do this with an experimental breeding group of turkeys that I call Silver Dapples,which carry all the necessary genes.

So now the Oregon Gray is back for a second chance.

 Oregon Grays have a white base plumage color with black pigmentation about the edges of the feathers. The typical black and white colored barring in the wing feathers appears as a mixing of the two colors without definition.
The adult pattern resembles the palm pattern but is different.

Toms are a shade darker than hens. At hatch, the gray poult has a yellow-gray down color with dark black or brown stripes on its back. 

Ideal Oregon Grays should have a homozygous recessive genotype.(b+b+cgcg)  Bronze based with gray aka Palm genes. Some birds can carry (b-1)Blackwinged bronze and or (ng)Narragansett also (c)white genes as well but this is not desired.
Since this variety can carry a recessive (c) "white gene" at the C locus a few pure white offspring can result in breedings.If any birds also carry b1 and or ng a few Royal Palms or Tricolor birds may result if bred to another with the same genetic makeup. 

 I am working to develop a line that doesn't carry these other unwanted  genes, but it will take me a few years to segregate these out, but I should be able to eventually get there and at some point have a true breeding group of Oregon Grays.

Approx. Mature Weights: Toms 33 pounds and hens 18 pounds. 


 
More dedicated breeders are seriously needed to help get this variety re-established to safe numbers.

          (Young Oregon Gray toms)                                 

 

                     Closeups showing detail of feather color/patterns               

  

(Above) 4-6 week olds

Feather color/patterns

       

Day old poult color/pattern

  


 

 

    

 

website analytics counter
Powered by website statistics and analytics software.

2010 POULT ORDERS

April, May and June shipping dates are now completely booked.

Our next dates available for poult shipments is early July

with the exception of the

Assorted Hatchery Choice orders which could ship out as early as mid to late May.




Please read and agree to our terms in the

poult ordering info. page before placing your order.