The Midget White turkey is a breed of domestic turkey from United States. It is named for it’s white plumage and small stature. It is the smallest standard variety of turkey, and today it is a rare heritage turkey breed.
It was created in the early 1960s by Dr. J. Robert Smyth at the University of Massachusetts.
The breed was actually developed for meeting an anticipated demand for a small version of the Broad Breasted turkey. Since this market didn’t develop as predicted, the Midget White turkey never become widely popular.
The Midget White turkey is relatively a new heritage breed. It is a result of cross of Broad Breasted White and Royal Palm turkey.
It is classified as ‘Critical’ by The Livestock Conservancy. And the breed is also included in the Ark of Taste which is a catalog of food in danger of extinction.
Recently in the year of 2014, the BBC reported that these birds were thought to be extinct until about 90 of them were found in Alabama. However, review full breed profile of the Midget White turkey in the following chart.
Midget White Turkey Characteristics
The Midget White turkeys are relatively smaller sized birds. They weight only slightly more than the largest chickens.
They are mainly white in color with broad breast. They have the appearance of a miniature of the commercial Broad Breasted White turkey.
Average live body weight of the Midget White toms is around 5.9 kg. And the mature hen’s average live body weight is between 3.6 and 4.5 kg. Photo and info from The Livestock Conservancy and Wikipedia.
Uses
The Midget White turkey is a meat breed, and it is raised mainly for meat production.
Special Notes
The Midget White turkeys are relatively strong and hardy birds. They were selected for higher egg production, fertility and hatchability in Wisconsin.
The hens on average lay around 60 to 80 large eggs per year with a hatchability of around 75 to 80 percent. Their eggs are of pale cream to medium brown color with spotting.
Care should be taken when breeding Midget White turkey in the selection of breeding stock for retaining the small size of the breed.
Some birds have the ability to fly, so care must be taken for preventing them to escape. But as they get heavier, the adult turkeys are less likely to fly.
They are unusually friendly and generally approach people and pets without much concern. They are especially well-suited to being raised on small farms and on a homestead.
However, review full breed profile of the Midget White turkey in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Midget White |
| Other Names | None |
| Breed Purpose | Mainly meat |
| Special Notes | Very strong and hardy birds, docile temperament, but some birds can become aggressive, highly dependent on selection by breeder, today raised mainly for meat production, high egg production, pale cream to medium brown colored eggs with spotting, 75 to 80 percent hatchablility of eggs, some birds have the ability to fly, very friendly |
| Breed Size | Small |
| Hen | Between 3.6 and 4.5 kg |
| Tom | Around 5.9 kg |
| Climate Tolerance | Almost all climates |
| Color | White |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | United States |
