Blue Slate Turkey

The Blue Slate turkey is a rare breed of turkey of the heritage turkey and admitted into the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. Past breeding is thought to be derived from the Spanish Black turkey of USA and the Norfolk Black in England. The Blue Slate turkey makes an excellent forager and backyard/farm turkey. They are capable of reproducing naturally and do go broody. Baby turkey (poults) sent to you from Cackle Hatchery® are the “ blue slate (splash)” and the “blues” of the Blue Slate turkey breed. Our parent stock of blue slate turkeys on our farms produce 3 color patterns (blue splash, blue and black). The color pattern of the slate turkey breed is interesting to work with on a breeding level. Briefly, a splash slate bred to another splash slate will produce all splash slates (ash blue color with some small black dots), breeding the blue slate to blue slate will produce all three color patterns, blue slate splash, blue and black offspring. The blue to black generally produces offspring of blues and blacks with no splash slates. Black to black will produce generally all blacks. You can also order the “Blacks” of the Blue Slate turkey breed on request and we will pick these out for you.