Midget White Turkey

Looks how to spot one

Feathers

A small, broad-breasted turkey with pure white plumage. It looks like a miniature version of the commercial Broad Breasted White, with a plump breast and well-proportioned body.35

Personality what they are like

Midget Whites are famously friendly and curious, often following their owners around like puppies. They are not aggressive with humans and can be good with children under supervision. They are also described as calm and easy to handle.627

Daily activity how busy a day looks

They enjoy free-ranging during the day and will forage. They can fly, especially when young, so a 6-foot fence or clipping one wing may be needed to keep them contained.6

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Minimal grooming needed. Provide protection from predators, especially when young, as their small size makes them vulnerable to cats, dogs, raccoons, hawks and owls.7

Home where they are happiest

They need a secure coop for night-time and a fenced yard for daytime ranging. A 6-foot fence is recommended to keep them in. They are small and can be kept in backyards or urban homesteads.64

Food basics what goes in the bowl

As domestic poultry, they eat a balanced diet of poultry feed, supplemented with foraging for insects, seeds and greens. Fresh water must always be available.6

Company who they like around

They are social birds and do well in small flocks. They are friendly with people and can be kept as pets. They are not aggressive, but supervision is advised with young children. They are not known to be venomous or illegal to keep, but local regulations should be checked.62

The story where it all began

The Midget White was created in the 1960s at the University of Massachusetts by Dr. J.R. Smyth Jr. He crossed commercial Broad Breasted White turkeys with Royal Palm exhibition birds, selecting for small size and good breast shape. The aim was to produce a smaller turkey for the growing number of small households. After the university ended the programme, Dr. Bernie Wentworth of the University of Wisconsin continued the breeding work, fixing the white colour and improving egg production and fertility. Today the breed is rare and classified as 'Critical' by The Livestock Conservancy. It is valued as a heritage breed that can mate naturally and has a friendly temperament.124

Recognised by the official bits

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (now The Livestock Conservancy)

Listed as 'Critical'4