The Black is one of the oldest turkeys in the West: Mexican turkeys taken to Europe in the 1500s were bred into the Black Spanish and the Norfolk Black, and colonists brought their descendants back across the Atlantic. It entered the APA Standard in 1874 and was raised in numbers along the East Coast. Plumage is a lustrous metallic black with a green sheen. Hens lay around 40–50 speckled eggs a year and stay productive to about seven; the birds fly well and roost in trees unless trained home, and their dark pinfeathers can leave ink spots on a dressed carcass.
Beginner friendly
Good with kids
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Egg colorCream Spotted
Egg production40–60 / year
TemperamentDocile
BroodinessFrequent
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeMeat
Weight
Hen18 lb
Tom33 lb
How to spot it
Plumage
Metallic black with a greenish sheen throughout
Legs & feet
Pink in adults; young birds often have darker legs that lighten as they mature
Look for
An all-black turkey with a green shine and pink legs — no bronze and no white tips
