The Chocolate is an old Southern colour variety, well established in the southern United States (and known in France) before the Civil War, whose disruption of Southern turkey breeding nearly finished it. It is solid milk-chocolate brown — shanks and feet included — and any white barring, bronze pattern or white tipping is a fault. The Livestock Conservancy lists it at Watch status as a meat variety that dresses clean; the APA has never recognised it. Old toms run about 33 lb and old hens 18 lb.
Beginner friendly
Good with kids
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Egg colorCream Spotted
Egg production35–55 / year
TemperamentDocile
BroodinessFrequent
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeMeat And Show
Weight
Hen18 lb
Tom33 lb
How to spot it
Plumage
Solid, even milk-chocolate brown with no barring or white tipping
Legs & feet
Chocolate-coloured, like the plumage
Look for
Poults hatch patterned like a Black poult, with brown where the black would be
