Auburn Turkeys

aka Light Brown Turkeys

An Auburn pair
Photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

Following text with permission from
"1998 SPPA Turkey Census Report"
by Paula Johnson

This is an old variety that was listed in receipts when transporting turkeys to markets in "turkey trots" during the late 1700s and early 1800s in Philadelphia. They are sex linked and thus were important at the beginning of this century for producing poults that could be sexed at hatching. However, this did not become a serious market requirement and they never became very popular. A variant of the Bronze coloring, this variety shows a similarity in pattern but the black is replaced by reddish brown and bronze by light tan. Weights are the same for Historical Bronze [35 pound toms; 19 pound hens]. Only 17 hens (more recent counts have dropped this to 12 hens) and 10 toms, which is less than 1% of the total Historical turkeys found. The largest flock had six hens and 4 toms, [and] that has dropped since. More breeders are needed!