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The turkey is
native to North America and was domesticated by the Aztecs in Mexico 500
years ago. Turkeys were taken to Spain beginning in 1500 and rapidly
became known across Europe. The Pilgrims and other settlers brought
turkeys with them to New England where they were crossed with wild
indigenous stocks. This hybrid type was itself taken back to England where
a game keep named John Bull began to select for a broader breast. He
emigrated to Canada and brought turkeys with him, selling them in North
America as "broad-breasted" turkeys.
The Bronze turkey is named for its unusual color, a shimmering green-bronze which appears metallic in the sunlight. It is found in two types, the Broad-breasted which has commercial uses, and the Unimproved (or naturally-mating), for small-scale production. Both are rare in North America. The Broad-breasted Bronze is now bred at only five or six hatcheries in the United States. The APA Standard sets their weights at 36 pounds for an old tom and 20 pounds for an old hen. By 28 weeks a young tom may already weigh 25 pounds.
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