what is the smallest turkey breed

The smallest recognized turkey breed is the Midget White , a rare heritage variety developed specifically to be much smaller than standard turkeys.

Quick Scoop

• The Midget White is widely described as the smallest standard turkey breed, bred for compact size and good table qualities.

• Typical mature weights are around 13–15 lb for toms and about 8 lb for hens, which is only slightly heavier than large chickens.

• Another small type you may see mentioned is the Beltsville Small White, but its mature weights are generally a bit higher than the Midget White, so it is usually considered small rather than the absolute smallest.

Tiny Turkey Options

• Midget White :
  • Smallest standard breed; very compact body.
  • Hens around 8–10 lb, toms roughly 13–15 lb depending on the source.

* Heritage, good flavor, and often recommended for backyard or small-family flocks.

• Beltsville Small White :
  • Bred by the USDA as a smaller family-sized bird in the mid‑20th century.

* Young toms around 15–17 lb and hens about 9–10 lb, so a bit larger than Midget Whites.

Simple HTML Table

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Turkey breed</th>
      <th>Typical hen weight</th>
      <th>Typical tom weight</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Midget White</td>
      <td>~8–10 lb [web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>~13–15 lb [web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Generally regarded as the smallest standard turkey breed [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Beltsville Small White</td>
      <td>~9–10 lb (young hens) [web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>~15–17 lb (young toms) [web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Small, compact heritage bird, but usually a bit larger than Midget White [web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.