Before we gobble gobble our yummy turkey this Thanksgiving, I thought it would be fun to learn a few facts about our beloved bird. Ready? First up – where do turkeys come from? Besides from eggs of course… What I mean is, do you know which states produce the most turkeys?
According to the National Turkey Federation, America’s top five turkey producing states in 2007 and 2008 were Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, and Missouri.
More turkey trivia:
- Domesticated turkey hens are artificially inseminated. They lay 80-100 eggs during a 25 week laying cycle. Each egg takes 28 days to hatch.
- A turkey is usually 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.
- Toms are male turkeys. Hens are females.
- Only tom turkeys gobble. Hen turkeys make a clicking noise.
- Domesticated turkeys cannot fly.
- Nearly 88-percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving.
- The average weight of a turkey bought for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.
[Source: National Turkey Federation]
We always have turkey at Thanksgiving, but this year we’re also trying a Turducken – a turkey stuffed with a duck which is stuffed with a chicken. How about you? Turkey? Tofurkey? Turducken? Something else?
[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]
I still love a traditional turkey dinner. Haven’t changed it much in thirty years. My son is going to be home after being in Iraq last year. He wants it exactly like it’s always been, down to the jellied cranberry sauce. Happy Thanksgiving.
I am going to use this information to come up with an activity for my family to do after we have our big dinner. Thanks for the information – there were a lot of facts that I was simply not aware of!
Great idea, CTG – you will have to let me know how that goes! I didn’t know a lot of that stuff, so I’m glad I’m not the only one.
Interesting turkey facts! I’m going for strictly turkey. Never heard of a terduckden.
We’ve got a 21 lb. turkey defrosting in the fridge. We like the traditional meal too, but we’re trying a healthier version of stuffing and pumpkin pie this year. Getting hungry just thinking about it!