Turkeys are the second most commonly farmed bird globally but receive far less welfare attention than chickens. Their specific behavioral needs and the health problems caused by intensive breeding deserve greater scrutiny.
Turkey farming has followed the same trajectory as broiler chicken production: extreme genetic selection for growth and breast muscle at the cost of animal health and behavioral capacity. The fact that commercial turkeys cannot reproduce without human intervention is a striking symbol of how far selective breeding has diverged from any concern for animal welfare. Heritage breed alternatives exist and demonstrate that turkeys can live healthier, more behaviorally complete lives. The welfare of the hundreds of millions of turkeys consumed around holiday seasons deserves the same scrutiny as the chicken supply chain.