The Mechelen Turkey Head is currently very endangered in its native range, and good specimens with the desired, typical heads are rare.

The Mechelen Turkey Head is an old Flemish meat breed that was developed for the German market. The Turkey Head was intended to be a heavier version of the original Malines breed, also known as the Mechelen. Malines were crossed with the heavy Bruges Fighter (also available at Greenfire Farms). This contribution of Fighter's blood created a Malines with a small three-row comb, a striking dewlap, no wattles and large slightly drooping ears. It is heavier, coarser and slightly higher on the legs than the original Malines. The breed is also slightly more temperamental than the Malines, but with frequent handling can still be calm and gentle. The hens tend to be calm and don't tend to go broody.

A Mechelen Turkey Head should be bred to eliminate the wattles in both the roosters and hens.

We imported this breed in 2021 and we've really enjoyed having this breed at our farm. They look a lot like the Malines that we imported in 2013. However, they have their differences from the Malines with their short comb, small to nonexistent wattles, and eggs that are more tinted. The hens act a lot like the Malines. They run up to us and are always curious if we are bringing any snacks to them. Our rooster that we imported didn't show aggression to us and was equally as curious as the hens. With their large bodies they aren't the fastest, but they sure try to sprint over toward us as soon as they see us. We have noticed that they are mainly very calm and not flighty.

Hatching Eggs - When hatching eggs from this breed, there are 2 things to look for. You will need to make sure that both legs have feathers all the way down each leg. You will also want to check the combs as any chick that hatches with a single ridge comb should be culled. Ideally, the chicks you want will have a wide and flat comb on day one.

The merits of every bird should be assessed as they reach adulthood.