Toms or Hens?? **PIC HEAVY**

[RusticDreamer]

Hello all!

I am hoping someone can help me because I am getting so many mixed answers from other forum sites! *sigh*

I have 3 young turkeys that I have NO IDEA if they are toms or hens (or whatever you call them at 5 months?)

They are Aurburns and one is a Silver Auburn/Auburn cross.

They only display like my big tom when they are 'upset' about something, but I have seen my older hens do that as well, especially when confronted by one of my roos or a broody hen Their caruncles and dewlaps get really red also when they are upset. Their snoods are 'fatter' than my other 3 hens, but only in diameter, they don't hang down passed their beaks. They seem to 'bark', if that makes sense, and I have yet to hear an actual 'gobble' out of them, but then again, I am unsure what 5 mos old turkeys sound like as I got my original trio when they were 9 mos old. My older hens have dewlaps also, and seem to be developing larger caruncles, which started when the weather got cooler??

These 2 are my older hens, notice their caruncles...








Some closer shots of the head, snood, caruncles, beak, etc...











This is my big boy...who obviously is a Tom...and the father!



My older hens display caruncles also??



Can anyone weigh in on this and let me know what you think or if you need more detailed photographs from any other areas I can post those!!! I had someone offer to buy them but I don't want to sell them if they are girls!!!

Thanks!!

 

[RusticDreamer]

anyone?

 

[r4eboxer]

Have any of them showed? At that age they should be showing if they are Toms.

 

[RusticDreamer]

Have any of them showed? At that age they should be showing if they are Toms.

I've only seen them 'display' 2 or 3 times since they have hatched!!! And that was when they were upset, like be confronted by a roo or another hen! My big tom walks around puffed up most of the time, these guys...nothing?! But their heads and caruncles are questionable??

 

[r4eboxer]

Hens, they will have some blue coloration on the head too. They should be showing off quite a lot. My hens sometime show a little too when they are fighting for pecking order or scared.

 

[RusticDreamer]

I can count the number of times they have acted like 'toms' on one hand! I'm thinking they must be females...but hoping some others can weigh in!

 

[frank53061]

Look like all Hens to me except for the one on display.
I have Red Bourbons and They look just like my Hens I did not see what age they are but all my Toms have a bloc-key shaped head were as the Hens have a longer and narrower head and my Hens have a few bright colored conicals as well but the snood is a good tell if it stays very short its normally a Hen the smaller body size is tipical for a Hen as well.
I hope I was of some help

 

[RusticDreamer]

Look like all Hens to me except for the one on display.
I have Red Bourbons and They look just like my Hens I did not see what age they are but all my Toms have a bloc-key shaped head were as the Hens have a longer and narrower head and my Hens have a few bright colored conicals as well but the snood is a good tell if it stays very short its normally a Hen the smaller body size is tipical for a Hen as well.
I hope I was of some help

thanks! they are 5 mos old..

 

[Celie]

Looks like hens to me. The tell I can go by in my Holland whites is the feathers going up the back of the head. Pretty turkeys! You said they were Auburn?

 

[RusticDreamer]

Looks like hens to me. The tell I can go by in my Holland whites is the feathers going up the back of the head. Pretty turkeys! You said they were Auburn?

Yes, they are Heritage Auburns and one is an auburn/silver auburn cross. I want to expand my flock of these, but, it's hard to find them!! I think Porters turkeys has some?