Turkey fans his feathers

[Olive]

My tom, who is just about 4 months ago fans and fluffs his feathers at me. Is he flirting? Also I have another turkey same age, I think it is a she, not quite sure, her snood isn't very long, but she also fans and fluffs her feathers. I thought female turkeys didn't fan their feathers. I also thought I heard a gobble from her, but I'm not sure. Also when he fans his feathers she really likes it. I also seen her drop in front of him. Which makes me think she is a girl. I'll try to post pictures.

 

[justusnak]

What type of turkeys do you have? Not that it matters about the tail fanning....my boy fans his whenever a man comes around...or someone new. He also does it for the hens...and dances....vibrates his wings.....Unfortunately...my hen will walk away. I have RP....and I think they are about 6 months old.

 

[Olive]

They are both bourbon reds. They follow me everywhere when I'm outside. They especially love my DH, they always come running when they see him. He always has bread for them.

 

[hinkjc]

If you heard your girl gobble, she is not a girl. Hen turkeys cannot gobble, only toms. They both can fan their tails and a male turkey will submit to a more dominant male turkey, which may be the behavior you are seeing.

Jody

 

[Olive]

Do you know at what age they start gobbling?

 

[southernsibe]

My RP tom just started gobbling. He is about five months. It is so funny as I don't think he is used to it and acts startled. He loves me, and flirts all the time. I can tell him he is a pretty boy, so handsome and by the time the words leave my mouth he has puffed up and fanned out his feathers. He is glorious. My hen will sit on my bench swing next to me while I read and try to nibble my book. I never in a million years thought I would be so taken by turkeys.
Rachel

 

[ivan3]

Got our guys as day-old poults in 6/05. This is what they were up to in late October of that year (had Cass surrounded). And, yes the boys were gobbling/neck-wrapping/sparring.

We could tell by early July just what the sexes would be - the little guys were already butting and strutting and chuffing as best they could.

The hens can be pretty aggressive at times (particularly to the low tom on the totem pole - gets no respect). The Royal hen was a great one for fanning her tail and hissing/barking/biting. She was pretty much Queen of the flock until she was killed protecting a nest.

Anyway, I can only get the boys to display if I stand right in front of them and tell them that they are Big Ugly Devils - they puff right up like Tammany Hall politicians.

This is our youngest grandson, a couple of weeks ago, `displaying' (not species specific behavior...) He's not feathered in yet but borrowed those from his buddies behind him for this shot (now, if he can just learn to `look' at the camera).