12 weeks old Bourbon reds, hens or Toms?

[OneMountainAcres]

I'm posting this in a couple different places to try to get a wide spectrum of opinions. I'm trying to figure out if my 3, 12 week old Bourbon reds are hens or Toms.

Wow, they were NOT cooperating with me this morning! Everyone was super excited and jumping and flapping all around. I was making noises at them to get them to stand still (hence the struts lol). So what do you guys think? The 3 little Bourbon reds are 12 weeks old but hens or Toms?

 

[chiques chicks]

By posture, I'm thinking hens, but I've been fooled so many times! Mine are around 16 weeks and the makes are doing full struts now, I always end up with far more toms. And twelve weeks toms should be starting to try full struts, trail feathers high, heads tucked in. And their snoods should get very long along with bright red heads when strutting.

I'm guessing you are hoping for a mix to breed?

 

[OneMountainAcres]

By posture, I'm thinking hens, but I've been fooled so many times! Mine are around 16 weeks and the makes are doing full struts now, I always end up with far more toms. And twelve weeks toms should be starting to try full struts, trail feathers high, heads tucked in. And their snoods should get very long along with bright red heads when strutting.

I'm guessing you are hoping for a mix to breed?

No, I have a 17 week old Bourbon red Tom. I was hoping to have at least one girl to go with him lol. These pictures are my tom, Adam. He's my sweet heart. He hasn't started gobbling yet but he is often in full strut especially when chasing chickens away from me or his flock

 

[R2elk]

I'm posting this in a couple different places to try to get a wide spectrum of opinions. I'm trying to figure out if my 3, 12 week old Bourbon reds are hens or Toms.





Wow, they were NOT cooperating with me this morning! Everyone was super excited and jumping and flapping all around. I was making noises at them to get them to stand still (hence the struts lol). So what do you guys think? The 3 little Bourbon reds are 12 weeks old but hens or Toms?

Based on how bald their heads already are, my guess is that they are all toms. They are too young to use their breast feathers for confirmation.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They do appear to be all the same sex, I'm thinking toms as well.


Here's one of mine, ten weeks old, I believe to be female, the sweetgrass I believe is a male, notice how he gets red when I talk to them.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Based on how bald their heads already are, my guess is that they are all toms.  They are too young to use their breast feathers for confirmation.

What would be the difference in the beast feathers so I can keep an eye out?

They do appear to be all the same sex, I'm thinking toms as well.

Oh I'm hoping not

 

[OneMountainAcres]

One of the triplets does seem to have slightly thinner legs and a shorter tail.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The best test is usually weight, the toms feel twice as heavy and meaty as the hens.

 

[R2elk]

Quote: In dark feathered turkeys the adult plumage of hens has a light edging on the breast feathers while the toms do not have a light colored edging on their breast feathers.

Bourbon Red hen.

Bourbon Red tom


Right click on the images and select open in new tab to see the pics at full size and then you can see the light edges on the hen's feathers.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

In dark feathered turkeys the adult plumage of hens has a light edging on the breast feathers while the toms do not have a light colored edging on their breast feathers. Bourbon Red hen. Bourbon Red tom Right click on the images and select open in new tab to see the pics at full size and then you can see the light edges on the hen's feathers.

Thank you for that at what age does that become noticeable?