A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[SilkieSensation]

Here is a side by side. The chocolate has more "texture" on the bottom of his feet.. you can kind of see it on the outside middle toe. I measured them bottom to bottom as best I could. About the same. Thanks for your help!

At this point, with prominent snoods

Unlike @SilkieSensation I am not convinced that either are toms. Another test that you can try is to hold the poult resting on its back in your hand. If the poult pulls its legs in to its chest that indicates a hen and if it keeps its legs churning or holds one or both up or to the back that indicates a tom. @Celie did a post about identifying sex on poults a number of years ago. When all the comparisons are used and not just one or two, she is extremely accurate on sexing poults. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/725829/turkeys-for-2013/2750 One other indicator is the shape of the head when looking down on the head. A young tom will have a more triangular head while a young hen's head will look more like it will fit between two parallel lines. Using Celie's method and behavior patterns, I was 100% accurate on sexing poults last year. Her tests and watching behavior patterns are ones that you have to do yourself and someone else cannot sex them from photos for you.

I'm not 100% sure at this point either, that's why I said 75%. More pix in a week or 2 will give good comparison, as will watching behaviors like you said. I can sex my own poults with over 90% accuracy within a week & close to 100% by 4 weeks (there's always a change 1 will confuse me). Just from these pix, I'm leaning toward 2 toms.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am amazed you can tell that young, with my Blues last year ( hatched in May) I was not sure until mid-sept.

There is so much to learn about turkeys. Me, being old and having a firm rule of only being able to learn one thing a day will never get it all. DO NOT ASK ME TO VIOLATE MY RULE! It is steadfast and written in stone.

BTW Today I learned Ethel is PO'd. I think she may be broody, she is setting on a nest with one egg in it, (chicken). On a trailer I throw scrap iron and metal on, she is under the scrap metal, acting like she is hiding. I have some chicken eggs I will give her if she is broody. I would like her to raise her own poults, but she loses about 4-5 nests to predators before she hatches one. I guess it does not matter, at least she has stopped walking around here making the pitiful, woe is me sound of hers.

 

[duluthralphie]

Also, I am thinking of putting Ethel and JJ in the guinea Gulag with the two lavender hens, and throw the lavender tom out. I should get lavenders and Lilacs then right??



Those dark spots on JJ, Do they mean anything? Will they mean he could throw a blue? Or is that out because of what he is?


Dang if I learn too much today, what will I do tomorrow?


What is your thoughts? The reason to put JJ and Ethel in the gulag would be safety and more JJ babies. The Lavender tom has eggs already hatched and hatching with the blue, and the lavenders.

 

[WalnutHill]

OH NO!!

Calling JJ and Ethel mutts is horrible, they maybe just ordinary crossbred turkeys but they are SUPER turkeys....Well I think they are. JJ is official greeter here at my little farm.

I called mine mutts, not yours

I wish the doggone thinks were not so sociable. It makes freezer camp day much harder. Especially when my pride and joy Narragansett hen, hand selected and raised to be in my breeding flock this year, went for processing thanks to my unhired hand (son) who found her very easy to catch. I didn't find out until I got home. I hate 4:30 a.m. loading...

 

[SilkieSensation]

Also, I am thinking of putting Ethel and JJ in the guinea Gulag with the two lavender hens, and throw the lavender tom out.  I should get lavenders and Lilacs then right??



Those dark spots on JJ, Do they mean anything? Will they mean he could throw a blue?  Or is that out because of what he is?


Dang if I learn too much today, what  will I do tomorrow?


What is your thoughts?  The reason to put JJ and Ethel in the gulag would be safety and more JJ babies.   The Lavender tom has eggs already hatched and hatching with the blue, and the lavenders.

JJ's spots are just part of a lilac's coloring. To the best of my knowledge on genetics, you should get lilac & lavender from lilac & lavender...but I am not an expert & am still learning genetics. Turkeys are more complicated than chickens because several genes determine color & pattern in turkeys instead of just 2.

 

[duluthralphie]

I called mine mutts, not yours

I wish the doggone thinks were not so sociable. It makes freezer camp day much harder. Especially when my pride and joy Narragansett hen, hand selected and raised to be in my breeding flock this year, went for processing thanks to my unhired hand (son) who found her very easy to catch. I didn't find out until I got home. I hate 4:30 a.m. loading...

I would be wearing shoes made out of the unhired hands hide if he loaded JJ or Ethel into the processing pile!



I finally got Ethel calmed down with her anger over Silkie. I took the egg she laid on the scrap iron trailer, added a few more leaves for cushioning and gave her back 10 chicken eggs to hatch.. I hope she decides to hatch them soon. Everyday she lays am egg there, I will trade it for a chicken egg. She will never figure it out.

 

[SilkieSensation]

 

I called mine mutts, not yours 

I wish the doggone thinks were not so sociable.  It makes freezer camp day much harder.  Especially when my pride and joy Narragansett hen, hand selected and raised to be in my breeding flock this year, went for processing thanks to my unhired hand (son) who found her very easy to catch.  I didn't find out until I got home.  I hate 4:30 a.m. loading...

I would be wearing shoes made out of the unhired hands hide if he loaded JJ  or Ethel into the processing pile!



I finally got Ethel calmed down with her anger over Silkie.   I took the egg she laid on the scrap iron trailer, added a few more leaves for cushioning and gave her back 10 chicken eggs to hatch.. I hope she decides to hatch them soon.  Everyday she lays am egg there, I will trade it for a chicken egg. She will never figure it out.

Glad I could be of, ummmm, service? Lol If you really want to be able to blame me, you can send me some of those eggs...lol

 

[chickadoodles]

I would be afraid to go home for awhile if one of mine loaded one of my best hens in the processor pile.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Precisely why no one is allowed to do anything but feed, water & collect eggs without me present.

 

[mountain mom]

Honestly, if I have two toms or two hens, or (fingers crossed) one of each... I will be happy. I am just curious now. And I would love to learn more about sexing poults.

Upon the holding upside down, the chocolate brought legs in, the lavender kicked. Chocolate has a more triangular head. The lavender picks on (pecking dust and pulling feathers) the older bbb for Thanksgiving.
I have no clue, just curious is all. Curious because I want a mating pair so bad... and I named them. Silly me.

Ralph, I have also tried to learn too many things today. I have to continue to have alcohol to soothe my brain.