A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

View attachment 1163072 Idk what he or she is really. Has me totally confused. Way bigger than the hens body wise and it’s feet are huge. Acts like tom but looks like hens. View attachment 1163066View attachment 1163068

I need to see a better picture of the breast feathers taken from directly in front of the turkey and close range and in focus. You can probably see this for yourself better but in one of the photos there appear to be light colored lower edges on the breast feathers.

If these are its adult breast feathers and they have light colored lower edges, that is a positive sign of a hen.

I have one Blue Slate hen that is significantly bigger than the other hens.

I have never seen a tom do the horizontal tail fan when going after a rooster. I have seen plenty of hens do a horizontal tail fan when going after roosters and I have seen plenty of hens doing a vertical tail fan when displaying.

As far as I know, all toms get spurs. The spur nubs should be visible at around 6 months. A beard while not necessarily visible can be felt at its base high in the center of the breast usually by 4 months but a beard is not conclusive evidence since both hens and toms can have beards. A hen's beard is not nearly as heavy as a tom's beard.

 

[duluthralphie]

View attachment 1163072 Idk what he or she is really. Has me totally confused. Way bigger than the hens body wise and it’s feet are huge. Acts like tom but looks like hens. View attachment 1163066View attachment 1163068

I think I misunderstood you when you said your turkey runs with its tail fanned.

A hen (mine anyway) run with their tails fanned but down where as the toms run with the tail feathers more together.

Running with the tail down but fanned out is what mean when I say "run like a Girl"

Yours sound more like they are chasing the rooster while keeping the tail fanned and upright like they do when strutting their stuff. Am I right on this?

If you chase the turkey how does it run away from you? What does the tail look like then? When you say he "jumps" at the rooster is it a run or just a fight thing?

I know I have one Tom that has a very well defined Mohawk across his head... They can be tricky when they are deciding which sex they want to be.

 

[stephcraig78]

When it chases the rooster it fans tail feathers and turns them what I would call diagonal. And the jump it does is with tail fanned out and usually wings held out from its body sometimes flaps them too. Jumps sideways towards the rooster like it’s trying to jump on him. It continues to climb on the hens backs but haven’t seen any actual mating happen. I have never seen the hens act like this bird does. They have never chased another bird with tails like this. When it runs from me tail is usually together and either straight out or down. I’ll get better pics and if I can figure out how I’ll do a video of it.

 

[Flashpoint]

Neither would I... they'd probably just declare bankruptcy...

I can't even blame it on autocorrect since I am on the computer.

I CAN blame it on arthritis and a funky trigger finger - which is always bouncing around on it's own. lol

There are some days where I spend more time using the backspace button than I actually USE typing!

 

[duluthralphie]

When it chases the rooster it fans tail feathers and turns them what I would call diagonal. And the jump it does is with tail fanned out and usually wings held out from its body sometimes flaps them too. Jumps sideways towards the rooster like it’s trying to jump on him. It continues to climb on the hens backs but haven’t seen any actual mating happen. I have never seen the hens act like this bird does. They have never chased another bird with tails like this. When it runs from me tail is usually together and either straight out or down. I’ll get better pics and if I can figure out how I’ll do a video of it.

Thanks.. I hereby declare him to be a boy...

 

[stephcraig78]

I sure hope so. I have wanted another tom for a year now and once I finally talked my husband into letting me get more birds I have been hoping one of them was a tom. Could of just bought an older bird that was for sure a tom but I love watching them grow up. I will get some better pics in a few minutes and maybe they will help make it clear. Can I post a video here?

 

[rjohns39]

I sure hope so. I have wanted another tom for a year now and once I finally talked my husband into letting me get more birds I have been hoping one of them was a tom. Could of just bought an older bird that was for sure a tom but I love watching them grow up. I will get some better pics in a few minutes and maybe they will help make it clear. Can I post a video here?

To post a video, first post to youtube, then copy the link address and post with the media button here.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Hey everyone. I so want to get outside and get some pictures of my girls and their horribly pitiful molts. Unfortunately, I'm stuck on the couch, eating garlic on crackers and fighting the hot/cold spells. I hate being sick! The girls do look awful though. I'm going to get their pictures before ask the new feathers come in. It's sag. Just when I think they can't get any worse looking, they drop what little feathers they have left lol

 

[rjohns39]

Hey everyone. I so want to get outside and get some pictures of my girls and their horribly pitiful molts. Unfortunately, I'm stuck on the couch, eating garlic on crackers and fighting the hot/cold spells. I hate being sick! The girls do look awful though. I'm going to get their pictures before ask the new feathers come in. It's sag. Just when I think they can't get any worse looking, they drop what little feathers they have left lol

Aurora, get well soon.

 

[copper2]

Hey has anyone heard about the new turkeys in the U.S?
http://www.porterturkeys.com/recessiveslate.htm