Baby Turkey need friends??

[Hawkeye95]

Dlynch- you must have a natural knack for rescuing animals! That is amazing about the fox and fawns, etc... wow!! I just don't think I am cut out for that kind of thing. I kept telling myself I was a crazy, crazy person for stopping and picking up a turkey from the ditch. I have been spending time looking at breeder sites for chicks, and now that I happened on this baby turkey... I think God is having a good laugh at my expense.

 

[Stacykins]

The only surefire way to sex a turkey is to stare at it for 12 weeks! I am taking some guesses with mine being 8 weeks old

Around 7-9 weeks the turkey will start losing the fluffy neck and head fuzz. Then the snood (flap of skin that hangs over a turkey's beak) and caruncles (fleshy bumps on their neck) starts to develop, allowing sexing. Strutting isn't a good determination of sex, since even young hens will strut like a male.

I hope your little one is a heritage breed like a beltsville white! Even if it is a BBW, proper care can give you a healthy, long lived pet! Only time will tell, since it is hard to tell what breed your little one is since there are many white breeds.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Well thank you!! That gives me a very good indication of about how old s/he is, then. So probably less than 7-9 weeks since he still is fuzzy on his neck and belly. HILARIOUS about the only sure fire way to sex a turkey is to stare at them for several weeks.

Never heard that before! I kind of hope he is really a "he" and that he will strut and fluff his feathers out when he gets older. If it's a female... this is a really dumb question... would she lay eggs like chickens??