boys or girls

[kalkun]

can anyone tell if they are hens or toms?

 

[toadbriar]

They're females, they've got their feathery turtleneck collars pulled up to their chins.

Males have red droopy skin (wattle) all down their necks. Like they are a red bumpy sock puppet

 

[kalkun]

That´s great
I was afraid that they are both male. Now I underestand why havent seen them dancing jet, despide the fact that they are about 5,5 months old

 

[jasonm11]

thats oaky they all taste the same anyway. They look like BBB if so they are getting rady for Thanksgiving right?

 

[kalkun]

I´m quite new in this turkey business, so I´m sure what this BBB exactly means
To be honest, I thought I bought male and a female and I was planning to do some breeding with them. So if they are both hens, I probably need to buy eggs for them in spring.
But for sure, they are safe for this year.

 

[TammyP]

BBB stands for broad breasted bronze turkey. A BBB is more of a table turkey commercial type bird meant for raising to be eaten. Usually this type of bird grows fast/large within a shorter period of time for that purpose. Think of it as a turkey version of a cornish cross chicken. 20-25 weeks and it should be plenty ready for butcher.

They are known for not being able to reproduce unless by artificial insemination. So, even though you might have had a tom and hen, they most likely would not be able to reproduce offspring.

If you are looking for birds who will reproduce then try a heritage breed.

~Tammy

PS: looking at your pictures and knowing they are 5.5 months old..... I would say that they look more like a standard bronze turkey. They aren't large enough for their age to be a BBB unless they've been starved....which I do not think you would do.

Their breasts just don't look humongous enough to be the broad breasted type and they would have more of a spread on their legs and look like a short tank....they also would be walking like a 9 month pregnant woman carrying twins....

According to wikipedia:

The Bronze is a breed of domestic turkey. The name refers to its plumage, which bears an iridescent bronze-like sheen. The Bronze had been the most popular turkey throughout most of American history, but waned in popularity beginning in the mid-20th century. Later in its history, the breed was divided into two distinct types: the Broad Breasted Bronze and the Standard Bronze.

The BBB birds are so heavy that they are completely incapable of reproducing without artificial insemination, and they reach such extreme weights so quickly their overall development fails to keep pace with their rapidly accruing muscle mass, resulting in severe immune system, cardiac, respiratory and leg problems.

The Bronze was first admitted in to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1874. Later, beginning in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, some Bronze turkeys were selected for larger size. These much bigger birds became known as the Broad Breasted Bronze, to differentiate them from the original type of bird which was bred to the breeds' Standard of Perfection, and so was called the Standard (or Unimproved) Bronze.

Apart from the difference in size, the plumage of the Standard Bronze is usually lighter and more lustrous than that of the Broad Breasted. Both have a brown color which is highlighted by shades of copper and blue-green, and the plumage overall is very similar to that of the Wild Turkey.

The Broad Breasted Bronze went on to dominate the commercial turkey industry for twenty years after its development, until the Broad Breasted White became the breed of choice. Due to their size, they have lost the ability to mate naturally, and Broad Breasted Bronzes in existence today are maintained entirely by artificial insemination. Having retained the ability to reproduce naturally (among other traits), the Standard Bronze is considered to be a variety of heritage turkey.

More than ten different turkey breeds are classified as heritage turkeys, including the Auburn, Buff, Black, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze, and Midget White. Some prominent chefs, farmers, and food critics have also contended that heritage turkey meat tastes better and is more healthy.

Except for a few flocks of toms kept for semen production, commercial turkeys generally never live past the point at which they reach market weight. Heritage turkeys are capable of the full normal lifespan of wild turkeys. Breeding hens are commonly productive for 5–7 years and breeding toms for 3–5 years.

 

[kalkun]

Tammy, You are correct, they are standart bronze. Thank you for all the information that you gave.