Can Somebody Help Me Determine The Sex of My Bronze Turkey?

[Shay1327]

I was given 2 poults last May by my husbands uncle. He wasn't sure what breed they are, but I'm assuming they are standard Bronze's. They are about 9 months old now and I'm trying to figure out what sex they are.

(This is them as poult's, the one in front is the one I'm questioning the sex of)

I may have heard a gobble last week but whenever I look out to see if that's what I'm hearing they come running to me looking for treats (they are spoiled brats lol). They both chirp but the one I'm almost 100% sure is a hen is much quieter.

(This is the one I'm pretty positive is a hen)

(This is the one I'm unsure of)

Is it possible the one I'm not sure of is just a dominant hen? She always has a red wattle, whereas her companion will only turn her wattle red sometimes. It's wattle is also a lot larger. He also chases my roosters around and tries to mount them. Any help would be much appreciated!!!

 

[turkaholic]

At first I thought the second bird in question was a tom but then I realized that the breast feathers are edged with white/buff which would make it a hen. Also, the snood would be larger. A tom at this age would have dark irridecent plumage edged with black. The red wattle looks a little large for a hen, but IMO, it appears you have two hens.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I'm going to say two hens as well.

.....Alan.

 

[Shay1327]

Thank you for getting back to me. I was wondering about the breast feathers. I guess I'll just assume she is dominant. Anyone know where I can find a tom for them in the WNY area?

 

[Shay1327]

The only other thing I was wondering is would it mattered if she was not full bronze but mixed with Nargassetts? I know the gentleman also raises them along with a few other breeds and they are not seperated for breeding purposes. The reason I ask is the lighter coloring on her breast feathers is white while on the other hen they are cream, and they also have different colored tail feathers. Just food for thought I guess, she is just so much bigger than the other hen (they are from the same hatch) and her wattle is so much larger and redder.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I'm new to turkey's, but I honestly think you have a pair. Hens don't gobble. Males gobble. My boy was a late bloomer too. His snood is pitiful for his age, but he gobbles and displays for his girlfriend

They are 10 months now and JUST started acting like male and female distinctly. He just started letting my Roo know he's fed up with his dominance too....may have to seperate them. Let us know if one IS indeed gobbling!! It was hard for us to tell at first too!

 

[turkaholic]

I don't believe these two are from the same hatch! If you look at the poult photo, the growth of the wing weathers shows about a one to two week difference in length. "She" may be a tom, but standard bronzes have different tail and rump feather coloring all the time. Some are brown, buff, rusty,and every shade to white.

They also exhibit differences in size. Some have been crossed with BBB and the hens run larger. The lack of irridecence on that bird still leads me to conclude a hen. Thinking you heard a gobble doesn't count.

Wait a few weeks and if she's a he, you'll know soon enough! My young toms are already gobbling up a storm.

 

[Shay1327]

Maybe just wishful thinking on my part

Still looking to get a few more poults, but we'll see what the spring brings!!! These are my first turkey's so thank you to everyone who helped, I don't care if there both hens or not they are my pets and I love them anyway.

 

[turkey guru]

both are hens and they look like wild easterns!!!!

 

[Shay1327]

They could be Wild Eastern's, they are pretty prevalent in these parts. What's funny is we had a flock of wild turkeys that frequented our land often until I got these guys. My turkeys are very vocal especially when they see me and yet I haven't seen the wilds in a long time lol.