Can you tell if I'm a boy or a girl yet?

[19hhbelgian]

I have a bourbon red poult who is going on 2 months old the end of July. I know the toms are supposed to get black edging on their feathers, and the girls stay white, but I don't know at what age I should see this... I included the best pics I could get with the camera that I have right now, so hopefully someone will be able to give both of us some more insight

Once again, I apologize for the picture quality...

My poult hunting the only big game I keep in the shed... Flies

Here's a stretching pose... Figured you could see the wing pretty good:

 

[thaiturkey]

It's easier with young ones if there are others from the same hatch for comparison. However, I would say that the small snood and dainty facial features suggest a hen.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
Cool! thank you for the reply. I have been thinking hen, but honestly have no clue about sexing turkeys, hence the post

 

[Southerngirl]

Its a SHE! My toms at that age are already darker red in their feathering with a little red starting to show in their necks. They are beautiful!

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
Thank you! Glad to know... She's been being called a she since she was just a tiny fuzz ball, so I'm glad I was right! I just love her - such a different way of going about things than the chickens, but she still adores her smaller siblings

And, I've got to say, they look for her if she goes elsewhere! Hopefully she won't be my only turkey, but we'll see what hubby thinks about that

 

[Lagerdogger]

Not to cause argument, but I think its a bit early to tell. It still has a lot of fuzz on its head, so it can't be six weeks old when the picture was taken. It will be a couple more weeks before you can start to imagine what it is. I have three bourbon reds this year. They are 10 1/2 weeks old. I am very sure one is a tom, mostly sure another is a tom, and slighlty sure that the third is a hen. They have been the hardest to figure out for me. I also have Royal Palms, Narragansetts, Standard Bronze, and a white midget. I think I have all of them figured out, but even today I was waffling on one of the RPs.

Things to look for that might help...A few large caruncles at the base of the neck (7 to 8 weeks), an elongating snood (8 to 10 weeks), and a larger waddle that almost has to fold itself up if the turkeys neck is not stretched (9 to 11 weeks). Also watch for extended strutting behavior. Hens will sometimes strut, but they don't seem to be willing to hold the pose as long as the males do. None of these things guarantees what sex it is, but I think by 10-12 weeks you can get most of them right.

Enjoy it, whatever it is!

 

[19hhbelgian]

Actually those pics were literally just taken when I posted this, and that really is when I got my poult (end of May, and "she" was all fuzz, some wing feathers starting to sprout ). I know exactly when I got her because I got her at our chickenstock. Maybe she's a late bloomer? Or maybe she's taking after the chicks rather than being a turkey

She is starting to make funny turkey noises now, rather than all peeping - don't know if that means anything. No worries about starting an argument! I appreciate your input