December 2018 Update on Turkey Burger for those who have been following

[R2elk]

My basis is only simple things within themselves. However when added up it just seems odd to hold faith that TB is in fact a hen. For example.
1. I think that I have seen and felt the presence of spur buds.
2. I have on more than one or even two occasions heard TB gobble
3. TB's head is constantly changing color.
4. Breast feathers appear to be black tipped.
5. When encountering a curious cat TB puffed up and raised his/her tail in a fan.
6. It appears that carnukles are beginning to form on his/her neck.

Turkey Burger is a domestic cross breed mix of a Bourban Red and a Bronze turkey.
Approximately between 5-6 months old

Any one of these things above can occur as an anomaly in a turkey hen. But to have ALL of these things it just seems unlikely,even when observing this birds coloring.

However I am not an expert. This is my first encounter nursing a turkey. I only know what I have observed and what I have studied on these birds.
If you are an expert I welcome help identifying and clarifying any other conclusions that can prove otherwise.

1. Hens can have spur buds.
2. Only toms gobble but there are many sounds that turkeys can make and some of them can sound similar to a gobble.
3. Both toms and hens can change their head color depending on their emotional state at the time.
4. You have not provided a decent frontal photo so the only breast feathers that I can see are showing light colored lower edges. (hen trait)
5. Hens can and do pose and strut just like a tom can.
6. All turkeys develop caruncles. At her age the caruncles would be much bigger if she was a tom.

She has the trademark "mohawk" of a hen. Toms have bald heads with a few scattered hairs and no feathers. She has the slimmer, more feminine head of a hen compared to the blockier head of a tom.

Unless the whole entire snood gets removed, the base of the snood remains will still swell up very big in the case of an aroused tom.

She appears to be a Red Bronze which is what results from crossing a Bourbon Red with a Bronze turkey.

 

[AnotherMeOhMy]

1. Hens can have spur buds.
2. Only toms gobble but there are many sounds that turkeys can make and some of them can sound similar to a gobble.
3. Both toms and hens can change their head color depending on their emotional state at the time.
4. You have not provided a decent frontal photo so the only breast feathers that I can see are showing light colored lower edges. (hen trait)
5. Hens can and do pose and strut just like a tom can.
6. All turkeys develop caruncles. At her age the caruncles would be much bigger if she was a tom.

She has the trademark "mohawk" of a hen. Toms have bald heads with a few scattered hairs and no feathers. She has the slimmer, more feminine head of a hen compared to the blockier head of a tom.

Unless the whole entire snood gets removed, the base of the snood remains will still swell up very big in the case of an aroused tom.

She appears to be a Red Bronze which is what results from crossing a Bourbon Red with a Bronze turkey.

I added a bunch more pics. There should be some breast feather shots.
I am uncertain the exact age. I have had Turkey Burger in convalescence with me since Oct 29 so about 2 months. There has been a lot of growth and maturing during this time.
The snood was about a quarter of an inch long,thin,shriveled and black and jas fsllen off since. There is a tiny white nub there now.
Im no expert but have lived with and worked with a dozen free range turkeys very closely on the ranch where I live for a year now. I have done some research on the subject since this is my first time living on a ranch and encountering poultry every day. We have chickens,ducks (wild and domestic breeds) and a variety of Turkeys. There were Two large toms,now three as one has matured from a Jake. Ive learned what the various sounds are that turkeys make and what they mean. I h ave recognized
Various clucks,pucks alarm calls,feed calls,
Distress calls,chirps and the distinct challenging gobbles. Turkey Burger definitively bellowed out gobbles at least six times in the past 2 months. Just briefly though.
"She" has also recently made content sounds,purred,has let me know when its feeding time and has hissed at various times.
I am aware that hens have been known to make gobble sounds but it is out of the ordinary. Just like chicken hens have been documented to crow and cockerels have been known to have hen feathering etc
I prefer that TB be a hen. I just like to remain open to all possibilities until I have solid proof. Nature is a funny thing and curve balls are not unusual.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Wow I remember this turkey. What an amazing transformation
Turkey Burger healed so nicely. You did a great job. To be honest with you when I saw the first injury photos I thought to myself....oh no she’s going to have to dispatch that poor bird.
I’ve never been happier to be wrong!
Way to go!
Good Job Turkey Mom-~

 

[AnotherMeOhMy]

There is a company....think its called "Flight Suits"...that makes all kinds of bird diapers. Turkeys bond strongly to humans. They can become like dogs with feathers. She probably thinks she belongs in the house with you guys. Does she & the cat get along well?
Ought to join us over on the " Century of Turkey Talk" thread. Most of us regulars hang out over there. Someone may have an idea where to get properly fitting diapers. @Aurora26 makes turkey saddles. That may be something you look into if she rejoins the flock.

I test the waters now and then,but she is not healed enough yet. I placed her out in the open the other day. Off the porch in the midway between my house and a few of the horse pens. I stepped back behind the porch fence and watched. She just stood there and then attempted to move about. She made it about 25 feet from the porch. She made a few calls to the flock,but only one large curious tom came to see. He was very cautious all puffed up and presenting while very very very slowly taking one step at a time towards TB while solidly focused on me. It was quite humorous. The closer he got to her the more concerned I became. These are the birds who viciously attacked her.
These birds killed 3 other poults successfully (also with broken legs oddly enough) I was tired of disposing of baby turkeys. So I picked her up and here we are today.
But anyway before the large tom could get to TB and do whatever his plan was to do I stepped out and inbetween them. I showed him I am bigger than him and that he wont be aloud to hurt TB. He retreated all deflated as these boys know I wont take their crap lol. Most of the other people in the ranch are scared of ths turkeys. I am hoping that TB could see that I was there to protect and intervene.
I picked her up and brought her back in and put her in her cage and gave her dried mealworms. The ground is snow covered and its cold outside so Im thinking I am understood to signify,safety,warmth and good food.
I talk too much lol

 

[AnotherMeOhMy]

Wow I remember this turkey. What an amazing transformation
Turkey Burger healed so nicely. You did a great job. To be honest with you when I saw the first injury photos I thought to myself....oh no she’s going to have to dispatch that poor bird.
I’ve never been happier to be wrong!
Way to go!
Good Job Turkey Mom-~

Oh lol thank you! To be honest I thought the same thing too. Im amazed with this birds will to survive and ability to heal and avoid infection

 

[memphis]

I agree...incredable recovery. Just amazing.

 

[AnotherMeOhMy]

I agree...incredable recovery. Just amazing.

<3 I love being a part of this