Guess That Turkey - Bourbon Reds - sex

[Lagerdogger]

I am no expert, but I will give you my opinion, based on what I believe I see in your beautiful pictures!

1. All colored feathered turkey hens will have lighter edging on the breast features and toms will have darker edging.
2. Males will weigh more than females hatched at the same time and this will become more apparent as they grow older.
3. Toms will have thicker legs than hens.
4. Both can have beards, but toms will grow longer.
5. Toms have longer thicker snoods as they reach maturity.
6. Toms Chronicles will be bigger than hens and the heads and necks will be a darker red.
7. Toms will be bald, while hens will develop a thin line of feathers up the back of their heads.
8. If you can hold the bird on your lap, laying on it's back, at any age, if it holds it's feet up close to it's back, it is probably a hen, because it is a defensive position for a tom or a rooster, too,(for that , matter) to extend one or both legs. This, I find works from day old chicks or poults, with 94 degree accuracy.
9. Both will display when young, but by the age of sexual maturity, only toms gobble.

I would have written the same list, except i would have used the word caruncle in point six, and I had necer heard of number 8 before. I'll have to try that. I have some new turkeys coming next week.

 

[Celie]

Sorry, I should have spellchecked! It was 3am here and I get a little daffy about that time of night! LOL

 

[kimb]

I'm going to work on new pictures this weekend (with the camera instead of my camera phone)

They're really maturing quickly... my innocent little poults almost look like full grown turkeys!

I may be interested in acquiring / trading eggs/poults in the spring to add some outside birds... would love local to New England. (I'm in NH) ...

 

[chicken pickin]

I am in NH and I raise Bourbon Reds I will have eggs in the spring.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

We will have eggs in the spring also, we are looking forward to it. We did just process our first Ones this weekend.