Head and neck changing colors

[purecountrychicken]

I have 4 Narragansetts. I was watching them and 3 of them had blue heads with red necks and 1 had all blue head and neck. I was wondering do the different colors mean something,,like mood changes? I dont know much about turkeys so I was just wondering.

Thanks

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

that's exactly what it is. Mood changes, they go from red, to blue, to no color. The red on the tom's means "hey baby like my snood", Blue is more of a "step away from the turkey" i'm the big guy here. The no color, "I give up or I don't feel good"

Steve

 

[doubleostud]

Steve is the man and knows what he is saying, look at my avitar, thats a blue slate, he goes from red to white to blue all the time, great for the fourth of July.

 

[purecountrychicken]

Ok,,cool. Now that I know that,,I got another question for you. How bout that thing on top their beaks,,is that the snood? And why sometimes is it real long and hanging down and sometimes its all pulled up tight and looks like a stump? what does that mean?

Thanks

 

[doubleostud]

I'm sure there have been studies as to what exactly the snood does, but I have never read them. I believe it is just a mating/status tool. Normally it will be small until the strutting. I believe its sort of like the fan, its just an attractant to the hens. Sort of like the thumping.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yes, I believe it is a mating thing. Kind of a 'my snood is bigger than your snood, so I'm the better male' type of thing. The girls think it's sexy

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
In anticipation of your next question (

), the feather sticking out of the chest is called the 'beard'. It's usually a male thing too but some owners report hens with beards - much as in the human race I guess.

 

[Renee']

Quote:
In anticipation of your next question (

), the feather sticking out of the chest is called the 'beard'. It's usually a male thing too but some owners report hens with beards - much as in the human race I guess.

 

[OmaBird]

What does this mean?

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Is that trick question?