How old before you can tell girls from boys?

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I have bourbon red turkeys who were born in June, I still have no idea if I have all boys or if there are a few girls in the mix. The past two weeks I have noticed a big growth spurt with all but two getting quite big. I am guessing those two too be hens but... They all have red heads and necks until they eat then the are grey. Only one has the worm like thing on their beak- pretty sure that one is a boy.


So when can you tell? For the BB turkeys I could tell the first month but with these I just can't tell.

 

[Lagerdogger]

By now, the toms feathers should all have black margins while the hens have white margins. Bourbon reds and Royal palms have to be older than other strains for me to be certain of the sex. But by 12 weeks you should be able to tell.

 

[Renee']

Wait until the gobble or lay an egg. I have two BR (hatched in April) and I am still not sure. One was always much smaller than the other so I assumed for several months a tom and a hen well the little one has caught up with the big one and I can't even tell them apart. I only hear gobbling when I'm not looking at them so I don't know if one or both are gobbling! I know I have at least one boy, maybe two....

 

[Evelle]

Renee' :

Wait until the gobble or lay an egg. I have two BR (hatched in April) and I am still not sure. One was always much smaller than the other so I assumed for several months a tom and a hen well the little one has caught up with the big one and I can't even tell them apart. I only hear gobbling when I'm not looking at them so I don't know if one or both are gobbling! I know I have at least one boy, maybe two....

my husband grew up in yucipa.. LOL!!!

okay now i went off subject
THATS TOO LONG TO WAIT!!!!! im still wondering my self i have a holland white and a Bronze and they both confuse me everyday i thought my bronze was a hen then i say it strut and fluff up then i was like well maybe just maybe its a tom but then i did research on here and saw that people said females strut to!! uh so confused and when you what to know next spring is a million years away!!!​

 

[crj]

The bronze hens will have white on the tips of there chest feathers and tail feathers. The tom won't. I have 2 black turkeys that are 2 months old and I have no idea he sex. Today I figured they may be hens. They don't gobble or strut. What do you think? I have to say, they are so much fun to watch and listen too. They are growing up with guineas and are all around the same size.

 

[Evelle]

awww those are so cute i love turkeys!!!

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Renee' :

Wait until the gobble or lay an egg. I have two BR (hatched in April) and I am still not sure. One was always much smaller than the other so I assumed for several months a tom and a hen well the little one has caught up with the big one and I can't even tell them apart. I only hear gobbling when I'm not looking at them so I don't know if one or both are gobbling! I know I have at least one boy, maybe two....

They never gobble while I am looking. I don't think they have even puffed up yet. Sigh~I don't think I want to wait for an egg as I have 8 turkeys and was hoping for Christmas dinner from one of these. Still guessing I have more than one Tom.​

 

[crj]

Quote:
They never gobble while I am looking. I don't think they have even puffed up yet. Sigh~I don't think I want to wait for an egg as I have 8 turkeys and was hoping for Christmas dinner from one of these. Still guessing I have more than one Tom.

I think it's funny that you can't find the gobbler but can here him...... lol. Sneaky little bird. Probably making a sound and doesn't know what to do about it. I've seen roosters like that. Cracks me up every time. They just look so confused when this sound comes out of them.

I'm sure all will be well with more then one tom. It's having the patience to wait and find out which sex the birds are. I myself have a tough time with that.... haha.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

When would the Toms start getting their beards?

So I spent an hour trying to squint at the silly birds and noticed that the one I have picked out for a Tom has bigger feet than 6/8. So are your hens feet half as big as the toms? Also hubby when he last looked in I guess 6/8 puffed up when he came in.... Would hens puff up? Or does this mean I have 6 toms?

 

[crj]

Quote:
I have no idea. I think my birds think they are guineas. They eat, sleep and hunt bugs together none stop. They roost in the trees together too. The chicks that have grown up with them no longer look for bugs. The poor chicks just can't seem to keep up. The chicks will get up on top of the chicken pen to roost and one of the turkeys will roost with them so they aren't a lone. Cool, huh?

I suppose I won't know until one gobbles or lays and egg....... lol.