I thought my turkeys were E. Wilds but Now I think they may be...

[HawaiiHorseGirl]

Rio Grandes? What do you think?

1 year old Tom

 

[turkaholic]

I would not classify your birds as Rios. Much more eastern in their blood. Why? I make the determination by looking at the upper tail covers and tips of the rump feathers. If these are a brown to deep chestnut brown color, as your are, the're eastern. Rios would be more Honey to buff colored. The tail tip band on easterns is not a good indicator since eastern populations in various parts of their range can show a band that is light to dark in color. My easterns have a darktip band, but I have had a few that werellight like yours. I've weeded them out of my gene pool mainly because I like the darker band that to me says pure eastern. Many birds out there are Rio/Eastern mixes, not crosses, since they are all still wild turkeys .

Still, your birds look great and you should be happy!

 

[turkey guru]

I need to see more maybe a few together ! tom

 

[HawaiiHorseGirl]

Thank you for your help. It doesn't really matter to me either way I just like to know as much as I can about my animals. These are my first Turkeys and I am thoroughly enjoying them! Here are some more pics:

The Rooster in this photo is a rescued fighting cock with a bad leg and a blind eye. He's happy with his turkeys tho.

Hen:

 

[turkaholic]

You have beautiful birds, and wait until that young Jake molts into his adult plumage next fall. He'll be stunning!

Enjoy them, and good luck fighting the urge to get/hatch more!

 

[wilds of pa]

also a real brilliant copper/bronze sheen to the body and pinkish shanks on most males..

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

he's an eastern
this is a rio

note the difference in the secondary tail tips and lower back feathers. And the more red green iridescence
Easterns do vary in their main tail tips, usually all dark like WILDS OF PA 's are but I do have mounted GA easterns with lighter primary tips like yours

 

[HawaiiHorseGirl]

Thank you all so much! I totally see the difference now!

Quote:
Too late I already am trying to get my hen to set. I would LOVE more and they are HARD to get here in Hawaii!

 

[HawaiiHorseGirl]

Oh one more thing...

If I crack open an egg should the inside look different than lets say, a store bought egg, if the egg is fertile?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Looks the same, just in the center of the yolk there will be a faint white dot like in all eggs, but if fertile, it will have a faint white ring around it making it look like a bullseye. Best way to do it is not waste an egg, set it, then in 4-7 days candle it, that way you didnt waste one if it was fertile