Is this a tom or a hen?

[C&Rman]

OK so this turkey has been in my yard every morning from 8-9am and I sat a trap thinking I would catch a racoon and instead I caught him. Is it a boy or a girl? I would like to put him/her in my peacocks pen since he/she admires their beauty so much! The first time he came they fought through the wire, I don't want anything to happen with my peacock so if it is not safe to put him/her in I wont.!

 

[C&Rman]

Anyone know?

 

[Schultz]

That is a Tom, I don't know if it would be safe to introduce him to your flock.

 

[ivan3]

Sure looks like a Jake. Looks kinda `Rio Grandeish', but I'm no feather maven: http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/Search/SearchResults.asp

I'm with Schultz, that's a big risk (both biosecurity &, if it is one of the Wild Varieties, Feds and State frown on such acquisition...)

I'd appreciate it from a distance.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

that's not a tom, it's hen
all bronze birds whether domestic or wild strains have sexing traits based off the breast feathers, there is no other way to tell.

On hens, all breast feathers will be laced in buff which this bird clearly has. All jakes will have solid dark feathers with no lacing at all.

This works on all bronze based colors as I mentioned.
You can not go off head color, strutting, even beards as some hens will get those too.

100% hen though

and yes, I agree with the other two on biosecurity
not a genuine wild bird though, If it were, it'd be killing itself trying to get out of that pen you have it in. True " WILD" wild turkey hates one thing more than anything, People!
Now it could be one from a farm raised line that strayed away from home.

Here's some of my personal rio grandes so you can see the color differences that I am talking about in a pic of them side by side

 

[ivan3]

Boggy Bottom Bantams wrote:

This works on all bronze based colors as I mentioned.
You can not go off head color, strutting, even beards as some hens will get those too.

100% hen though

Thanks for the shots and info., excellent turks. The `fighting through the fence' (OP didn''t say if it was prolonged) made me wonder.​

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

some of my hens will kill any new bird that comes in their pen. They are often worse than the toms on aggression to new comers, just doesnt last as long

 

[ivan3]

Boggy Bottom Bantams wrote: some of my hens will kill any new bird that comes in their pen. They are often worse than the toms on aggression to new comers, just doesnt last as long

Worst, extended, `violence' we've seen from our hens is their ganging up on any recently whipped (pecking order sparring loser) toms and fixating on rubbing it in with beaks directed at eyes (only lasts for a day or so and not constant).
Most of the time it is just the `girls' `testing' their mamas:

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep, seen that myself, all mine are wild strains, rios and merriams, they tend to get a little more biligerent that heritage from what I've seen.

Still nothing major and over in a day or two though, just have to show new additions they were there first

 

[jbourget]

I would let it back to be wild, how would you feel if you were free your whole life then someone locked you in a run! do the right thing! you can always order some turkey poults and raise them as pets