My turkeys had a photo session

[Pampered Hen]

Just wanted to share a a few shots of my lovely pair of turkeys. He was strutting his stuff while his girl was sitting on my lap - she is a cuddlebug and never misses a chance for some quality time

And here is this little happy hen:

These two are 5 months old now and I'm amazed how many mini molts they have been through. You can see that the tom is still growing some of his adult plumage.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Turkeys seem to love the camera!

 

[afinney]

Wow what awesome bourban reds

 

[SaraF]

Those are the best buorbon reds i have ever seen

The seem very photogenic too

may i ask where you got them from, or did u breed them? very good quality.

 

[OmaBird]

Nice Turkeys. Your camera takes nice pictures too. I am in the market for a new one. Mine sucks. Can I ask why kind you have?

 

[Pampered Hen]

Wow, thanks for the compliments!

Sara: they came through Ideal Hatchery. Ideal does not hatch BRs but "brokers" them. In other words, I have no idea who actually bred these guys. I started out with ten poults and they were my first home-raised-meat project. But I had a total disaster when the brooder lamp gave out one night and I lost all but these two. In the mean time I had to admit, I can't eat what I raise and the lucky birds have officially risen into pet status.
Do you really think they are good examples of their breed? Being from a commercial source, I did not expect them to come anywhere close to the standard. They do make for great companions tough and her "bark" and his strutt & gobble has entertained friends and neighbors alike.

OmaBird: I splurged earlier this year and got me a long wished for Canon Rebel Xsi, a digital SLR.

What do you look for in a "good" Bourbon Red?

 

[SaraF]

Well y what I can tell from the photos, your tom is very good. Nice birhgt red plumage and a good difference in the tail coloring. I'm sure as he gets older he will get a more defined red band in his tail, almost like royal palm, but softer, as you can see he already has it. I cannot see his wings, but primaries and secondaries are white. He has some of the best plumage I have seen. Where i live, the bourbons are usually more buff and red, and wing and tail color lacks a lot. So yours would deffinetly win any show i've seen

I cant see much of the hen, but she also has that dark mahogany color that is perferred.

Here is a photo of a pretty good representation of a "Standard" Bourbon Red.

 

[Pampered Hen]

The tom's plumage is a couple tones darker than the hen's. I guess from the breed standard point of view he might be the "better" bird. I will see if I can get a got side shot of him this weekend and another one with both for comparison.

 

[The Chicken People]

I have been trying to find out if mine are hens or toms! Thanks for posting! Looks like I got two hens! They are about the same age of yours!

 

[Pampered Hen]

Took a couple more shots today:

Mirrow, mirrow on the wall...

The mirrow was outside for sanding. I ran for the camera when these two nosy guys discovered.