New to the turkey club

[CMarshall14]

Hi all!
Today I went to pick up 5 blue slate poults. They hatched 1st week of May and have been with their mommas until today. I've had chickens, guineas, quail, and ducks but it seems each animal comes with its own learning curve.
Going into buying i wasn't sure if I was going to get newly hatched poults for the brooder or older hen-raised poults, but I'm kind of glad we ended up with the hen raised. So far my experience with animals has been that ones that are raised by their moms usually more well rounded. But going forward how should we approach getting them used to us?

 

[Molpet]

Take a chair, reading material and treats. Ignore them read and throw treats every so often.
Some reading material. Memphis tamed adults.
Thread 'Tribute to @memphis and her Lapper turkeys' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tribute-to-memphis-and-her-lapper-turkeys.1421335/

 

[Huntmaster]

Welcome I am sure you will love your turkeys.

 

[R2elk]

Hi all!
Today I went to pick up 5 blue slate poults. They hatched 1st week of May and have been with their mommas until today. I've had chickens, guineas, quail, and ducks but it seems each animal comes with its own learning curve.
Going into buying i wasn't sure if I was going to get newly hatched poults for the brooder or older hen-raised poults, but I'm kind of glad we ended up with the hen raised. So far my experience with animals has been that ones that are raised by their moms usually more well rounded. But going forward how should we approach getting them used to us? View attachment 2724804View attachment 2724806

You apparently got 4 Blue Slate poults. The Black one is a Black turkey. When breeding Blue Slate to Blue slate, there are three possible outcomes: Blue Slate, Self Blue (aka Lavender) and Black. The Black does not carry the slate gene. The reason this happens is that the Slate gene (D) is a dominant gene and only needs one copy to be expressed. Blue Slates are heterozygous for the slate gene (Dd) so cannot breed true.

 

[CMarshall14]

You apparently got 4 Blue Slate poults. The Black one is a Black turkey.

Thank you, I'm still trying to figure that out. i had the choice to have 5 of the blue slate colored but I had to have this little black one, lol. As far as the variety goes, is it not still a blue slate? Or a whole different variety of turkey? And from my understanding does Black x blue slate still produce some blue slate offspring?

 

[R2elk]

Thank you, I'm still trying to figure that out. i had the choice to have 5 of the blue slate colored but I had to have this little black one, lol. As far as the variety goes, is it not still a blue slate? Or a whole different variety of turkey? And from my understanding does Black x blue slate still produce some blue slate offspring?

It is the variety Black. It is not a slate and does not have the slate (D) gene.

Crossing a Blue Slate (BB Dd) with a Black (BB dd) should yield 50% Blue Slate and 50% Black.

Crossing a Self Blue (BB DD) with a Black (BB dd) will yield 100% Blue Slate (BB Dd).

Crossing a Black (BB) with a Black (BB) will yield 100% Blacks.

 

[CMarshall14]

It is the variety Black. It is not a slate and does not have the slate (D) gene.

Crossing a Blue Slate (BB Dd) with a Black (BB dd) should yield 50% Blue Slate and 50% Black.

Crossing a Self Blue (BB DD) with a Black (BB dd) will yield 100% Blue Slate (BB Dd).

Crossing a Black (BB) with a Black (BB) will yield 100% Blacks.

Thanks! Screenshotting and saving this info!

 

[CMarshall14]

In ya'lls opinion what age can I start looking for signs of gender in these?
So far I have one who is quite a bit bigger than the others with thicker legs and just carries a little different, hoping for 1 tom and 4 hens

 

[R2elk]

In ya'lls opinion what age can I start looking for signs of gender in these?
So far I have one who is quite a bit bigger than the others with thicker legs and just carries a little different, hoping for 1 tom and 4 hens

You can start looking at any time. For toms the wattle will develop sooner than it will with the hens. The size of the hen's wattle will eventually catch up but the tom's will start sooner. Toms will start developing bigger caruncles sooner. Most varieties the toms will start getting an enlarged and pendulous snood by 3 months old.

Your one that is bigger with heavier legs may well be a tom. It does not mean that it is the only tom.

For sexing from photos, 3 months old minimum and 6 months for late developing toms.

 

[Devils Flower]

In ya'lls opinion what age can I start looking for signs of gender in these?
So far I have one who is quite a bit bigger than the others with thicker legs and just carries a little different, hoping for 1 tom and 4 hens

When they are 3 to 4 months old. I hope you get your 1 and 4...