Odd Tom turkey behavior question

[crazyh717]

New here searched for an existing thread similar to my question but couldn't find one so decided i would finally create an account after lurking for many months.
So my question is long, I have a white Tom that I do believe is a Tom, almost 8 months old and 4 heritage turkeys 5 months old roughly ( 3 toms and 1 hen as the three gobble and one doesn't)
My white Tom I call turk turk, has never gobbled or strutted and has a really small snood?(sp?) But has his black beard. I will post pictures later. But when I go outside turk comes up to me and sits down but while he starts to sit he makes this weird click while stretching his head and tail out, not fanning his tail. And proceeds to let me pet or scratch his head. And as long as I am around he will let others do it as well. He follows me everywhere but I think it is because I feed them.

Is this normal behavior for a Tom? I have been told turk might be a bearded hen because his behavior is similar to a hen. He has also let the other younger smaller Roms jump on top of him.so I am officially confused on his behavior.

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[crazyh717]

I hope everyone can see the pictures, sometimes in other sites my pictures won't turn out cause I am always on mobile

 

[R2elk]

New here searched for an existing thread similar to my question but couldn't find one so decided i would finally create an account after lurking for many months.
So my question is long, I have a white Tom that I do believe is a Tom, almost 8 months old and 4 heritage turkeys 5 months old roughly ( 3 toms and 1 hen as the three gobble and one doesn't)
My white Tom I call turk turk, has never gobbled or strutted and has a really small snood?(sp?) But has his black beard. I will post pictures later. But when I go outside turk comes up to me and sits down but while he starts to sit he makes this weird click while stretching his head and tail out, not fanning his tail. And proceeds to let me pet or scratch his head. And as long as I am around he will let others do it as well. He follows me everywhere but I think it is because I feed them.

Is this normal behavior for a Tom? I have been told turk might be a bearded hen because his behavior is similar to a hen. He has also let the other younger smaller Toms jump on top of him.so I am officially confused on his behavior.

It looks to me like you have a bearded hen. The behavior that you describe is that of a hen that is ready to breed. I have 2 bearded hens myself. Your hen does not have the snood, caruncles or size beard that a tom of her age would have. You are not seeing odd tom behavior but normal hen behavior.

Good luck.

 

[crazyh717]

Yay that actually makes me really happy because my husband was saying ifturk is a he then he wanted to have Xmas dinner and I kinda really like her.
She is very kind and well she follows me everywhere and stays by me.
Thank you for your reply!
I'm curious now if my nest of eggs is actually duck eggs or turkey eggs.
But surely my heritage toms being only 5 months are not mature enough?
Turk and my ducks are 8 months

 

[memphis]

I agree with R2elk....hen. And I might say, a cutie! Turkeys can bond strongly to humans. My two pet hens are like dogs with feathers. AND my Bourbon Red has a beard.

 

[crazyh717]

That's how turk turk is, any time I go outside or by the door this happens lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Yep, I gotta agree. Turk turk is a hen

 

[crazyh717]

I hope so even right now on reading day she followed to the bus stop, to feed the chickens and the cow and now sitting right at my feet