RP Order Placed! (sexing question & sponsor plug)

[Burning Beard]

So I had an ordeal where my incubator didn't hold the right temperature a few weeks ago and I lost 9 Royal Palm Eggs. To skip the incubation drama and waiting torture I ordered 4 RP poults from the BYC sponsor chickensforbackyards.com. They won't ship till May but at least this time at the end of the waiting I know for sure I'll have lil ones. These will be my first turkeys to add to my poultry flock of chickens. I'm getting a straight run and of course I want both toms and hens. When is the earliest the turkeys can be sexed and what exactly am I looking for? My fingers are crossed that I get at least one of each.

Now a plug for chickensforbackyards.com of which I do not have relation other than a recent customer. I have searched for quite some time looking for a place where I could order a small number of turkeys as I do not have much room to house them. Most places only offer minimum orders of 10 or above and/or have limited supply or breed. CFB offered an order of as little as 3 and has 6 breeds and are relatively available. Prices are comparable as well. Check them out!

 

[violetsky]

Thanks, I like to buy in small numbers too.

 

[MissTurkey4]

If you get two to live and they happen to be a pair, its time to play the lotto.

 

[Burning Beard]

Wow. That post doesn't give me a very hopeful feeling.

Care to elaborate?

 

[MissTurkey4]

Turkeys are not as easy as chickens to raise. When you get a small order you increase the risk of geting very stressed out weak poults. Alot of things can go wrong before adulthood, or even old enough to sex them. When it comes to straight run birds, do not figure you will get 50%/50% of each sex. It just does not work that way. Look at familys that you know. How many people have tried over and over to get one child of each sex, but end up with all boys or all girls. It is that way with birds too. I order a minium of 10 when I order chickens in hopes for one pair. If I get more then I am happy.

 

[Burning Beard]

Oh I am aware of the unpredicable ratio and was actually questioning how to sex a poult. (if they actually make it that far according to your experienced view)

 

[jimmythechicken]

not for awile prob about 12 weeks or more our royal palm tom would gobble alot when he was young so he was easy to sex.

 

[MissTurkey4]

It is very hard to sex them when they are young. Many are going to fool you until they are 4-6 months old. Size diiference is a big clue. But with only 4 it might be harder to compare. Males go bald and the head changes from red to blue. The snood gets longer. They get large fleshy caruncles.

 

[ColbyNTX]

It can be tricky, like trying to sex a young easter egger! Some of the young turkey hens will strut and you will say, that's a tom! Usually by 12-14 weeks you should know. Shipping is very stressful on poults but raising them is not as hard as some let on. I hatch hundreds of poults each year. Sell most but raise more than the average person and very rarely loose any. The key is have a warm, dry brooder and clean water and good quality feed. 28-30% for atleast the first 8 weeks. I go to about 12-14 weeks and then ween them off to 20% for the rest of their lives. I also freerande a bunch and they get plenty of greens and bugs.

 

[Burning Beard]

Even though I only ordered 4 poults I also ordered 25 chicks. They will all ship together. Will that help ease the stress for the poults as you have mentioned? Also I plan on brooding the poults seperate from the chicks. Will this help or should they be together?