sexing Narragansetts

[fiberdrunk]

I have a pair of 11-week old Narragansetts. At what age will I know if they are male or female? I haven't heard any gobbling yet. Can I assume they're both females? Here's a photo of them. Don't know if it's possible to tell what they are from a photo or not.

 

[Alexander]

Well if they are 11 week old then you should be able to identify them.

If y ou havent heard any gobbling or havent seen any strutting then they are females.

 

[Lagerdogger]

They both look like females to me. No caruncles, small snoods, skinny legs.

Are your tails really as gray as the picture shows. Mine have brown tails and orangish tail coverts.

 

[Duker17]

I have bourbon reds that are 7 weeks old and I've been able to tell the male from the 2 girls for weeks. He struts all the time, is overall a little bigger and has lost the feathers from his head faster than the others, as well as having a "redder" head. I would say if you don't see a difference between them or any obvious male signs from either, they've got to be female!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

very pretty girls!

 

[fiberdrunk]

Quote:
Yes, they're gray and black and white. No brown or orange on them.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Lagerdogger]

I'm surprised how ash gray they are. The photo almost looks black and white. I wonder if they have an extra gray gene that is diluting their color.

For comparison, here is one of my nine week old Narragansetts. The tops of the main tail feathers are dark brown, and the tail coverts are pale orange (sometimes almost pink) with dark lines.

 

[nes]

When should you start being able to sex them?
(Mine are 4 weeks now)

 

[Lagerdogger]

Quote:
You can get some right at 6 weeks or so but I think it takes 10-12 weeks to be pretty sure about most of them. Sometimes it takes longer. I have a Royal Palm this year that I thought was a tom at 6 weeks, then I thought it was a hen at 8 weeks, and now at 9 weeks I'm leaning back towards tom. Last year I was sure I had three bourbon red toms at 8 weeks, but by 12 weeks I figures out that one was a hen. A couple weeks later I decided I had two hens. I try to be patient and not guess, but it is fun to try.

 

[fiberdrunk]

Quote:
Very pretty! Mine don't have any brown like that at all. I joke I'm going to name mine Mono and Chrome. I didn't even know they were different from other Narragansetts. These are my first turkeys.