Sexing Royal Palm

[RayrayB]

Hi!
I'm new to turkeys. We got this royal palm recently. He's a few months old, but the person we got him from wasn't sure on age. I *think* he's a boy, but I know hens can strut some too, and I've only seen him do it once. It's never gobbled and is quite docile. He (she?) has a little beard coming in. Any ideas?

 

[R2elk]

Hi!
I'm new to turkeys. We got this royal palm recently. He's a few months old, but the person we got him from wasn't sure on age. I *think* he's a boy, but I know hens can strut some too, and I've only seen him do it once. It's never gobbled and is quite docile. He (she?) has a little beard coming in. Any ideas?

I can't tell from these photos.

Does its snood expand long enough to hang down past the end of its bill?

Does it have feathers on top of its head?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Does it have feathers on top of its head

Looks like it does

 

[R2elk]

Looks like it does

Toms under 3 months old can have feathers on top of their head. Once they are older they do go bald.

 

[RayrayB]

It's snood doesn't go over it's beak, but when strutting it gets pretty close. The turkey (and it's snood) has grown a lot in the last few weeks. When it struts, it holds it for quite a while..not sure if hens do that? It strutted again today and was prancing all around the yard showing off to the chickens

 

[R2elk]

It's snood doesn't go over it's beak, but when strutting it gets pretty close. The turkey (and it's snood) has grown a lot in the last few weeks. When it struts, it holds it for quite a while..not sure if hens do that? It strutted again today and was prancing all around the yard showing off to the chickens

Hens can do that. It is possible that it is a late developing tom but it is also possible that it is a hen.

A tom's snood will extend well past the end of its beak and spread wide enough to cover both nostrils. The other thing that a tom's snood will do is to retract iinto a cone where a hen's will return to the "J" shape.

 

[RayrayB]

Thanks for all the info! I guess I will just wait and see

 

[RayrayB]

some updated pics! noticed he's developed some black trim on his chest feathers and his snood is getting bigger..getting stronger boy vibes maybe?
(I had him in visiting the woodshop and he was not happy about my seramas)

 

[R2elk]

some updated pics! noticed he's developed some black trim on his chest feathers and his snood is getting bigger..getting stronger boy vibes maybe?
(I had him in visiting the woodshop and he was not happy about my seramas)

In the U.S., Royal Palm hens do not get black lower edges on their breast feathers. Toms do get them.

I have been told that Royal Palm hens in Europe can have black on their breast feathers.

I have had hens with bigger snoods than your turkey has. It may well be a late developing tom.

 

[RayrayB]

Some updated pics. The guy I got him from has a few toms the same age that are very clearly boys-big wide snoods. They are blue slate and the long n name turkeys-he doesnt have any other royal palms. Rumps (as we call him/her) has gobbled once when a dog came over..but I've read hens can gobble too. I'm so lost