Sexxing Turkeys?

[tiki244]

I have 2 turkeys and they are approximately 2 months old. How old do they have to be to be able to tell if they are boys or girls? Today, I picked one up and it looked like it had a little "something" on it's vent so I went to wipe it off and found it was attached. The color of the "thing" was dark, but I cant see too well so not sure what color. I checked the other turkey and that one had one too. Is this an indication as to what sex they are?

Clueless

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Some varieties you can tell by the color of the feathers - Bourbon Red, Standard Bronze. The rest it's a wait and see. The Tom's will have a larger snood bump on the beak, thicker legs, just overall be bigger, Also once they loose the down they won't grow feathers back on their head and neck.

You can vent sex them but all the "parts" are on the inside.

Steve in NC

 

[tiki244]

Thanks Steve. I wonder what those bumbs were on their vents?

I have black spanish. One looks pretty bald on the head.

 

[zatsdeb]

do you have pictures??

 

[tiki244]

no pics---they each have something just inside their vents that is reddish colored ---looks like 2 small bumps. There is some baldness on top of heads where no feathers are growing, but it goes about halfway down the neck. I noticed females do have baldness too to some extent.

 

[tiki244]

I think I have at least one girl,,,,I noticed there are a few feathers growing in a line up her neck to the top of her head. Now if the other one is a boy that would be great!!!!

I have heard boys are wonderful. Last night I changed there brooder to a bigger one and one of them was making a really funny sound. They are so fun!

 

[pdpatch]

To help those how have not seen or been around turkeys I did the below images.

Female Spanish Black, about 4 months old,
Patch of small feathers on top of the head and down the back of the neck
From this years batch,

Male Spanish Black, about 4 months old, His snood is drawn up, but still is wider at the base then a females above.

A pair of Red Bourbon, about 4 months old from last year.
at this age the size difference of the same type of turkeys is obvious.
Also you can see the difference of feathers patch and strip on the back of the neck. Each variety of turkey is slightly different.

Both of the same male about 4 months old and 5 months,
The color of the face and length of the snood is an indicator of there mood.
The photo where his face is red is just about seconds from trying to mate. Although He liked to mate a lot, he had 0 of 20 plus eggs that were infertile last year

 

[tiki244]

Thank You pdpatch! this helps a lot. You have beautiful turkeys

I have 2 black spanish turkeys. Now I can see why there is the feathers up the neck starting. I guess I will just have to wait a little longer. I will try and get some pictures posted of the darlings when I can.