Speaking (of) Snoods

[lleighmay]

I just acquired my first turkey yesterday afternoon (a 1 yoa Narragansett jake). He was hand-raised and generally kept as a yard pet. Naturally I have him quarantined from my other birds for now... he's eating and drinking well, sunbathing, dustbathing, and generally seems rather relaxed and comfortable despite the recent changes in his life. My question is: I've been around wild turkeys and observed their snoods when they are displaying or getting ready for combat or dressed to impress a hen (ours are really tame and hardly get out of the way when I feed my horses so I've had great opportunities to watch) but.... Arthur doesn't have anyone to react to right now (since he's quarantined) but, in 24 hrs, I have observed the following snood positions:
short rhino- straight up
big rhino- straight up but much larger
1/4 droop- laying along the top of his beak or just off the top
1/2 mast- self-explanatory
full dangle- all the way down as if displaying but he's not
and "the wiggler"- sticking straight up a la short rhino but waving around
Perhaps there are official names for these positions and if so I'm sure you experts will tell me but what I want to know in the meantime is:
Do these various displays have different meanings? Are there any that signify distress or discomfort that I can use as a marker to see if there's a problem early on?
I've been watching him during daylight hours since I got him yesterday and so far none of these positions seem to be associated with a particular activity. Maybe they don't mean anything but I want to be sure to provide him with the best care possible (and hopefully breed Narries next year since they are "threatened"). Thanks in advance for your help- Leigh

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Love the way you name all the positions, and I never thought about it, I watch my birds all the time. Maybe Steve will know.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Leigh, very well written. It does seem to have a meaning to the turkeys. I think what you are seeing is uncertainty. They are major flock animals and I'm thinking he can't see the others? But he can hear them right. Some of the snood positions are just transitions from one to the other, it goes with the color changes of the head from red, white,blue.

You are doing very well to sit down and watch him, we often go out and sit with ours - very relaxing. And the more you get to know them and how they act the quicker you will notice something wrong.

The rhino seems to be a nervous, wary, uncertain etc.
the dangle or semi dangle, not struting is relaxed
dangle and struting means "hey baby"

Steve

 

[AHappychick]

oh wow really!!! thats so cool my little guy's snood just started growing and drooping a little I cant wait to watch it. so their heads change color too? wow I have so much to learn....

 

[Struttn1]

Oh yeah those heads will change from almost all white to bright red almost instantly.

 

[Kim65]

My tom turkey Hajji would strut all around me and allow me to handle his snood, stretch it and stuff. THEN I did a little research on what a snood IS and realized . . . well, never mind. I stopped. Therapy helped with the guilt.

I try to imagine the smooth muscle fibers that allow a snood to shrink down to a rhino horn and dangle half way down their body. Fascinating the details nature comes up with

 

[10ducks]

Quote:
What IS a snood, anyway?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Check this link for the names of turkey parts.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/resource-room/general/poultry/turkey.htm


Steve in NC

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
so what is the snood I was thinking some sort of way to woo the ladies but now it sounds like it may have more than that function, please enlighten me.

 

[AHappychick]

look what I found:

THE SNOOD
The snood, the snood, the gobbler's snood,
By biped mammals eas'ly misconstrued
By analogy as something lewd.





It's not.



The snood, the snood, the dangling snood -
It's purpose to protect the turkey dude
From biting beaks and other assaults rude.


Although,

The snood, the snood, the turkey's snood,
Often gets swallowed with his food
And reeled back from his throat with noises


Exceptionally crude.