Stupid question about royal palms

[weirdmuse]

Ok, last summer I bought 2 royal palms that I was told were about 2 months old. Nice looking birds, sex unknown. They are now 8 months old, do not strut, have small snood and wattle. I assume they are both hens. I bought a young tom to introduce to the ladies. When I went to get him, he was in full strut and display, great blue / red face and snood. So I brought him home. When I introduced him to my 'ladies', they, also, began to circle him and display with tail fan and face color (albiet not quite as much as the definite male). Now this is the first time they've ever done this. My question is, Are my ladies actually gentlemen? Or do female turkeys also have a feather display ability similar but slightly lesser than the male?

 

[lleighmay]

My Narragansett girls occasionally display for the chickens (especially if the hens are being pushy) and, when I first brought them home, also displayed for my tom. It WAS rather disconcerting at first but it just seems to be a way to say "hey- don't mess with me" Their colors and display are not nearly as pronounced as my tom's. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[horseshoecreekranch]

I have some hens that will display when they see someone new, or a new bird is introduced. I am not sure why they do it, but hens can strut their stuff

 

[weirdmuse]

Thank you very much, lleighmay and horseshoecreekranch! I'm feeling a bit of releif now. Their display wasn't as showy as his, I just didn't expect any! It's more of a "your new here, so we're the boss" type of things. some display, minor feather pecking etc.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Some of our Bourbon girls will fan their tails and circle the toms, while those toms turn from swashbucklers with deep throaty gobbles to shy guys peeping nervously! So funny!

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Quote:
I would think they are females because my hen does that sometimes also.

 

[ivan3]

Hens can fan but the toms have specialized muscles to deal with the `fatigue' of keeping them up for extended periods.

Ours were unforgiving of the low tom in the pecking order. After the toms had spent a couple days working through their issues and made new arrangements the loser, head down and sulking, would then have to endure the hens reinforcing his capitulation by making sure, with beaks and trills, that he didn't get to the food until all others had eaten. Intermittent harrassment, but they would warn him with spread, half-raised, retrices.