This doesn't act like a hen

[CDennis]

I am new to turkeys and bought a breeding pair of Slate's, the guy that I bought them from also sold me a Royal palm hen but this royal palm hen sure acts like a tom. He told me it was 8 months old, it struts around w/ its feathers down and makes similar noises. I don't know if its just a really confused hen or if I ended up with two toms (which will not be good for breeding!). Here is a photo I snapped when it was strutting around.

 

[BeccaOH]

Pretty tom you have there.

 

[reesepoultry]

Need to take a picture of the face so we can see the snood.

But looks like a tom to me. Would help if we had a pic of the snood though.

 

[CDennis]

Thanks, that's exactly what I thought...Iguess I need to get another hen or breeding season may be rough for my lone hen...I'll get a snood shot and post it in a few minutes.

 

[reesepoultry]

Or You could have a fresh turkey.....

Jk....

 

[CDennis]

Capturing a snood photo is easier said than done! I took a few others but I think this is the best. The snood is longer than my hen's but much smaller than my tom but then again the tom is 2 years old.

 

[reesepoultry]

what you have is definately a young tom called a Jake right now.

Sorry to say the guy made a mistake or just told you it was a hen.

 

[CDennis]

Thanks, so unless I butcher one of the males, I will need to get more hens or keep the hen protected during breeding season? It my tom and jake likely to start fighting soon? That's a bummer, another male complicates things. I appreciate all the help

 

[reesepoultry]

They will get along for now. But when breeding season comes into play they will fight and the tom won't let the jake breed with the hen.
So you can either get another hen but you will still have to seperate or the tom will take her too. Or you can have a nice thanks giving turkey for the table that is young.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
With turkey mating it's hens choice. The hen will only lay down for her tom. They don't mate like chickens at all.

Steve in NC