Tom or hen?? sorry no pics.

[Bring]

My neighbor bought two baby turkeys. They are around five months old now. One of them has started puffing out it's tail feathers and dragging it's wings on the ground. I thought tom when I saw that but I don't know squat about turkeys. This morning I saw the two turkeys out in the field with their necks interlocked and they were pushing eachother around like sumo wrestlers. Bumping chests and dancing around with eachother. Are they fighting?? Is it a mating thing?? There is a tom across the street and both of the turkeys in question went over there and hung out there all day with the tom. Any ideas?? My neighbor was originally told they were female. They both have that weird worm looking thing above their beaks. It grows when the one puffs out.

 

[mitchell3006]

Sounds like both are toms. That is normal for them to be sparring this time of year. They are establishing pecking order. It is also normal for toms to hang together in bachelor groups especially this time of year.

Mark

That "wierd worm thing" is a snood.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Yep, The neck lock is a Tom deal, where they are just testing each other as boys will do. In the spring, it can quickly turn to an all out fight. Struting has nothing to do with sex as both male and female will do it, and both have the snood (worm) over their beaks, though the toms are the only ones that will hang down, the hens are short and usually stick up in the air.
Also, depending on what breed you have, you can feathyer sex them, any in the bronze family will have all black breast feathers, hens will be lighter in color and laced in buff on their breast.

 

[ivan3]

Just sparring for position:

 

[SimplyForties]

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!

 

[chickenannie]

Ivan,
Love those mid-air pics!!