Toms? Or not??

[Sara L]

Hi all, I'm hoping you can help me determine if I actually have toms or not. I have three turkeys (2 blue slate and 1 bourbon red) I picked up as day olds on 6/29/18 and two bronze turkeys I picked up as day olds on 7/13/18. So the older ones are about 18 weeks and the younger are about 16 weeks. The first three look like hens to me, and up until two weeks ago so did the bronze turkeys. Now they seem to be puffing up and strutting a little, but I haven't actually heard gobbling. Even when we played turkey gobbles from Youtube, they puffed up but didn't gobble. Are they just being territorial hens or are they late blooming toms? Pictures in next post.

 

[Sara L]

The bronze turkeys look identical, so I'm thinking they are the same gender, just not certain if they are toms or hens.
All the turkeys have short snoods, but the bronze are longer than the others, but haven't gone longer than the beak. They also have more neck bumps.

 

[MillersFarm]

@R2elk

 

[Sara L]

This is when we were playing the turkey gobbles.

And the two blue slates. Almost certain they are hens.

 

[MillersFarm]

I personally think that the bourbon and the slates are hens, Unsure of the bronzes.
I would say jakes but their caruncles make me think hen. R2 would probably have a much more accurate guess than me though.

 

[R2elk]

The Bourbon Red and the two Blue Slates are hens.

Based on the breast feathers there may be one of each (tom & hen) in the two Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys or they may both be late developing toms. It can be really difficult to tell from photographs what you are actually seeing with the breast feathers of Bronze turkeys because the iridescence of the feathers can give false impressions in photographs.

Good luck.

 

[Sara L]

The Bourbon Red and the two Blue Slates are hens.

Based on the breast feathers there may be one of each (tom & hen) in the two Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys or they may both be late developing toms. It can be really difficult to tell from photographs what you are actually seeing with the breast feathers of Bronze turkeys because the iridescence of the feathers can give false impressions.

Good luck.

Would a video be more clear? I'm going to try to get some more pictures tonight, can try to get video too.

 

[R2elk]

Would a video be more clear? I'm going to try to get some more pictures tonight, can try to get video too.

Not for me. I have been able to sex my poults as young as 2 weeks old but I am not looking at photos. I am looking at the total package, looks, behavior and comparing among other poults. It is really difficult for me to try to explain why or why not which sex a poult is because it is a complex procedure for me.

 

[memphis]

I'm agreeing with R2elk. Cant tell with the bronze either.

 

[Sara L]

They'd better get their act together by November 18th, that is decision day...