turkey behaviour

[jvls1942]

I just looked at your strutting picture again.. waaay too many tail feathers for a hen.. and the wings hanging down ?? I just went out and checked my toms also..

I have 7 of them strutting at a time.. they all are spitting images of your hen..

let me know when she lays an egg..

 

[RickiHupp]

I will keep watching "her" LOL

She is the same age as the others, they will be 14 months old on march 7. The blue slates have the beards very tiny but they are there, the palm however does not, so I have no idea, really!!


##edited to add....I just went ahead and made my own post, I went out and took some better pictures of the "hen in question"

 

[SandyC]

I've been interested in the hen/verses Tom question. I have 3 Royal Palms. I have thought they were all hens. They are about 9 months old now. One I am definitely sure is a hen...the other two I am not sure about. None gobble, but one is developing more of the red fleshy hanging stuff (don't know my terminology yet) one has none and the other has a bit. I have seen two of them strut. Any ways yet to know for sure and how old do they have to be before it's pretty obvious?

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
Pics are always good.

Palms do mature a little slower than other breeds but at 9 months you should be able to tell. The toms will have a longer snood (that is the "hanging stuff" on the forhead) The legs should be thicker, the head bigger on the toms. Also feel for the "beard bump" It's right in the middle of the chest. On our web sites turkey page we have pics of our RP hens and toms if that helps you any?

Steve in NC

 

[SandyC]

I'm getting ready to post some pictures under the heading of Tom or Hen.

Thanks!

 

[jvls1942]

I have a tom and 5 jakes outside.
just about an hour ago Annie came and told me there was a heck of a fight going on.. I had to grab both jakes by the necks to break them apart.. then I had to stay between them for about ten minutes until they cooled off.. they are only about 5 months old.. the littlest guy has no black tips on his tail anymore..

royal palms... the toms gobble and the hens churp..