Turkey hen acting like a Tom

[MiaMi]

First post here! I feel like I’ve got a very interesting situation and I wanted to know if anyone else here has had a similar experience!
Recently, one of my family’s hens (lovingly named Snoodle) has begun acting very much like a Tom. Keep in mind she’s two years old, and has laid and had her eggs hatched so there’s no question about her sex. However, it’s becoming more common for her to fluff up and begin strutting and spitting/drumming like the toms, as well as gobbling. She’s even went as far as to mount and attempt to mate with one of our other hens, which allowed her to do so to the point of lifting her tail.
She does still let the toms mate with her however. Also, our other hens occasionally strut and display, but not nearly the level that Snoodle does. They just do it to show dominance.
I was wondering if anyone’s had this happen with their hens, or if anyone has any idea as to why this happens? Maybe it’s her showing dominance over the other hens and even the toms (she’s definitely the top hen of the group), or a higher level of testosterone?

a vid of her gobbling

 

[cooingdove]

welcome to BYC!!. hmm very interesting, there are other threads on this topic but not about turkeys. i have seen my hens mate other hens but just ones and just for domanance.

 

[cooingdove]

@Happs @One special chicken mom @Weeg @tripletfeb @SnootyHen @Mtn Margie got any ideas?

 

[tripletfeb]

Thanks for the tag but my only experience with turkeys is how to make them tasty! Hopefully someone else can help

 

[cooingdove]

Thanks for the tag but my only experience with turkeys is how to make them tasty! Hopefully someone else can help

same!

 

[Anita Scott]

my 2 year old BBB hen is starting to get spurs and a small beard. The rest of the flock are standard bronze. I haven’t seen her strut or anything and she is still laying eggs.

 

[BeejeeGee]

First post here! I feel like I’ve got a very interesting situation and I wanted to know if anyone else here has had a similar experience!
Recently, one of my family’s hens (lovingly named Snoodle) has begun acting very much like a Tom. Keep in mind she’s two years old, and has laid and had her eggs hatched so there’s no question about her sex. However, it’s becoming more common for her to fluff up and begin strutting and spitting/drumming like the toms, as well as gobbling. She’s even went as far as to mount and attempt to mate with one of our other hens, which allowed her to do so to the point of lifting her tail.
She does still let the toms mate with her however. Also, our other hens occasionally strut and display, but not nearly the level that Snoodle does. They just do it to show dominance.
I was wondering if anyone’s had this happen with their hens, or if anyone has any idea as to why this happens? Maybe it’s her showing dominance over the other hens and even the toms (she’s definitely the top hen of the group), or a higher level of testosterone?
View attachment 2591098

a vid of her gobbling

 

[BeejeeGee]

First post here! I feel like I’ve got a very interesting situation and I wanted to know if anyone else here has had a similar experience!
Recently, one of my family’s hens (lovingly named Snoodle) has begun acting very much like a Tom. Keep in mind she’s two years old, and has laid and had her eggs hatched so there’s no question about her sex. However, it’s becoming more common for her to fluff up and begin strutting and spitting/drumming like the toms, as well as gobbling. She’s even went as far as to mount and attempt to mate with one of our other hens, which allowed her to do so to the point of lifting her tail.
She does still let the toms mate with her however. Also, our other hens occasionally strut and display, but not nearly the level that Snoodle does. They just do it to show dominance.
I was wondering if anyone’s had this happen with their hens, or if anyone has any idea as to why this happens? Maybe it’s her showing dominance over the other hens and even the toms (she’s definitely the top hen of the group), or a higher level of testosterone?
View attachment 2591098

a vid of her gobbling

I’m wondering the same thing about one of our turkey hens, only she is directing this courting behavior to ME.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

My Clementine (a Narragansett hen) would strut and carry on when she experienced anything she unfamiliar with and upset about. For example like when the road crew came and was patching holes in the street in front of the house....she paced back and forth along the fence in full strut, faunching and glaring at them, and looking all the while like a disgruntled tom.

 

[carrinajones]

I got on here for the same thing. Mine isn't even a year old yet though. I kept two hens and a tom. But, I've got a hen now that acts like a Tom when my other hen sits for the tom