Turkey hen squat? Pictures

[FLOWERPOT]

So, Zack might be a boy. Humm
Come spring Ill watch his/her behavior closely.
Thanks everyone!!!
I really like these 2 a lot! I think Ill have to get more turkey babys in the spring.

 

[chickenannie]

Hmmm... you sound addicted... whatever you do don't look at that porter turkey website... i almost ordered a bunch more just now!

 

[FLOWERPOT]

Did you say DONT look?
dont look dont look dont look


Uhm, Ill be right back....

 

[FLOWERPOT]

I didnt go look.......

Ok I did,
Thats the site someone told me about a while ago.
I looked at it then too, there are some really pretty ones there!

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Yes, Porters is a nice site with beautiful birds though they can't ship to VA and that's where I live. From reading a bit there, I even solved a kind of mystery for myself about my White Holland tom - Mr. Porter is breeding for blue eyes in that breed as it's part of the original configuration - I didn't understand why my turkey had blue eyes until then. Most articles say they have brown eyes, and I guess most do these days.

This year is my first year for turkeys. (I'm still thinking how cute yours look on the fence!). It's usually at coop closing time i see the cuddling and I don't think I could get a picture, else, I would. The mom is most often very nice about it but she gets hasty with them sometimes. I still believe she'll be a very nice mom - probably next year. She's a chocolate hen - the first two I mentioned to you are chocolate hens. Have 5 young chocolate poults, one of whom i hope will be a tom - seems probable, but might not be mature for next spring -- not that sure. Else, "Blue" the Holland White might try being a dad.

 

[chickenzoo]

Hi Flowerpot,

Turkeys can display at any age. I've had turkeys a few months old puff up, display and gobble and have others that hardly ever have. Hens will display some, but mostly when they are agitated or curious. You should have herd something by now if they were males. Females often have more feathers going up the back of their necks too. I have a blue slate hen named Blueberry that follows me everywhere and squats in front of me cooing waiting for attention. She's done that from a early age. The one you called Bourban does look like a Buff. I have both and some even lighter blonde, but were sold to me as Bourbans. Even better since Buffs were used to create Bourbans and are now rare compared to other breeds. Very nice turkeys.

 

[BeakSanctuary]

I think I'm in heaven when I'm outside in the garden, with the turkeys foraging nearby in the woods, sending forth their little sonar-sounds to one another, likely for commo purposes. Such a sweet sound!

I'm still having to carry in my poults every night at dark while most everything else goes home to roost without help. I taught most of them to go home at dusk by clapping and saying "Go home!" Else, maybe they'd go home on their own because of the darkness. The "moms" (turkey hens) usually get settled trying to roost outside and I have to nudge them inside, too. At that point, they're inside an 8' fence, but most likely not safe there. It's worth it to know they'll be safe for the night. LOVE THEM!

 

[pdpatch]

I would have to sort of agree that they appear to be hens. They would have been gobbling by now if the were Jakes. Some time you can entice a young male turkey to gobble by playing all the ring tones on a cell phone. At least one should trigger a gobble or two.

When they squat they are saying they are ready to mate. Squating is not the same as just sitting down.

A Jake officially becomes a Tom at one year of age.

Our BB Bronze were strutting at about 2 weeks of age this year. A couple of the Bourbon reds didn't until almost 4 months old.

If either the Hens or Toms lay there tail down flat and drop there head, They are ready to attack something.

If the Toms decide to start strutting when you got out to them, and turn sideways a couple of time, and stomp or shuffle there feet. Watch your back as they are trying to get you to lay down for them. If you are sitting down and streach your legs out, it could be very embarrassing.

About an hour before sunset turkeys usually decide it's time to settle down for the night. So you want to start putting them away earlier them the chickens. Once a turkey settle down for the night it's not easy getting them in.

Tom

PS I am not sure if it's sonar sounds, but we now have a small flock of wild turkeys residing here. In the last 20 years they have passed through but never stayed.

 

[2manyhats]

BTW, I hatched some Pencilled Palms and Auburns from Porters this summer. Beautiful birds.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
For the White Hollands, Kevin and I had talked about the eye color last fall and this spring. He got his Hollands last year and said he had about a 50-50 mix of blue eyes and brown. We had already decided to breed ours for the "true" Holland eye color vice the APA standard. We don't show our birds anyway but we want to breed them true to form. That is one of the reasons we have stayed with the original heritage breeds that breed true.

Steve in NC