Turkey questions!!!

[Jkioneil]

Ok so i have a turkey and i am wondering a few things. what is their stages and ages of development? when should i be able to tell if it is a tom or a hen? i heard they get mean, we are going to eat it for thanksgiving will it get mean before then? or is it ewven mature by then? it is such a sweety right now. thanks

 

[OmaBird]

99% of my male turkeys are as sweet as can be. I have had a male or two in there first breeding season go after me once and my husband more than once at feeding time when we turned our backs. I had turkeys quite a few years before I ever seen this happen. I don't think you will have that problem. My two year old grandson plays with our toms all the time.

 

[jamesrm]

If a turkey gets out of line, refer to the meat bird section for instructions on how to make dinner.

 

[afeatherfan]

umbsu
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[fowlmamma]

MY TOM WAS SO SWEET AND NEVER LEFT MY SIDE I LOVED HIM TO DEALTH TILL MATING SEASON AND HE THOUGHT HE COULD MATE ME AND FELT THREATENED BY MY HUSBAND SO HE WOULD CHASE HIM AND BITE HIM IN THE BUTT AND STAND BY THE DOOR JUST WAITING FOR HIM IT WAS SO FUNNY I REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING AND THERE WERE TIMES I HAD TO SIT ON THE TURK WHILE MY HUBBY GOT TO HIS CAR. WHAT ARE NEIGHBORS THINK THEY PROBALLY DONT NEED CABLE.

 

[Jkioneil]

That is so funy omg i really am cracking up right now! hahahha

 

[lnm03]

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[ccrawf]

I have 2 toms , a Spanish Black and a Bourbon Red, and 2 hens that are almost a year old. Both toms are pretty good with me and never bother me, ever. But now the black will chase my daughter in law or her husband all over the yard. Wait at the door for them, beat on the door if the close it on him. I’m hoping it is a phase he will grow out of, if not he’ll be referred to the “meat” section. Besides, thinking of just having Bourbon Reds any way.
On that note, how do people who have more than one breed keep keep them separate, so you can know or control who breeds with who? Thanks.
Clay

 

[OmaBird]

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I don't think you can control who breeds to who when you keep them all together. I free range my turkeys. I am in the process of building a breeding pen for some of my breedings. I like alot of genetic diversity in my flock. My original birds where from 5 different breeders. I think it makes for healthy birds not to keep the lines to close. I would never have come up with alot of my favorite colors without having my birds free range. It makes nice suprises. I am into genetics and I do keep as many records as I can. All my birds have identification. The brirds I keep for breeding I usually know at least half of there genetic make up. Usually I know who is the dominate toms that year too. I learn alot about there genetics by breeding to different colors. Most of your turkeys are not pure breed even if appear to be. If we didn't cross breed we could not have got the numbers up of many colors that where almost lost. For Example if you crossed your blacks and bourbons together and then crossed the babies back together you would have buff. I would keep only one sex from one hen and the opposite sex from another hen so they would be unrelated when I cross them back.