Turkey sexing?

[TinyRaptorDodos]

How do I sex young turkeys? The shelter I’m volunteering at has a turkey chick, it looks like a heritage turkey but we can only get it if it’s female for eggs, how can I tell the gender? Sadly I do not have any pictures

 

[R2elk]

If you're willing to pay $14 or so without it being an important expense you can always order a DNA feather sexing or blood sexing kit from https://iqbirdtesting.com/ and send off a sample to them. I did feather sexing on my older poults by plucking feathers close to the vent (was easy, they didn't mind it too much and I prefer it to quicking the toenail) and sent them in. Super easy process. I keep my turkeys as pets though and get attached easily, so it's important for me to know their sex from a very young age so I can rehome prior to intense attachment lol. I am of course an odd one out.

Otherwise you can pretty easily sex them at around 3 to 4 months of age if you are able to provide front, back, top and side pictures we can possibly help!

All true except for late developing toms that can take 6 months before showing their true nature.

 

[R2elk]

I am having a hard time telling the sex of my turkeys. One I am sure is a boy, but the other one, I go back and forth.

Both appear to be toms.

 

[Ashley4]

Both appear to be toms.

Thank you

 

[austria89]

I am having a hard time telling the sex of my turkeys. One I am sure is a boy, but the other one, I go back and forth.

There's a pretty easy tell for the sex at this age.
You only have to take a look at the chest feathers.
Males do have black edges, while females have white edges.
This is one of the more obvious dimorphism in turkeys.

This works for most varieties.

 

[yesterDAYNE]

If you're willing to pay $14 or so without it being an important expense you can always order a DNA feather sexing or blood sexing kit from https://iqbirdtesting.com/ and send off a sample to them. I did feather sexing on my older poults by plucking feathers close to the vent (was easy, they didn't mind it too much and I prefer it to quicking the toenail) and sent them in. Super easy process. I keep my turkeys as pets though and get attached easily, so it's important for me to know their sex from a very young age so I can rehome prior to intense attachment lol. I am of course an odd one out.

Otherwise you can pretty easily sex them at around 3 to 4 months of age if you are able to provide front, back, top and side pictures we can possibly help!

 

[Devils Flower]

I am having a hard time telling the sex of my turkeys. One I am sure is a boy, but the other one, I go back and forth.

They are both boys.

 

[FeatherTay]

@R2elk
I got this off the shelter page, I’m not sure if pictures of the turkey are allowed so I just saved the photo

Yeah, i’m sorry too young.

 

[yesterDAYNE]

Oh yeah that's a baby baby. The only way at that age would to be to send in either feather/down or blood for a DNA test, sadly.

 

[FeatherTay]

You can’t unless it’s 2-4 months. You can DNA test also.