Turkey Talk for 2014

[Arielle]

I have Narragansett turkeys...they are gorgeous birds, they grow fast, toms 20 pound hens 18 and the hens are pretty too...they are hardy, calm, smart, I also like the Bourbon Reds because they are all of the above...they are good breeders, the hens are wonderful mothers and the eggs and meat are VERY good!! They both are east to keep and I hope that helps you decide...also they are heritage turkeys and natural breeders not like the poor commercial breed!!

My tom Mr. Henry...sorry he is sideways!!

Such a beautiful black and white bird and shades of ash!! I have 2 toms that hang out together-- I just don't have the heart to butcher them-- but I have no hen for them either. WIll use them in cross breeding for 2014.

Just so pretty!!

 

[EthenNoah]

How old do turkeys have to be to tell the gender?

 

[chicken pickin]

Usually you can tell by 12 weeks of age, some times it is tricky and takes a little longer while other times the males are obvious a little sooner. But generally 12 weeks is when they are distinguishable.

 

[EthenNoah]

Ok thank you I just got 3 blue slates that are 12 weeks the lady said she thinks 2 hens and a Tom but not really sure.

 

[chicken pickin]

Do you have pics you could post?

 

[chicken pickin]

Toms will be bald and have a larger snood that can elongate and then shrink back Toms snoods are also wider at the base and taper to the tip. Toms caruncles are also larger and bumpier(they look more swollen or gorged).

Hens will have a thin Mohawk of hair on the back of their head. The snood will be smaller thinner and does not elongate. Caruncles much smaller.

Toms will start to gobble close to this age maybe a little older. Hens do not gobble. Bot genders strut so that is not a good identifier.

 

[EthenNoah]

I will go take some these are my first turkeys what's the best food to feed them?

 

[EthenNoah]

Here are a couple pictures, I don't know if you can see good enough the pictures are not good, the turkeys are not used to people so I couldn't get good ones.

 

[Reyvaughn]

The pics aren't that good, but... Usually at 12-14wks you can see obvious differences. Such as size (boys are bigger), amount of 'wattle' (boys have more) and head feathering (girls have more).

 

[chicken pickin]

Here are a couple pictures, I don't know if you can see good enough the pictures are not good, the turkeys are not used to people so I couldn't get good ones.

These pics are not clear enough to distinguish differences. It almost looks like 3 hens but we would need more clear pictures to give a better response.