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[BoristheTurkey]

Hi all,
I've been lurking here since getting some girls last spring but I've finally decided to register and get posting a little.
The first 4 girls were bought as POL from a local freeholder back in March/April 2011, after that I've had a few dabbles with hatching eggs from Ebay with variously poor success rates until I bought a hovabator - the last lot fertility was poor but we had a few successes.

So with that in mind would you be so kind as to ID (and sex check) my flock please?

Oldest 4 - bought as POL March/April 2011





Vivian -


Red -




Gertrude -




Grunhilder -





After some failed attempts at hatching in a home made incubator I bought a hovabator and hatched out some eggs from Ebay. They are I believe about 24-26 weeks old now, unfortunately I think I've already thrown last years diary out so cannot be 100% certain of the date they hatched:


Pretty Certain this one is a boy, No name -




Also pretty certain this one is a boy too, never makes a sound though, no name -




Matilda - My wife helped this one out of a sticky shell so it got a name: I believe its a girl -




Uncertain of this one, although I'm leaning towards girl as its comb is much less developed than the ones I suspect as male -




Uncertain of this one either, but because of attitude I suspect male -





And finally, in one of my ebay orders for duck eggs (Cayuga ducks) I received 3 Turkey eggs instead! Here is Boris my turkey -






Any help ID'ing the breed (or mix?) and sex for these would be really appreciated! If as suspected I have more than one boy I'll have to fatten the others up and send them to freezer camp as I only really want to keep one relatively docile roo so I can hatch my own eggs. I'm also considering getting a few broad-breasted turkeys later on to grow out for Christmas.
Thanks!

 

[ChucktheChick]

All the ones you think are boys I think they are too. The bottom barred rock is definite boy. You should keep that buffish quite one as a rooster. I love your turkey! What a beautiful bird! Yoou also have many pretty chicks too!

 

[modchicken]

I'd respectfully disagree? I believe the barred rocks are girls. The color is much to dark for a boy. The first barred rock also looks like she has something else in her? I'd agree with your other 2 roo predictions!

 

[farmerChef]

Hi all,
I've been lurking here since getting some girls last spring but I've finally decided to register and get posting a little.
The first 4 girls were bought as POL from a local freeholder back in March/April 2011, after that I've had a few dabbles with hatching eggs from Ebay with variously poor success rates until I bought a hovabator - the last lot fertility was poor but we had a few successes.

So with that in mind would you be so kind as to ID (and sex check) my flock please?

Oldest 4 - bought as POL March/April 2011





Vivian -
Light Sussex

Red -
Black Sex Link



Gertrude -
silver sussex



Grunhilder -
silver sussex




After some failed attempts at hatching in a home made incubator I bought a hovabator and hatched out some eggs from Ebay. They are I believe about 24-26 weeks old now, unfortunately I think I've already thrown last years diary out so cannot be 100% certain of the date they hatched:


Pretty Certain this one is a boy, No name -
mixed cockeral



Also pretty certain this one is a boy too, never makes a sound though, no name -
mixed cockeral, maybe from Sexlink/Sexlink breeding



Matilda - My wife helped this one out of a sticky shell so it got a name: I believe its a girl -
color is splash, not sure on breed, pullet



Uncertain of this one, although I'm leaning towards girl as its comb is much less developed than the ones I suspect as male -
barred cross, pullet



Uncertain of this one either, but because of attitude I suspect male -
barred cross, pullet




And finally, in one of my ebay orders for duck eggs (Cayuga ducks) I received 3 Turkey eggs instead! Here is Boris my turkey -






Any help ID'ing the breed (or mix?) and sex for these would be really appreciated! If as suspected I have more than one boy I'll have to fatten the others up and send them to freezer camp as I only really want to keep one relatively docile roo so I can hatch my own eggs. I'm also considering getting a few broad-breasted turkeys later on to grow out for Christmas.
Thanks!

 

[ramirezframing]

x2 on Farmerchef the turkey looks like a bronze hen, better picture of the turkeys head would help

 

[BoristheTurkey]

Thank you all so much for the replies so far!

Here is a closer image of the barred I suspect of being a male:


And a close up of Boris' head as requested:



With the mixed birds has anyone got a guess on what type of mix? Cheeky of me to ask since you've all helped so much already and it is really appreciated

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Hi all, I've been lurking here since getting some girls last spring but I've finally decided to register and get posting a little. The first 4 girls were bought as POL from a local freeholder back in March/April 2011, after that I've had a few dabbles with hatching eggs from Ebay with variously poor success rates until I bought a hovabator - the last lot fertility was poor but we had a few successes. So with that in mind would you be so kind as to ID (and sex check) my flock please? Oldest 4 - bought as POL March/April 2011 Vivian - Light Sussex Red - Black Sex-Link Gertrude - Birchen Marans Grunhilder - Birchen Marans After some failed attempts at hatching in a home made incubator I bought a hovabator and hatched out some eggs from Ebay. They are I believe about 24-26 weeks old now, unfortunately I think I've already thrown last years diary out so cannot be 100% certain of the date they hatched: Pretty Certain this one is a boy, No name - White Plymouth, Delaware, or maybe some sort of a Mixed Breed Also pretty certain this one is a boy too, never makes a sound though, no name - Mix Matilda - My wife helped this one out of a sticky shell so it got a name: I believe its a girl - Mix Uncertain of this one, although I'm leaning towards girl as its comb is much less developed than the ones I suspect as male - Mix Uncertain of this one either, but because of attitude I suspect male - Mix or Cuckoo Marans And finally, in one of my ebay orders for duck eggs (Cayuga ducks) I received 3 Turkey eggs instead! Here is Boris my turkey - I wouldn't know I don't raise turkeys Any help ID'ing the breed (or mix?) and sex for these would be really appreciated! If as suspected I have more than one boy I'll have to fatten the others up and send them to freezer camp as I only really want to keep one relatively docile roo so I can hatch my own eggs. I'm also considering getting a few broad-breasted turkeys later on to grow out for Christmas. Thanks!

 

[BoristheTurkey]

Again, very much appreciated!

With Grunhilder she has a green shimmer to her back that hasn't come out in the photo: woudl this affect the guesses between Silver Sussex and Birchen Marans?

With regards to the mixes, I'm not too fussed about not having specific breeds but it would be nice to know what egg colours I can expect from them/ their offspring as the four older girls lay between a pinkish and a deep brown egg. Currently only the larger pinkish egg layer is laying but its still pretty deep in winter here with temperatures maxing out around 5C during the day which is why I am presuming laying has stopped for the others.

As for the two that are certainly boys - when can I expect them to start mounting? They are around 24-26 weeks old, the buff-mixed one barely makes a clucking noise at all, the other is a little louder but still no attempts to crow but is quite red in the face now.

And finally, (and I apologise for so many questions/queries) with regards to the Turkey: is she a broad-breasted or heritage breed? I'd like to raise a few heritages this year for breeding and some broad-breasted for the table but I'd like to know roughly what I've got already so I can start planning how to go about it all.
Thanks everyone!

 

[ChickenLover603]

I agree with farmerChef.

 

[farmerChef]

With Grunhilder she has a green shimmer to her back that hasn't come out in the photo: woudl this affect the guesses between Silver Sussex and Birchen Marans?

Marans lay dark brown eggs. Both breeds have single combs and white/pink skin. Marans also usually have feathered legs, These are "French" marans. "English" Marans dont have feathered legs