What have I got here? Stags or hens?

[PoultryMadUK]

Hi everyone,

I have had these guys from day olds, and they are 3 1/2 months old now.

The are Norfolk black (I hope) but I'm struggling to tell if they are boys or girls!

One of the turkeys has a larger, more developed beard, and is the only one that has started to gobble. I have circled that one in blue.

The other 2 make no attempt to gobble, and although they have beard nobbles, it's not hardly as developed as the other Turkey.

All 3 puff up and fan their tails.

Any ideas as to what I have? They've kept us guessing all this time and its infuriating!!!

 

[R2elk]

Hi everyone,

I have had these guys from day olds, and they are 3 1/2 months old now.

The are Norfolk black (I hope) but I'm struggling to tell if they are boys or girls!

One of the turkeys has a larger, more developed beard, and is the only one that has started to gobble. I have circled that one in blue.

The other 2 make no attempt to gobble, and although they have beard nobbles, it's not hardly as developed as the other Turkey.

All 3 puff up and fan their tails.

Any ideas as to what I have? They've kept us guessing all this time and its infuriating!!!

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The circled one appears to be a hen but snood size is not the be all, end all when it comes to determining sex.

It would be helpful to see a full picture from the front. If the turkey in question has its adult feathers, the breast feathers will have a light colored edge if it is a hen and a dark colored lower edge if it is a tom.

A closer photo from the back including the top of the head of the head and back of the neck can be used to determine if it is the bald head of a male or the "mohawk" of a hen.

The other two appear to be males with their larger body size and heavier legs.

 

[PoultryMadUK]

The circled one appears to be a hen but snood size is not the be all, end all when it comes to determining sex.

It would be helpful to see a full picture from the front. If the turkey in question has its adult feathers, the breast feathers will have a light colored edge if it is a hen and a dark colored lower edge if it is a tom.

A closer photo from the back including the top of the head of the head and back of the neck can be used to determine if it is the bald head of a male or the "mohawk" of a hen.

The other two appear to be males with their larger body size and heavier legs.

Thank you,

These aren't the best photos, the little beggars wouldn't stay still!!

The one with the blue dot is the same as the original blue ringed Turkey in the above pictures.you can see the beard is bigger than the others.

The pink dot is the one that was poorly not long ago.

The red dot is the other Turkey.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you,

These aren't the best photos, the little beggars wouldn't stay still!!

The one with the blue dot is the same as the original blue ringed Turkey in the above pictures.you can see the beard is bigger than the others.

The pink dot is the one that was poorly not long ago.

The red dot is the other Turkey.

It looks like the breast feathers are still juvenile feathers. They are starting to get their adult feathers but they just haven't spread to the breast yet.

 

[PoultryMadUK]

It looks like the breast feathers are still juvenile feathers. They are starting to get their adult feathers but they just haven't spread to the breast yet.

Thank you,

I will keep looking and hope they tell me what they are soon!

 

[mandelyn]

I'm inclined to say 3 boys, 1 of them maturing a little slower than the other 2. It's been my experience that once the snood starts laying down, it's a male. The snood can be retracted to stand up right but will be bigger/fatter than a females. Yours are still in the tricky age but there's 2 of them that show strongly as male. It's easier to spot the boys when there are females in the group. I've not raised that variety though, only Bourbons and Narragansett.

I've gotten better at IDing early maturing boys, sometimes as young as a week old. Females take a lot longer to confirm, thanks to those tricky understated males.

 

[mandelyn]

The bird on the right was the last/late male to show himself last year. Female on the left.

 

[PoultryMadUK]

The bird on the right was the last/late male to show himself last year. Female on the left.

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I see what you mean!

They're playing me up something chronic!

One I know is definately Male, as his beard is showing through more than the others, hes also the only one to gobble!

The other 2 keep changing around, making female noises but acting like boys, their beards are also very small and barely even noticable!