When a tom's face and wattles change colors (to blue)

[onthespot]

When a tom gets old enough for his head to turn bright blue and red when he struts, is he sexually mature? My BR tom is just getting to that age. I bought a new, unrelated tom for my hens from last summer because I needed new blood in the flock. The tom is a little young. A month ago he still had the barest stragglers of fluffy tips on his feathers behind his head, but he also had a beard started on his chest. I am just hoping he will be able to manage the hens in a month or two. How long after his head goes bright blue when he struts will he be fertile? He has gotten bigger and definitely is taller than the girls now, and is starting to stand up to them and walk toward them when strutting, instead of ducking and moving away like last week.

 

[Frosty]

The year following hatch they are mature enough to breed.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Different colors mean different emotions

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Both posters are correct. The color threw breeding season will change with his mood/attitude, and yes the spring following their hatch they are sexually mature. Bets production is between 1-3 years of age, after 3 fertility and egg production will general start to taper off. As for head color, you'll get red, blue, white and mixtures of those all based off his attitude toward life at that moment. Generally the whiteish blue head is a breeding color.
Aubrey

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Ive read somewhere that its head can change any color of the rainbow, yet i havent seen any turkeys with yellow faces. haha

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Turkey heads change primarily due to them gobbling because of blood flow.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

never heard of those 2 before

 

[sweetshoplady]

So turkey heads are the original "mood" rings? I've been wondering what the colors mean. My tom turkey's head turns blue when he gets treats - so I thought it meant happy.

 

[Frosty]

Interesting... because blue is one of the colors that can make them aggressive. Carrying or wearing something blue can make them attack you. Huh...

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

HA! Never heard that one either. None of my 70 or so ones have ever attached me, except for hens on the nest when I get eggs from them....