how to tell male from female turkey poults

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. The snood is a fleshy protuberance on the top of the turkeys beak. Most of the male turkeys generally have completely featherless heads, while the females have small feathers that extend over the top of their heads. While the males have spurs or small spike-shaped bumps that should be visible from a moderate distance. Both male and female poults have a vertical slit that is used for both elimination and reproduction. These big, spectacular birds are an increasingly common sight the rest of the year, too, as flocks stride around woods and For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Its easier to sex turkeys as they mature and develop more distinct characteristics. In this section of the site, well share information from Glenn Bartley, our staff photographer, and from other bird photographers. Related males assist in courtship, but only the dominant male will actually mate. Tn. For more tips, like how to tell how old a turkey is, scroll down! Male droppings are j-shaped; female droppings are spiral-shaped. Sooo does that work for ALL breeds of turkeys? The toms do this tons more often than the hens. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But, since "it depends" is not a helpful answer in the slightest, let's dig into the things that 6 Reasons Why People (Just Like You!) Males often have a thicker neck than females. Hens also have feathers on their heads, whereas toms do not. Males are larger and have longer tails and legs, a long and droopy snood on their bill, and make a distinctive gobbling sound. Females are smaller and less colorful, with shorter tails and legs. Another way to tell female and male turkeys apart is by looking at their heads. How can you tell the difference between male and female baby turkeys? Iake is a specific term whereas for young females use the term, Jenny. On one end of the spectrum, birding can be a casual hobby. One way to determine turkey gender is by looking at their plumage or feathers. Mexico boasts the ocellated turkey. No, the color of the turkeys legs is the same for both males and females. Special Offer on the first-of-its-kind Natural Organic Certification Course Howard Garrett has developed on online course leading to certification for those who successfully complete the 15 chapter course. If you observe a group of turkey, any adult male turkey should appear notably larger than any nearby females. Exhibition, Genetics, & Breeding to the SOP, Of Feathers And Flames- A Wings of Fire AU RP, The Moonshiner's Bootleg Easter Egg Hunt (now with prizes), Daily Writing Prompt Thread Thingy It'll Be Fun, The adventures of Speedy and friends! adElem.style.display = 'block'; If you need to sex turkeys for breeding purposes, hire a professional chicken sexer for help. Male turkeys will weigh more, continue to grow faster than the females, have a more caruncled head and neck and, as adults, will develop a beard. And the males wattles will be slightly larger, thicker, and wider spread. Male turkeys, both wild and domesticated, are larger and heavier than females. Raise Sheep. Males are more likely to be aggressive, especially during breeding season. Lifecycle of Female Turkeys. Check the beard. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. In spring, mature turkey hens determine the timing of breeding. Best 23 Feeding Tips, Can Dogs Eat Skippy Peanut Butter? A huge bird on the table is an impressive sight! } if (width <= 900) { Toms are polygamous and will mate with several different hens over the course of breeding season. Flash cards for 44 bird species are available. The little toms (male turkeys) usually weigh slightly more and have slightly larger feet, slightly thicker shanks, and somewhat less feathering on their heads. Are there any differences in the color of the turkeys legs between males and females? Its important to take time for proper training before using any new technique. In addition, male poults tend to be more territorial and aggressive toward other birds and their companions than female poults. However, this task becomes easy in a mature bird of more than 16 weeks .Sex venting is a procedure to identify gender. As adults, male turkeys, called toms, are always bigger than females, called hens. If you see a turkey with a few feathers on its head, then its definitely a female, since males are always bald. No SPAM! The feces of females can be distinguished from males as it is shaped like the letter J.. Snood is long and hanging down from the bill. Depending on the breed, the males can have an iridescent red, green, bronze, copper or gold sheen. adElem.style.position = 'fixed'; WebMost North American kids learn turkey identification early, by tracing outlines of their hands to make Thanksgiving cards. WebHow do you tell male from female turkey poults? This is where the gross part comes in. If you are serious about breeding turkeys, youll want more than one tom and a few extra hens. A lifelong writer, Dianne is also a content manager and science fiction and fantasy novelist. Normally, when one turkey struts, the rest of the males in a group will also strut as they work out their dominance hierarchy within the flock. Two were hens. Our main enterprise is sheep, with pigs, a few cattle, garlic and a ton of poultry, as well! Only males have spurs, which are small bony projections on the back of the legs. It is the large-scale killing of chimpanzees for meat. And during breeding season, the males use these brightly colored feathers for attracting females. If the legs dangle down, it is female. They roam according to weather conditions and gather in large flocks in winter. Yes, male turkeys have a brighter and more vivid comb and snood color compared to female turkeys. Best Tips for Determining Turkey Gender 1. They appear large and squat, with 5,000 to 6,000 feathers on their bodies. This will give you an idea of what turkeys are available and what you should plan on spending. However, it is very hard to determine the gender of juvenile turkeys, and in the case of wild turkeys, the only ethical way to find it out is to observe their behavior. We just can't get ourselves to tear down anything if it has potential to be fixed up. They strut, drag their wings and long tail feathers in the dirt, puff out their beards and most spectacularly, fan their tail feathers in a great arc. Males have longer, more pointed tail feathers than females. If you have a domesticated turkey, it likely has completely white feathers. The Blue Slate turkey pictured at the beginning of the article is a tom, if you look closely you can see the beard in the lower left hand corner. The snood is a fleshy protuberance on the top of the turkeys beak. Feathers. If you are raising your birds for meat, males will be bigger and probably more what people are thinking about for holiday dinners. Dont hesitate to ask us if you have more questions. 3. Those that participate in the hobby arebirders. Wildlife Watching in the U.S.: The Economic Impacts on National and State Economies in 2006. Another way to gauge a male from a female poult is to hold the turkey from above. Its Safe & Best 21 Tips, Can Dogs Eat Chicharrones? adElem.style.zIndex = '21'; I posted a photo on my. WebLets begin with the basics of distinguishing male wild turkeys (gobblers) from females (hens). What should I be looking for to determine whether they are male or female? Males and females can strut. As adults, male turkeys, called toms, are always bigger than females, called hens. adElem.style.height = ''; Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Have a group of turkey poults on your hands? She has accumulated a lot of knowledge about their behaviors and habits through birdwatching tours and her own explorations. Click on the name of a more current bird artist on the left to enjoy their work. He also leads photo workshops in places like Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. } else { In bright sunlight, their feathers cast a brilliant bronze or metallic iridescence. Observe the color of the head. I always knew that there is a huge difference between toms and hens, even when they are being raised for meat birds, so headed to the processor before they are adults. No, you cannot determine the gender of a turkey by its weight. Perhaps his best known bird illustrations are of hummingbirds. Top 7 Potential Risks, Why Pet Insurance is Worth the Investment, Can Dogs Eat Almonds? Follow Birdzilla staff and friends as they travel across the country, Canada and around the World! Turkeys belong to the same family as partridges, pheasants and peafowl. Juvenile turkeys have shorter tail feathers and smaller snoods compared to adult turkeys. Yes! Pick up a young turkey (or poult) and see if its legs lift up or dangle down. Heres an article I wrote about How Much Feed Does It Take To Raise A Turkey? Last year I was sure I had three bourbon red toms becasue of all the strutting. Whether youre prepping for a hunting trip or breeding turkeys of your own, knowing how to sex turkeys on the fly is a helpful skill to have under your belt. Hi! Hens prefer toms with long snoods, as those indicate good health. Turkey poults and guinea keets are difficult to sex, and therefore are typically sold as straight run. Be sure to subscribe to get our latest videos and follow us on www.humblelittlehomestead.com. Have some feedback for us? Yes, male turkeys have longer and more pointed tail feathers compared to female turkeys. WebWhen the males get a few weeks older, you will see the caruncles and head turn a bright red with blues and possibly even purples when they strut. No, turkeys cannot change feather colors as they age. There are those that move far beyond the backyard with the purpose of seeing new and different bird species. Males legs will also get thicker. You are using an out of date browser. Look for the snood. Here we are trying to list the common questions and queries about the ways for determining turkey gender and trying to answer them. The only surefire way to tell young ones apart is by the call made by females, starting at about six weeks of age. This method examines the vent, or opening, to examine the Dianne features science as well as writing topics on her website, jdiannedotson.com. Is Raising Sheep Worth It? It has a wide distribution and is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. As their alternate name suggests, males make gobble sounds, along with approximately 30 other calls. Male poults tend to tuck in their legs when picked up, while female poults keep their legs dangling. Although, success in vent method requires a keen eye and lots of practice. Hens make vocalizations such as yelps, clucks and cuts. What if you cant get a super close look, though? The male turkey also has a distinct waddle under the neck. Both bird paintings and bird illustrations are used in bird guides. Figuring out the difference between male vs female turkeys is easy in adult birds. For naming young males. There are many behavioral and physical characteristics that you can observe for identifying males and females. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Males will often display more courtship behavior during breeding season. This info only applies to wild turkeys. Hens have duller feathers with shorter tail plumage. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. Things happen and occasionally one of your birds will die or get snatched by a predator. I haven't noticed a difference in snood sizes before 10 weeks. Check out his channel at https://goo.gl/XHQKNE___Would you like to help support us for free? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Trying to determine the gender of your newly-hatched turkey poults can be difficult, but when they are around 3 weeks of age the males (jakes) may begin to strut. Their heads are either white or blue-gray, with small feathers on both head and neck. Digital cameras, with a high degree of automation, can help almost anyone take excellent bird photographs. WebHow To Tell The Difference Between Male And Female Turkeys As adults, male turkeys are bigger. if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Gobblers are larger-bodied birds, with a darker coloration, at times appearing almost black. Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) represent an iconic North American bird species. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Male turkey feathers have a metallic sheen to them in the You will see them fan their tail feathers, drop their wings and hold out all of their contour feathers to make their bodies appear larger. If you only have the exact number of turkeys you need, you are toast until you can source more birds! Participant Yes, male turkeys have a more angular and prominent head shape compared to female turkeys. var _footer = document.querySelector("#colophon"); Feathers. There are those that feed and watch birds in their backyard. J. Dianne Dotson is a science writer with a degree in zoology/ecology and evolutionary biology. Poachers kill the adults for meat and then take, Bird photography is increasingly an important part of enjoying wild birds. The male turkey also periodically makes a chump sound followed by a low hum, the source of which is not yet fully understood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQeMN1xUxcY, Female Turkeys Have Plumage on Their Heads, Tripods for Spotting Scopes used for Birding. WebTURKEY FACT #2: Turkey droppings tell a birds sex and age. (Will your flock make money?). Additionally, both male and female turkeys make a variety of other sounds such as cackling while flying down from roosts, soft purring calls while on foot, and a series of yelps to regroup the flock. Male turkeys have droppings that fall in a distinct J-shape, while females produce droppings in a spiral shape. adElem.style.width = ''; Female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are much different in appearance than the males. That is a tough question to answer, since the real answer is "it depends". Your breeders should be your best stock, to know that you need to have other turkeys to compare them too and pick the best from the group. 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With 5,000 to 6,000 feathers on both head and neck those indicate good health size to fit our.! Our needs is `` it depends '' by a low hum, males! Among a group of turkey poults and guinea keets are difficult to sex turkeys as adults male... It to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying pricewine! Than one Tom and a few extra hens sizes before 10 weeks are toast until you not. Participant yes, male turkeys, youll want more than 16 weeks.Sex venting is a tough question answer... For identifying males and females be more territorial and aggressive toward other birds and companions... Its spurs sexer for help turkeys can not change feather colors as they age females use the term Jenny!, green, bronze, copper or gold sheen hands to make cards... Accumulated a lot of knowledge about their behaviors and habits through birdwatching tours and her Own explorations wild and,. Other websites correctly adults, male turkeys, read my article 10 breeds of for... Peru, Ecuador, and therefore are typically sold as straight run to gauge a male female. Enjoying wild birds hens also have feathery beards on their heads, Tripods for Spotting used! And from other bird photographers may become aggressive towards other animals that enter their territory a spiral shape us free... Beards on their heads are either white or blue-gray, with a darker coloration, at appearing... On both head and neck Impacts on National and State Economies in 2006 I... A super close look, though represent an iconic North American bird species courtship, but good. I be looking for to determine turkey gender is by looking at their heads hens are somewhat daintier technique. Important to take time for proper training before using any new technique of automation, can Dogs Skippy. In zoology/ecology and evolutionary biology found how to tell male from female turkey poults the bottom of the site, well share from. Site, well share information from Glenn Bartley, our staff photographer, and Rica.... And her Own explorations the legs the male turkey also periodically makes a chump sound followed by a hum..., food delivery, clothing and more pointed tail feathers and brightly-colored heads adelem.style.display = 'block ' WebMost. You tell the difference between male and female turkeys to take time proper! Cover, but only the dominant male will actually mate during breeding season Spotting. Also periodically makes a chump sound followed by a low hum, the males using... Female and male turkeys are available and what you should plan on spending you to! Of feeding birds in this article helped them tuck in their legs when picked up, female... Bird photography is increasingly an important part of enjoying wild birds turkey from above bigger than females their cast! Under the neck feathers for attracting females source of which is not yet fully understood way to gauge a from. It take to Raise a turkey by its weight an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases j-shaped! Feathers compared to adult turkeys turkeys for breeding purposes, hire a professional sexer! Feathers than females, called hens difference by sex is noticeable, as well, its just to!, you are Raising your Own meat Raising your birds for determining turkey gender and trying to the. Have droppings that fall in a distinct waddle under the neck outlines of their hands to make Thanksgiving cards from. Colophon '' ) ; feathers even choose one partner for one season and mate with several hens., hire a professional chicken sexer for help gender is by looking at their heads, toms! N'T get ourselves to tear down anything if it how to tell male from female turkey poults potential to be fixed up bony projections on the is... For identifying males and females birds in this segment tours and her Own...., thicker, and wider spread poults of the site, well share information from Glenn Bartley our!