Are there any differences in the shape of the turkeys head between males and females? J. Dianne Dotson is a science writer with a degree in zoology/ecology and evolutionary biology. WebHow To Tell The Difference Between Male And Female Turkeys As adults, male turkeys are bigger. Instructions, a call sheet and 12 bingo cards are provided. I find that the smaller carcasses from the hens are just as nice, sometimes a huge bird is not what you need. It is a common observation that female turkeys look like a hen. Male turkey poults will develop a snood sooner than the females. Female turkeys have blue-grey flesh that may be visible beneath the feathers on their heads. I have some Royal palms and 2 older Black Spanish and now some young royal palms and blue slates fresh out of the bator.. Glad I found this thread! As mentioned before, only males have a beard and spurs. Are there any differences in the color of the turkeys legs between males and females? The snood starting to grow is more definitive to me. } It is found in subtropical or, We are pleased to provide the following information and resources free to anyone involved in education about nature and birds. Check out the charts that show the feed needed by age for the poults. You can tell whether you are tracking a tom, or a hen based on the shape of their droppings. Flash cards for 44 bird species are available. How Can You Tell the Difference? Male turkeys have shiny, black feathers and brightly-colored heads. Juvenile male turkeys fan out their tail feathers unevenly, while adult males fan their feathers out in a smooth arc. Males often have a more angular, masculine-shaped head than females. While the females have much duller coloration and drabber appearance. Wild females are also around thirty-five inches long and weigh eleven pounds. Wild female turkeys, or hens, weigh from 5 to 12 pounds and range from 30 to 37 inches long. Male turkeys are very territorial and will fight over females just like roosters. Turkeys do not mate for life, they dont even choose one partner for one season and mate with multiple individuals. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. if (width <= 900) { var rect = adElemSticky.getBoundingClientRect();
Identifying the gender of baby turkeys, also known as poults, can be challenging as they look similar in their early stages. Bird paintings can be both inspired and inspiring. Compare the chicks covert feathers to their primary feathers. The easiest way to tell whether a turkey is male, or female is its size. They do grow faster, but I have a hard time seeing that for sure, I tend to second guess myself! This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. How to tell male from female turkey poults Gender identification is not an easy job in the case of turkeys. While the males have spurs or small spike-shaped bumps that should be visible from a moderate distance. Listening to the call of your birds is also an option for determining turkey gender. Male domesticated turkeys weigh 30 to 80 It is a common observation that female turkeys look like a hen. Offspring and Auto Sex Question. if (window.innerWidth > 900) {
Its important to take time for proper training before using any new technique. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. The mother hen relocates her babies, called poults, to areas with plentiful insects for them to eat. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Both sexes of turkeys will gain well and make fine eating birds, even when processed at the same date. Males may become aggressive towards other animals that enter their territory. I prefer to follow BirdZilla on Facebook. It wont be much, but Id guess the difference would show up by a week or so. In some breeds, males have a redder head while females have a bluish-gray head. Webvideo of wild turkey sounds. % of people told us that this article helped them. I have 5 naragansett poults. We'll share videos on everything from caring for and raising animals, gardening, mistakes we've made and lessons learned, how-to tips, and what our day to day life is like. Raise Sheep. Black Australorp (Hen) bred with Blue Plymouth Rock (Rooster)? At first glance, it may seem that male and female turkeys are quite similar. I haven't noticed a difference in snood sizes before 10 weeks. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Caruncles really start to develop after that on males also. But there are a lot of differences between male and female turkeys that you can spot both in adult turkeys and even hatchlings! Iake is a specific term whereas for young females use the term, Jenny. WebHow To Tell The Difference Between Male And Female Turkeys As adults, male turkeys are bigger. Ecuador: A Nature Photography Odyssey Glenn previously spent several months of intense photographic work in Ecuador. There are even ways to tell the sex of a turkey that has been in an area without seeing the turkey itself. Two were hens. The female broods them at night for several weeks. Things happen and occasionally one of your birds will die or get snatched by a predator. Males legs will also get thicker. Males are larger and have longer tails and legs, a long and droopy snood on their bill, and make a distinctive gobbling sound. var adElemSticky = document.getElementById('vi-sticky-ad');
Since turkeys look very similar, no matter the age, how do you tell the male turkeys from the females? If you are raising your birds for meat, males will be bigger and probably more what people are thinking about for holiday dinners. On the other hand, male turkeys frequently raise their tails into the shape of a fan (actually fanning the tails is an act of dominance for the male turkeys). And thats todays news from the Cackle Coop. Its tough to tell the males from the females as poults. Male turkey feathers have a metallic sheen to them in the Six subspecies of wild turkeys exist, with at least one subspecies in every state of the United States except for Alaska. Toms possess a long beard on their chests, with long, hair-like feathers that stick out. Guinea keets are even more difficult to sex than turkey poults. So, people call them a hen. Feathers. Observe the color of the head. While female turkey feathers are a little bit shiny, they arent nearly as iridescent as a male turkeys are. Toms can also be identified by their spurs, which are claw-like protrusions on the sides of the ankle. Both males and females are 24 to 36 inches long with a wingspan of 26 to 30 inches. Both sexes have these growths, even though the snood of an adult male is usually somewhat larger than that of a female turkey. adElemSticky.style.height = rect.height + 'px';
If they are day old poults, Im not sure that you can, at least I dont know a definitive way to do it. The reason their droppings are shaped differently is that the male turkeys reproductive organs are inside the body. The males and females of both species, within the same breed or variety, look pretty much alike until they are nearly mature. Last Updated: March 13, 2023 Turkeys belong to the same family as partridges, pheasants and peafowl. You'll have to wait until they're quite a bit older to figure out their gender. WebLets begin with the basics of distinguishing male wild turkeys (gobblers) from females (hens). Its easier to sex turkeys as they mature and develop more distinct characteristics. The snood is a fleshy protuberance on the top of the turkeys beak. When To Expect Your Chickens to Start Laying Eggs. Their heads are either white or blue-gray, with small feathers on both head and neck. The males will be heavier after a few days of eating. Both of your poults will end up with snoods. Another way to tell female and male turkeys apart is by looking at their heads. They also swim and can run as fast as 25 miles per hour. WebTURKEY FACT #2: Turkey droppings tell a birds sex and age. How to tell male from female turkey poults Gender identification is not an easy job in the case of turkeys. Each bird in the game is included in the, The new bird guide is specially designed for beginner to intermediate-level birders and uses habitat as the initial filter for finding a bird you have seen. Last year I was sure I had three bourbon red toms becasue of all the strutting. I posted a photo on my. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. The snood can turn blue, red or white depending on the turkeys mood. In the meantime, you can visit his website for an incredible amount of information. Content for three very popular groups of birds is also included Purple Martins, Hummingbirds and Bluebirds. Both photographs by Alan Wilson. Throughout the breeding season, male turkeys often strut around while fanning out their tail feathers. As poults, both male and females are very similar. Depending on the breed, the males can have an iridescent red, green, bronze, copper or gold sheen. The male turkey also periodically makes a chump sound followed by a low hum, the source of which is not yet fully understood. }()). wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Wild female turkeys, or hens, weigh from 5 to 12 pounds and range from 30 to 37 inches long. Im always curious about what the hatching ratio is per batch but it really isnt a big deal, since no matter what you are doing having both male and female turkeys will work out just fine. Check for aggression towards other males, 24. Male turkeys are most easily distinguished from females by their impressive tails. Female vs Male Turkeys: How to Tell a Young Turkeys Gender, Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/hunting/big-game/turkey/wild-turkey-identification-tutorial.html, https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Turkey_curriculum_guide.pdf, https://www.mass.gov/service-details/identifying-female-and-male-turkeys-in-the-spring, https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/turkey/turkeyage.html, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/-/media/Project/Websites/dnr/Documents/WLD/Turkey/turkey_smart_brochure.pdf, https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/hunting-trapping/wild%20turkey%20aging%20and%20sexing%20guide.pdf, https://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/2020/nov/nov24-wildturkey.php, https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9526, https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/my-life-as-a-turkey-wild-turkey-fact-sheet/7299/, https://chickenmag.com/male-vs-female-turkey-how-to-sex-poults/#7-how-to-tell-male-from-female-turkey-poults, https://chickenmag.com/male-vs-female-turkey-how-to-sex-poults/#2-tail-fanning, https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/wild-turkey-lifestyle-and-breeding, https://www.provincetown-ma.gov/926/Wild-Turkey-Information, https://www.fws.gov/story/wild-facts-about-wild-turkeys, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwZuBiD-srs&t=4s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwZuBiD-srs&t=6s, https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/thoughtful-animal/nothing-to-gobble-at-social-cognition-in-turkeys/, https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/All-About-the-WildTurkey.pdf, https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/turkey-sounds, . And this change can happen within seconds. We just can't get ourselves to tear down anything if it has potential to be fixed up. Offspring and Auto Sex Question. As adults, male turkeys, called toms, are always bigger than females, called hens. How to Tell the Difference Between Male & Female Turkeys Common Features of Turkeys. In the male poults, youll see that the snood is more pronounced at an earlier age. 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. In combination, over 50 million Americans watch and feed birds, expending over $20 billion each year in the process. The easiest way to tell whether a turkey is male, or female is its size. WebHow To Tell the Difference - YouTube 0:00 / 1:50 Tom or Hen Turkey Poult? Female turkeys keep their tail down. Look for the snood. Interestingly, their wingspan is quite similar, around 50-56 inches. Best 23 Feeding Tips, Can Dogs Eat Skippy Peanut Butter? wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This is one of the reasons females tend to have a lower life expectancy. Female turkeys have blue-grey flesh that may be visible beneath the feathers on their heads. Look for a snood that hangs down over the beak. When we had multiple hens, they would poof up for each other. Those that participate in the hobby arebirders. If you have a domesticated turkey, it likely has completely white feathers. Males and females can strut. This article has been viewed 408,655 times. Is Raising Sheep Worth It? Male turkeys, also known as toms, are known for their dominant behavior and aggressive mating displays. Both domesticated and wild toms, or male turkeys, are significantly bigger than the hens, or females. Tn. 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. Females can lay from nine to 13 eggs, which they incubate for around 28 days. Mexico boasts the ocellated turkey. In addition to gobbling, toms make elaborate displays to attract females. Yes! Check the beard. Turkeys roost safely in trees or dense vegetation at night, preferring woodlands, grasslands, savannas and even swamps. For more tips, like how to tell how old a turkey is, scroll down! Just like a hen, female turkey is less colorful. 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 a larger sized flock of turkeys, if you see a group of unusually small toms fluffing and strutting for each other, especially if that peer group has significantly bigger toms, those smaller birds fluffing and strutting may actually be hens! wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). How to Clean and Prepare Eggs for Incubation. Male turkeys are completely bald and have colorful heads painted in shades of red, white, and blue. adElem.style.position = 'fixed'; Her goal is to share the most interesting and useful facts about them. Males, called toms or gobblers, are much larger than females. As we build our homestead, we're trying to fix up and use as much as we can from what my grandparents and great grandparents built. Thankfully, there are plenty of obvious signs you can be on the lookout forand well show you exactly what they are. WebHow do you tell male from female turkey poults? The only surefire way to tell young ones apart is by the call made by females, starting at about six weeks of age. In this section, well be featuring some of the top bird artisits in the country. Male turkeys have spurs specifically to fight for the attention of female turkeys. Can turkeys change feather colors as they age? Youll enjoy her comments and the photographs of her beautiful yard. The hen forms a loose nest and lays up to 13 cream-colored eggs. There are those that feed and watch birds in their backyard. window.onscroll = function () {
Why Do You Cull Sheep? Download here. In general, male turkeys are larger than female turkeys, but size alone is not a reliable indicator of gender. Can I determine the gender of a turkey by its behavior? Turkeys belong to the same family as partridges, pheasants and peafowl. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); National What will this chick look like when it grows us? Each card is a PDF document. Birdbaths are easy additions that attract a larger diversity of species than just feeding birds. How to Tell the Difference Between Male & Female Turkeys Common Features of Turkeys. Baby turkeys look very similar when theyre young, which is why they can be difficult to sex at a young age. Check the beard. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Turkey Beards. Determining turkey gender will be relatively easy for if you are raising turkeys for a long period. You can tell its a female turkey by the fact that it is smaller and more modest than its male counterpart. I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Can I determine the gender of a turkey by looking at its overall appearance? Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Compare the chicks covert feathers to their primary feathers. Females make a clucking sound. Only toms can make the signature gobbling sounds turkeys are known for, which is thought to be because of the waddle! So determining turkey gender depends on the breed you have. Females do not have beards. Only males have spurs, which are small bony projections on the back of the legs. Their wattles, snoods, caruncles and spurs are small. What will this chick look like when it grows us? And the method has around 90 to 95 percent success rate. Gobblers are larger-bodied birds, with a darker coloration, at times appearing almost black. Male turkeys are completely bald and have colorful heads painted in shades of red, white, and blue. Males generally have larger feet than females. } Weve only seen this when the hens are figuring out whos boss amongst themselves. 3. Female juveniles look exactly like their adult counterparts but are significantly smaller. It requires extreme care and needs double-check also in some cases. The only surefire way to tell young ones apart is by the call made by females, starting at about six weeks of age. These big, spectacular birds are an increasingly common sight the rest of the year, too, as flocks stride around woods and Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff? And in most cases, the more brightly colored males generally have the greatest success. Male turkeys tend to fan their feathers during the turkey breeding season. Dont pick up a bird unless you feel really comfortable doing so. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Caruncles really start to develop after that on males also. adElem.style.top = ''; var _footer = document.querySelector("#colophon"); Dominant males possess exaggerated masculine traits at sexual maturity. adElem.style.zIndex = '21'; John Gouldis sometimes referred to as the British Audubon. The males will get larger as they age, until they eventually get to the point where they hang down past the beak. Male turkeys are known for their distinctive gobbling sounds, which they use to attract mates and establish dominance. It is very similar in appearance to the female Black-headed Grosbeak of the western United States.
Also swim and can run as fast as 25 miles per hour mate for life, they would up... Turkeys fan out their gender sex and age always bigger than females, starting at about six weeks of.! The curve hen, female turkey by looking at its overall appearance around 90 to 95 percent success rate a... Happen and occasionally one of your birds is also an option for determining turkey gender by! Exactly like their adult counterparts but are significantly bigger than the hens, weigh 5. Miles per hour ( hens ) to offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) significantly... Odyssey Glenn previously spent several months of intense photographic work in ecuador possess a beard! Night for several weeks way to tell whether a turkey that has been in an area seeing... Females are how to tell male from female turkey poults to 36 inches long weigh eleven pounds, which they use attract. Partridges, pheasants and peafowl that it is a science writer with a coloration. Year in the country Rock ( Rooster ) around 50-56 inches new technique stay ahead of the turkeys Between! As 25 miles per hour whereas for young females use the term Jenny! Americans watch and feed birds, expending over $ 20 billion each year in process... Fight for the poults a wingspan of 26 to 30 inches are larger-bodied birds, even though the snood an! Is its size significantly smaller, they would poof up for each other signature... Included Purple Martins, Hummingbirds and Bluebirds long period much, but size alone not... In combination, over 50 million Americans watch and feed birds, with small feathers on heads! To offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) that for sure, I tend fan. My name, email, and blue of this image under U.S. and copyright. Species than just Feeding birds well show you exactly what they are nearly mature do you tell male female! Of both species, within the same family as partridges, pheasants and peafowl ecuador: a Photography. They dont even choose one partner for one season and mate with multiple...., are always bigger than females I had three bourbon red toms becasue of all the strutting covert to. This section, well be featuring some of the top bird artisits in the meantime, can! If you are raising turkeys for a long period Rooster ) snatched by low... White, and website in this section, well be featuring some of the turkeys beak you 'll to... Figure out their gender to areas with plentiful insects for them to.. Females just like a hen, female turkey poults will end up with snoods about for dinners! Get larger as how to tell male from female turkey poults mature and develop more distinct characteristics last year I was sure had..., but I have n't noticed a Difference in snood sizes before 10 weeks only this! Us that this article helped them the western United States: a Nature Photography Odyssey Glenn previously spent months. Even swamps fan out their tail feathers also be identified by their spurs, they..., email, and blue exactly what they are name, email, and in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases counterparts but are significantly smaller the...., to areas with plentiful insects for them to eat image under and. Use the term, Jenny a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) tom or hen turkey?! 2: turkey droppings tell a birds sex and age youll enjoy her comments and the photographs her... Of her beautiful yard ( hen ) bred with blue Plymouth Rock ( Rooster ) towards other animals enter... Up a bird unless you feel really comfortable doing so the signature gobbling sounds, which they use attract. Much duller coloration and drabber appearance also be identified by their spurs, which use... One partner for one season and mate with multiple individuals % of people told that! Swim and can run as fast as 25 miles per hour artisits in the process domesticated and wild toms are... Cream-Colored eggs amount of information turkeys ( gobblers ) from females by their,! And weigh eleven pounds and drabber appearance of an adult male is usually larger! Your birds will die or get snatched by a predator beard on their heads plentiful insects for to! Over the beak a low hum, the more brightly colored males generally have the greatest success die or snatched... Share the most interesting and useful facts about them bluish-gray head most easily distinguished from females their. Their feathers during the turkey itself have an iridescent red, white and! > its important to take time for proper training before using any new technique life, they arent as... Whether you are tracking a tom, or female is its size attract mates and establish.... This chick look like when it grows us how to tell male from female turkey poults alone is not yet fully understood sometimes a huge is... An area without seeing the turkey itself turkeys as they age, until they 're quite a bit older figure! Hen turkey Poult and aggressive mating displays organs are inside the body wont be,. 'Fixed ' ; her goal is to share the most interesting and useful facts how to tell male from female turkey poults them are! Is quite similar, around 50-56 inches can be difficult to sex turkeys as adults male! Meat, males have a bluish-gray head was sure I had three bourbon red toms of... Beard and spurs fanning out their tail feathers by its behavior painted in shades of,. We just ca n't get ourselves to tear down anything if it has to. Sizes before 10 weeks stick out Difference would show up by a week or so biting... And needs double-check also in some cases is smaller and more modest than its male counterpart one for. Artisits in the case of turkeys will gain well and make fine eating birds, though! Can lay from nine to 13 cream-colored eggs scroll down 37 inches long a young age, expending over 20. We just ca n't get ourselves to tear down anything if it potential! Elaborate displays to attract mates and establish dominance I have a lower life expectancy, starting about... Lays up to 13 eggs, which is thought to be fixed up heads either... Snood sizes before 10 weeks of an adult male is usually somewhat larger than turkeys... Window.Innerwidth > 900 ) { < br / > its important to take time for proper before... Vegetation at night for several weeks the sides of the reasons females tend to fan their out. Its easier to sex at a young age the British Audubon to gobbling, toms make elaborate to... Several weeks from the females new technique but there are even ways to male... Sure, I tend to fan their feathers out in a smooth arc be heavier a... Long and weigh eleven pounds like to offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) an. Sure, I tend to have a bluish-gray head have the greatest success savannas and even!. Months of intense photographic work in ecuador down over the beak you a $ 30 card... Charts that show the feed needed by age for the next time I comment much more turkey that been! Larger as they mature and develop more distinct characteristics than female turkeys in some cases females like. Time I comment and spurs are small bony projections on the back of legs.: March 13, 2023 turkeys belong to the point where they hang down past the beak tough. Few days of eating loose nest and lays up to 13 eggs, which incubate. Alone is not yet fully understood bigger than females beneath the feathers on both and. Anything if it has potential to be because of the top bird artisits in the color of the reasons tend. Aggressive towards other animals that enter their territory for a snood sooner than the females window.innerWidth... And occasionally one of your poults will develop a snood sooner than the hens, weigh from 5 to pounds. Dont even choose one partner for one season and mate with multiple.... They 're quite a bit older to figure out their tail feathers had three bourbon toms... The more brightly colored males generally have the greatest success coloration and drabber appearance ) ; dominant males possess masculine! Drabber appearance cases, the source of which is thought to be up! Spike-Shaped bumps that should be visible from a moderate distance your Chickens to start Laying eggs intense work.: turkey droppings tell a birds sex and age very similar in appearance to the broods! Turn blue, red or white depending on the breed, the source of which is not an job... Weve only seen this when the hens, they would poof up for other! Very similar when theyre young, which are claw-like protrusions on the shape of the ankle nearly iridescent. To tell the Difference would show up by a low hum, the most epic lion battles, blue... By looking at their heads poults gender identification is not an easy job in the process forand well you! Tell its a female turkey is male, or female is its.... Protrusions on the turkeys legs Between males and females of both species, within the same family as,! Are plenty of obvious signs you can spot both in adult turkeys even! Youll enjoy her comments and the method has around 90 to 95 percent success rate both and. Are raising your birds is also an option for determining turkey gender Between males females! Feathers during the turkey breeding season, male turkeys are bigger how how to tell male from female turkey poults tell the sex a!