Turkey Poult Questions - (Sexing, Care, etc)

[Molpet]

There are the ones who like cilantro and those that it tastes like soap to.

Grapefruit too, I know it can't taste like I think because they would burn all the orchards

 

[R2elk]

Grapefruit too, I know it can't taste like I think because they would burn all the orchards

There is a huge difference between a store bought grapefruit and a tree ripened grapefruit.

 

[ThistlePatch]

We bought 5 broad breasted 2 years ago. This year (last week in fact) we bought 5 Blue Slate turkeys. From the research I did I figured they were the best bird breed for us this time around. I am curious about if we have at least 1 Tom and 2 hens though. We loved turkeys before, we had 4 toms and 1 hen. Our largest tom was almost 50 pounds! Crazy insane! But we do happen to like eating turkey so.... they are so fun to watch wandering around the yard. We really miss the gobbles too. Nothing like our first year with a house full of people eating turkey and hearing next year's dinner gobble at you from outside.

 

[All4Eggz]

One of them did disappear a few weeks ago and I’m assuming the one that’s left is a tom?
Is it too early to sex with photos?

Is it common for them to get a burst of energy and start chasing people?

He’s usually fine and walks up to me and lets me pet him but sometimes he just starts running after me and it seems like he’s trying to attack me.

 

[R2elk]

He’s usually fine and walks up to me and lets me pet him but sometimes he just starts running after me and it seems like he’s trying to attack me.

Pretty common with a turkey that was human imprinted as a poult. Getting older and trying to establish its place in the pecking order. As far as it is concerned people are just strange looking turkeys to be treated the same as any other turkeys.

 

[Isadora]

One of them did disappear a few weeks ago and I’m assuming the one that’s left is a tom?
Is it too early to sex with photos?

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Is it common for them to get a burst of energy and start chasing people?

He’s usually fine and walks up to me and lets me pet him but sometimes he just starts running after me and it seems like he’s trying to attack me.

Actually looks like a female to me but I'm no expert.

 

[All4Eggz]

Actually looks like a female to me but I'm no expert.

That would be great because then I’d be able to keep her with no problems… right?

 

[All4Eggz]

Observe, observe, observe.

It is easier to see the differences if you have both sexes to compare against each other.

Starting at about 3 months and usually by 6 months old they can often be sexed from photos.

Toms tend to start developing their wattle at 2 months old but the hens will soon catch up to them.

Hens will have a "mohawk" of feathers up the back of their neck and on top of their head.

Toms will end up completely bald with only a few hairs on their head.

Toms will have bigger caruncles, heavier legs and bigger bodies.

Eventually the tom's snood will be able to swell and hang down inches below the beak When they fully retract their snoods, they will form int o cone rather than the "J" shape of a hen's.

Is this considered a mohawk of feathers?

 

[Isadora]

That would be great because then I’d be able to keep her with no problems… right?

Not necessarily. there was someone on here just recently complaining about their lone turkey hen attacking them... just speculation on my part, but seems likely due to lack of friends (and/or imprinting or being very friendly with humans while small) and not being able to mate.

 

[R2elk]

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Is this considered a mohawk of feathers?

Yes, trouble is both sexes have it until the toms are old enough to go bald.