Q&A for How to Sex Turkeys

Baby turkeys grow really quickly and are able to fly when they're as young as 8 to 10 days old.

Wild male turkeys are typically smaller and slimmer than domestic ones, but they share many of the same characteristics. For example, wild males have large tail fans, iridescent plumage, and the distinctive chest “beard” and snood on their faces.

While this behavior is usually associated with male turkeys, many people who keep turkeys report that females will also puff up. They’re especially inclined to do this if there are no males around, possibly as a way of establishing dominance in a group of hens.

An adult female turkey is called a hen. A young female turkey is sometimes called a jenny.

Yes, turkeys mate. Males tend to be sexually mature around 7 months, while females are not sexually mature until around 12 months to 2 years. Turkeys will mate with multiple partners, as they are polygamous. The breeding season occurs around the end of winter, early spring in warmer climates and a little later where it’s colder. You will see a lot of displays from the males when it’s mating season, the most obvious signs of which include the fanning of their tails, making many gobble gobble sounds, and their wattles and snood turning bright red.

In a nutshell, male turkeys tend to be more brightly colored than female turkeys, as this helps them to stay safer in the environment when caring for their young. The male tends to have no head feathers, just a brightly colored head, while the female has feathers on the head. Male turkeys tend to fan their tails, while female turkeys will not do so, preferring to keep their tail down. For explanations of these features and more to help you tell the difference, check out the detailed steps above.

The beard is always present in males (toms). It is not prevalent in females, although up to 20 percent of female turkeys do grow a beard. If the female does grow a beard, it’ll be much smaller than the one grown by a male turkey. Although we don’t really know yet what the purpose of a turkey beard is, it is thought that it might relate to display and act as an encouragement to female turkeys to choose a mate. If that’s the case, the beards on any female turkeys are redundant.

Both male and female turkeys are eaten, there is usually no preference shown by producers. Male turkeys, also known as toms, tend to grow larger than female turkeys, so may be pefeed when a larger size is needed.

A turkey can only hatch an egg if they are broody and fertilized by a male turkey (tom). Broody means the turkey is interested in becoming a mother to baby chicks and is willing to incubate/sit on eggs. If you do not possess any broody turkeys, then you will need an artificial incubator.

Yes! Males (stags) will fight for dominance, as do males in most animal species. Although they can get along peacefully, they will also kill each other, with the dominant pecking the head of the subdued and tearing the back of the neck out. It's an instinctive trait as turkeys are part of the vulture family and behave just as viciously.

Generally around January to February.

A turkey lays about two eggs per week.

Yes, you can eat turkey eggs. They are much firmer and the shells are much harder than chicken eggs, but they taste the same. You can eat almost any bird egg. A turkey will produce 1 egg every 2-3 days.

Yes, they will just be infertile.

Find yourself a reliable breeder or ask a local farmer.

Yes, they are actually very territorial.

Turkeys start laying eggs after about 5 months, but turkeys don't have their first cycle until more than two months later.

Jakes will have spurs ranging from just a bump to 1/2 inch long in the spring. By the time gobblers mature at two years old, most will have 3/4-to 1-inch spurs that are pointed, or coming to a point. Beyond the second year, spur growth is so variable that using spur length to age older toms is not very reliable. Spurs on toms seldom exceed 1 1/2 inches, but rare trophies have sported 2 inch spurs.

Try going to a hardware store or a pet supply store.

Her breast will appear swollen or like a big lump, which is her egg.

Males tend to be more territorial and protective.

No. females will have color, although it is much duller. You can easily tell adult turkeys apart because the males head is much brighter, and can have different color heads.

Yes. Mine have been together since they all came home as chicks. The turkeys tend to be very protective of the flock, which is nice. My Bourbons do want a higher place to roost than the chickens do, so you may want to provide higher roosting places for the turkeys and lower ones for the chickens.

Most turkeys that you buy for commercial purposes will come from professional turkey breeders that are skilled at sexing their birds. The turkeys you buy should be sexed by the seller already. However, you can look at the turkey's vents to verify the sexing is correct.

Turkeys are omnivores, so in the wild, they eat leaves, grasses, fruits, berries, seeds, and insects.

You could put them in a separate pens and runs. But it is completely normal for turkeys that are siblings to mate, so that is an option too.

They can lay up to 100 eggs per year. They have nests of around 10-12 eggs.