# Sexing 6 mo old turkeys



## ahahahni1 (Sep 4, 2006)

I am trying to sex my royal palm turkeys. I have 5. One I am sure is a Tom I am not sure about the rest. One time they got soaked in the rain and i was sure that I saw the beginning of a beard on three of them. So I thought I had three toms and two hens. But I just read females could have beards too. UGH. If I have extra Toms I want to butcher them but I don't want to make a mistake. How else can I tell?

Marie


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

Post a picture here. By this age they should be able to be sexed just by looking at them I would think. The hens that get beards usually do not get them the same time as the males, but later, even their second year or even later. Look at the dewlap under their necks. The males usually have more skin, more pronounced bubbling of the skin where it blends into the neck feathers. Females somtimes have a skinny strip of feathers up the back of their heads and the males are more often completely bald. Males can have larger feet, earlier budding spurs, strut more. Males gobble, girls don't. Hope any combo of the above info helps. Still, post pics!


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Go outside and whistle loudly, the toms'll stick their necks out and gobble. The hens'll be silent or say "gulp, gulp".


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

At six months it shoud be very clear which ones are toms. none of my females have anywhere near the "jazz" that my tom does. As Cynbaeld said the toms should be gobbling up a storm by now and displaying to any stranger who dares come into their territory. Hens still have a few feathers on their head, toms should be all bald by then.

ps "Jazz" = snood, curuncles and assorted other stuff that hangs off these silly birds


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## Farmfresh (Jan 11, 2009)

I would like your sexing opinions as well. These birds are nearly 5 months old. I see no signs of strutting and puffing up like I did in my BB tom that is now in freezer heaven, yet I have had some say these are toms as well. 
Both are showing signs of a beard, however. 

What do you think?


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

I would say toms. Limited experience here, but none of my hens have snoods that big. No gobbles? I am almost sure my tom started gobbling at 5 months if not before. Do you have any hens? Maybe they only gobble for the ladies?


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## Farmfresh (Jan 11, 2009)

No these are the only two I have left. The rest were BB Bronze and have long since jumped into the freezer. I don't remember seeing them display or gobble when we had the others either. That is why I thought they were probably hens. The both do still have some small feathers on their heads as well. Very confusing. 

Perhaps they are just a couple of wimpy boys!


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## Rocktown Gal (Feb 19, 2008)

They look like toms to me.


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