Question about Narragansett Turkey Chicks

[wcstory]

All the interventions and treatment programs have failed........our chicken addiction spread to turkeys.

Last Saturday we became to proud parents of two Narragansett Turkey chicks.

These two a are complete hams for attention. They love to be held and are particularly fond of being in a dish towel on your lap. They alternate between curling up in the towel getting pet and snuggling up in the crook of your arm. Don't worry we are keeping them plenty warn and limiting their time away from the brooder. One of the two is rather fond of curling up under the collar of my work shirts, but this has ....umm issues.

We've been noticing a tuft of knot forming just above the beak in their crown. Do we have the makings of two toms?

 

[frank53061]

Those are called snoods and it maybe a little early to tell because all turkeys have snoods.
In some to most the snoods will grow faster and get bigger in Toms.
Now that I have my new flock of Red Bourbons I find my self soaking up as much information as I can.
I have read that the shape of the head can be a indicator of the sex if I remember right the Toms have more of a blocky head were as the Hens have a tapperd elongated not a big difference but that's what I have read.

Best of luck with your new Poults.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have a small flock of Buff Orpington pullets, but I love turkeys. And the Narragansett Turkey has always been a personal favorite of mine.

Be a little careful of the freedoms that you allow of your poults....if they know that you will hold them as chicks, they will expect the same treatment when they reach their grown weight. Having a 30 pound turkey jumping into your lap everytime that you sit down outside could be comical to say the least.

When my small flocks were little I would take them around the yard and show them where the miller moths could be found, introduce them to grasshoppers, how to scratch away the lawn clippings in the garden to find worms, or what the choicest grasses were to eat. They followed me everywhere like a little band of puppy dogs.

DANG I miss having turkeys.

 

[wcstory]

Be a little careful of the freedoms that you allow of your poults....if they know that you will hold them as chicks, they will expect the same treatment when they reach their grown weight. Having a 30 pound turkey jumping into your lap everytime that you sit down outside could be comical to say the least.

Too late they're spoiled!

I have to work to get them out from under my chin or collar. The get put back down and just rush back. Being home for a week with a messed up back hasn't helped. Nothing to do but alternate between sitting, standing and stretching. Guess who I had keeping me company.

Besides I'm used to it we have Maine Coon Cats. The 2 year old "baby" is 23 pounds and likes to try and sleep around your neck like a travel pillow. Take a guess who taught the critters to be shoulder drapes

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I am so jealous that you have baby turkeys.

Very nice.

 

[NonnasBabies]

I hatched out 31 Narragansetts and they all had little snoods. So did the Blue Slates & Rio Grandes! I think they will just get bigger as they grow and much bigger if there males!! I'm new to turkeys though!!

 

[Lagerdogger]

Yes, the snoods ar normal. And so is the friendly behavior, although my turkey poults this year avoid me like the plague. OI'm not sure what I did wrong. It may be that I am unable to spend as much time with them as normal. The older ones teach the younger ones to run away. So sad!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I get a kick out of the little tom's when they set their wings and do their little strut.

Keep us posted on photos as they grow up and get bigger.

 

[wcstory]

Any way of sexing at this age?

The funny thing is the third chick in the picture is a chicken that hatched with a problem leg. The leg has long since worked it's self out, but mother and daughter continue to baby it. The two Narrigansetts and Forrest Gump have formed their own flock.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I used to be able to tell the toms from the hens...head shape. If you look real cose the males have a thicker heavier looking head while the hens have a finer narrower head. It takes a bit of practise, I would band all my toms with blue and the hens with red and then wait to see how well I did. Over time I got to be very accurate in identifying the two sexes. The differences are very subtle. The best way is to wait for the toms to start strutting...the little toms will start this behavior once they are all feathered out.

If they imprint on you, they will come running to you when ever you enter the yard. Once they reach you and stop running that's when the toms will set their little wings and strut. It is simply the dangdest thing to watch.

Keep us posted...