Sexing Turkeys?

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Ok so being new to turkeys somewhat, I base ther sex on behavior.
I have 4. They’re all 6wks old. I’m being told what you can’t sex them accurately until 6mos. But their behavior is suggesting their sex already.

All but 1, and that one may have, strut around at times.
The one bronze for sure did that. (Especially when I would talk to them w their sounds or use my Turkey call.)
Then the 2nd started.
Yesterday we had to separate the 2 bronze as they were fighting.

A few nights ago one of the white ones even gobbled.
What I’ve just read, which is what I thought, only males gobble. That’s why they’re called gobblers.

And while I’m new to raising turkeys, I’ve been around them growing up. Never did the female strut, or gobble. Only the male did.

@R2elk could you help out?

 

[Molpet]

I have had poults that were strutting young and turned out to be female.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

I have had poults that were strutting young and turned out to be female.

See what I read just a bit ago states that f they’re strutting before 6wks they’re males. The females usually strut afterwards.

 

[Molpet]

See what I read just a bit ago states that f they’re strutting before 6wks they’re males. The females usually strut afterwards.

Apparently mine didn't get the memo

 

[R2elk]

Ok so being new to turkeys somewhat, I base their sex on behavior.
I have 4. They’re all 6wks old. I’m being told what you can’t sex them accurately until 6mos. But their behavior is suggesting their sex already.

All but 1, and that one may have, strut around at times.
The one bronze for sure did that. (Especially when I would talk to them w their sounds or use my Turkey call.)
Then the 2nd started.
Yesterday we had to separate the 2 bronze as they were fighting.

A few nights ago one of the white ones even gobbled.
What I’ve just read, which is what I thought, only males gobble. That’s why they’re called gobblers.

And while I’m new to raising turkeys, I’ve been around them growing up. Never did the female strut, or gobble. Only the male did.

@R2elk could you help out?

Attentive people who know what they are looking for can often identify the sex of their poults at a very early age. Some of the clues are physical and some are behavioral.

What I tell people is that sex ID from photos requires that the poults be at least 3 months old and even better if they are 6 months old. Identifying their sex from photos is not the same as watching them in person, especially if you have both sexes to compare against.each other, it is possible at much younger ages.

A brief tell is that at 2 months old the males will grow their wattle. The hens will follow soon and catch up so it is only a brief determiner.

Both toms and hens can and do strut.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16580628

Fighting at a young age is often more about pecking order position than it is about sex. Both toms and hens will fight over their position and they will even fight each other.

I have read claims of hens gobbling but have never heard any of my hens gobbling. Last year was the first I ever heard one of my poults attempt to gobble at 2 months old. I have read of people claiming that much younger poults have gobbled for them. I am skeptical of those claims and wonder if they know what a gobble sounds like.

Toms and hens have different shaped heads right from the time they are hatched. I have correctly sexed my own poults when I take them out of the hatcher. I can't do this sexing them from photos.

 

[R2elk]

See what I read just a bit ago states that f they’re strutting before 6wks they’re males. The females usually strut afterwards.

@OneMountainAcres had a days old poult strutting in the brooder that is a confirmed hen. Strutting at a young age is more of a pecking order thing than a sex thing.

 

[R2elk]

See what I read just a bit ago states that f they’re strutting before 6wks they’re males. The females usually strut afterwards.

You can find lots of false information on the Internet no matter what the subject is.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

The males tend to have more of a square shaped head, more pronounced eye sockets and thicker legs. At least that's been the case with my Narragansetts and so far I've been correct 21 out of the past 22. The females strutted nearly as often as the males, so that was no indication at all.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

@OneMountainAcres had a days old poult strutting in the brooder that is a confirmed hen. Strutting at a young age is more of a pecking order thing than a sex thing.

Yes, Princess was strutting at 1 day old. She grew up to be a definite hen

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

You can find lots of false information on the Internet no matter what the subject is.

LOL Well that is definitely true. Which is why I came here to ask from people who have raised them.