Many farmers who start breeding domestic birds are interested in how to distinguish a turkey from a turkey. This is a very important question, since sex marks directly affect the characteristics of the bird's keeping.

Farmers have developed several methods for specifying gender. The only drawback they all have is that none of them is capable of giving a 100% result. It is possible to distinguish the sex of a domestic turkey only experimentally, in adulthood.

How to determine the sex of chicks

At the initial stage of chick breeding, the farmer should know how to determine the exact sex of newborn turkey chicks immediately after hatching. The easiest and most accurate way to find out the sex of turkeys in the first days of life is by their genitals. For this purpose, the chick's cloaca is carefully stretched, the farmer looks through the genitals of the feathered. In a day-old turkey, they are red paired, in a female, they are different and are two folds connected in the middle. This method gives absolutely accurate results, with experience and skill, it allows you to distinguish a boy and a girl in the turkey family.

Turkey chicks

Determining the sex of day-old turkeys

Also, poultry farmers use the proven folk method of specifying the sex by feathering the wings. When the wing of the chick opens, its framing looks: if the edge is even, then the male, if the uneven, the female.

External differences will help to distinguish a male from a turkey at the age of 1-2 days. Males are larger in size, males have a powerful naked neck, large corals in the form of cones stand out on it. The turkey has plumage on its neck, the size of the corals is smaller. This method is most relevant when the chicks are one week old. When do turkey poults start to grow corals? Fully corals on a powerful neck and large head are formed in chicks at the age of 2-3 months. During this period, the chicks begin to weaken, require increased care and attention.

Sex determination at weekly, monthly age

At the age of one week, only the Japanese method of gender determination is suitable, by genitals, when the farmer examines everyone. It gives the most accurate results.

What do monthly turkeys look like? A yellow-bellied chick at this age weighs no more than 1,300 g.

Outwardly, the male differs slightly from the female, therefore, the farmer looks at the acquired monthly turkey poults for sex determination by the length of the feathers on the wings, by the cloaca.

On a note!How to distinguish a turkey from a turkey at 2 months old? To make such an analysis at this age is quite simple, because the sexual characteristics are clearly manifested. At this time, a visible leathery fold on the neck and legs is formed in the male representative, which is simply absent in the female. The toes and feet of males are larger than those of gentle females. A well-developed neck with minimal feathering and large legs are the main features that are clearly visible in males at this age. Knowing all the differences between chicks at different ages, the poultry breeder will have the skills to determine the age of turkeys.

Differences for determining the sex of a turkey

How to tell a gander from a goose

Before sex determination, the farmer must decide on the method. There are several signs on how to determine the gender of turkeys:

  • Overall length and the presence of a characteristic mark on the plumage;
  • Nuances of behavior;
  • The structure of the scallop, the presence of a pronounced beard and developed spurs;
  • Total weight of an adult.

In the first month, males have small beards, their feathers are stiffer, the beak is larger and larger than that of young turkeys. The weight of the male is greater than the female. Tail feathers in boys grow and develop at a rapid pace. You can also clarify the sex by the rate of growth and development of an individual: boys increase their total mass faster, turkeys grow and develop a little more slowly.

Differences for determining the sex of a turkey

Along the length of the feathers on the wings

By the length of the feathers on the wings, the sexual characteristics of the chick are determined. Moreover, you can start using the method from a week of age of birds. In boys, the length of feathers in the wing is the same, in turkeys, it is different. As it grows, it levels out, so it is important to use this method only in the first days of turkey poultry life.

Interesting!To clarify who is in front of him, the poultry farmer takes the feathery by the wing and carefully examines it, focusing on the feathers of the extreme row: if they are even, then this is a turkey, if an uneven row, then a turkey.

Features of behavior

Another way to differentiate poults by sex is to notice behavioral signs. Boys are committed to protecting their offspring at all times. If the birds are going to protect the brood of chicks, then these are males. Young turkeys often quarrel among themselves, express their superiority in the fight for the female by arranging fights.

Differences during puberty

During puberty and hunting, young males express themselves very aggressively. Poultry farmers try to stop fights at the very initial stage, isolating the cocky turkey from the rest of the individuals. Strangers suffer from such aggressive birds.

Note. When breeding turkeys, you should not mix birds of different ages, communities and breeds.

Sexual maturity of turkeys occurs in 190-220 days. Permanent laying of eggs lasts 3 months. The ability for active mating is manifested in turkeys at the age of 9 months. There are times when hardy female turkeys become pregnant without the participation of males, that is, artificially. This way of fertilization turns out to be effective when males are sick, turn out to be weak, with incompatibility of breeds.

By behavior before mating

Before the sexual hunt, the behavior of a turkey-boy and a turkey changes, at this time it is easy to distinguish one from the other. The turkey starts flirting with the opposite sex. She performs attractive dances that signal her readiness to mate. Many experienced farmers claim with confidence that turkeys carefully choose their partner, they are not indifferent to who will be the father of their offspring. They choose the only one, only then proceed to courting dances.

Behavior in the flock

On a note!Upon reaching sexual maturity, females begin to actively get lost in flocks, contact with companions, and act as an aggressor. In the pack, male aggressive behavior is characteristic of girls. Men behave calmly, isolate themselves, do not enter into conflicts. On the poultry yard they behave sedately.

Behavior in the flock

Differences in crest and "earring" above the beak

The boy turkey has a catchy burgundy comb, the turkey has a pale pink or orange tone. Turkeys of both sexes have outgrowths above the beak. In feathered boys, a pronounced process on the beak is larger than in a turkey. In a turkey, the growth is barely noticeable.

By voice

Turkeys have a pronounced bubbling voice, turkeys do not have this feature. There is a popular method of specifying the gender: to whistle loudly, if an answer comes, then a turkey.

Plumage difference

Males stand out with a bald, scarlet head. Females have fluff; the volume of the head is much less in boys than in males. The exposed neck of males is longer.

Important!The smallest newborn chicks can be distinguished by their plumage, such as breast feathers. In the boy they are rough, in the turkey they are tender and rare. Male turkeys have more luxuriant feathers than females.

By the feathers on the tail

The tail of delicate females looks inconspicuous, in males it is catchy. In the tail of male turkey poults, feathers are even, neat.

Differences in a special iron

In 5-month-old boys, a special gland is palpable, outwardly similar to a wart. The hidden gland is quite dense; when feeling the females, nothing superfluous is found. This method is great for farmers, at this age, turkeys begin to be removed from turkeys.

Differences in the presence of spurs on the legs

Sharp spurs on developed legs are a characteristic of boys. Girls are beardless, their strong spurs stand out only in exceptional cases.

Differences in the presence of spurs on the legs

Differences in litter count

Interesting!Sex signs are specified according to the shape of the litter. Male turkeys produce dense droppings, formed in the shape of the letter "J". In females, feces are obtained in the form of a slide.

Additional methods

Summing up, I would like to focus on the main points related to determining the sex of birds:

  • Total weight and dimensions;
  • The presence of beards and corals;
  • Small, dense wart;
  • The bubbling sounds of boy chicks;
  • Head size and sexual manifestations;
  • Lush tail of males;
  • Differences in bowel movements;
  • Behavioral nuances.
How to tell a duck from a drake

These points should be known to every poultry breeder containing birds.

Attention! This bird differs from other domestic birds in that it has no ears and no sense of smell, while it has excellent hearing and taste.