How to distinguish a turkey from a turkey from the first days of life
Turkey has become popular in recent years due to the demand for dietary poultry meat. The weight of adults reaches 40 kg, which makes this species very beneficial in poultry farming. Knowing how to tell the difference between a turkey and a turkey is essential to keeping the young properly. There are several methods for determining the sex of chicks.
Distinctive features of males and females
Among them, the main ones:
- The size.
- Behavior.
- Growth on the beak.
- Scallop.
The main difference between a turkey and a turkey is size. The size and volume of the male's body significantly exceeds the dimensions of the female. However, this method is not reliable if birds of different breeds are present in the flock. For example, broiler turkeys can be larger than other birds and catch up with males in weight. Animal nutrition is also of great importance: poor food reduces the body weight of birds.
Features of the appearance of the male:
- Long growth on the bridge of the nose. In adult birds, it can exceed the length of the beak.
- The scallop (coral) has large growths of scarlet color.
- Pronounced "beard" under the beak.
- Long strong legs.
- The head is without feathers.
- Inflating feathers.
Adult birds have characteristic behavioral characteristics. The turkey is more active, often shows aggressiveness towards other males, fluffs up feathers, flaunts in a flock, screams loudly, keeps away from other males.
The female behaves calmly, shy in relation to strangers, does not like to fight off the flock. Girls have a number of inherent sexual characteristics.
What a turkey looks like:
- short thin legs;
- a more elongated body;
- short nasal process (no more than 3 cm);
- narrow "beard" under the beak;
- "Corals" on the neck are poorly expressed;
- edge on the head.
Turkeys gather in flocks with other females, walk in small groups in the yard, sometimes they can fight each other for the attention of the male.
Not only the male, but also the turkey can inflate feathers and take airs. However, this behavior is not typical for her, appears occasionally, passes quickly.
How to tell a turkey from a turkey among hatched chicks
Inexperienced poultry farmers find it difficult to determine the sex of newborns and do not know how to distinguish turkey poultry... Finding out exactly where the males are and where the females are is only possible with certainty when they reach 5 months of age.
However, there is a proven method that can be used immediately after hatching. It is necessary to carefully examine the genitals of the birds: for this, the cloaca of the individual is gently pushed apart with the fingers. In a turkey, the genitals are bright red, in a girl, these are two tightly connected folds of pink color.
Poultry farmers use the folk method of sex determination by the feathering of the wings. It is necessary to unfold the wing of the chick and look at the edges of the feathers: if the frame is even, then the male, if uneven, the female.
The behavior of young individuals has behavioral differences. Boys keep apart, girls gather in flocks.
The most reliable ways to determine gender
There are several tried and tested methods to tell you how to tell a turkey from a turkey. From the third month after birth, the birds differ significantly in appearance. Experienced breeders determine sex by characteristic behavior and some visual characteristics.To learn how to distinguish between turkey poults, it is worth observing them a little.
The length of the feathers on the wings and tail
Typical differences in plumage appear already from a week of age of birds. By the length of the feathers on the wings and tail, you can determine the sex of the individuals.
In boys, the length of feathers in the wing is the same, in turkeys, it is different. With the growth of the body, it levels out, so this method can be used only in the first days of the life of turkeys.
The tail of males is similar to a fan with bright plumage, which they fluff up during danger and the period of sexual mating. Turkeys have a much more modest tail size with an inconspicuous feather color.
Plumage on the head
Upon reaching 2 months of age, female turkey poults develop plumage on their heads. The coating looks like a soft fluff. This feature is absent in turkeys, their head remains bald.
Comb and "earring"
This is the first thing that catches your eye when looking at a bird. The turkey has a long crest that reaches the chest. It looks like bright red growths. The people call them - corals, warts. In a turkey, the crest is short, pale, the growths are weakly expressed.
Above the beak, birds have an "earring": in boys, it reaches the tip of the beak, and sometimes hangs over it. Girls have a small process of pale pink color up to 3 cm.
Spurs on the legs
Sharp protruding back processes are a distinctive feature of males. Bird watchers believe that nature has awarded the turkey with this tool to protect against rivals. Females do not have spurs on their paws, because they are faced with the task of giving offspring, and not defending themselves from members of the pack.
Vote
Turkeys have a pronounced guttural bubbling voice, turkeys do not have this feature. Males often express their mood or discontent by starting to "grumble" loudly. The people have long had a method of determining sex: to whistle loudly, if the bird answered, then it is a male.
Legs
Female turkeys have thinner and shorter legs. Due to this structure, females look lower than males. In boys, the paws have a powerful structure, often with spurs.
When breeding turkeys, you should not keep birds of different breeds and ages in the same pen. This can lead to aggressive skirmishes between birds.
Behavior during puberty
During puberty and courtship of females, young turkeys often show aggression, rushing into a fight with other males. At the first change in behavior, it is recommended to isolate the bully from the pack.