How to gender and tell a turkey from a turkey
The turkey is prized by poultry farmers for its large amount of meat and large eggs. However, these birds are more demanding in grooming than chickens or ducks. To get the maximum amount of products from one individual, observe sanitary standards for keeping and provide the Turkey with a balanced diet. In addition, you need to start feeding poultry for slaughter from the first weeks of life. The best taste of the meat of Turkeys is five months old, and by this time the bird should weigh 12 kg. Non-breeding males go to the slaughter, which need to be identified as early as possible. There are several ways to tell the difference between a turkey and a turkey.
Sex determination in turkeys
Ways to distinguish sex in turkeys
Breeders try to identify males as early as possible, since non-breeding Turkeys are allowed to be slaughtered at an early age. For improvement taste of meat the feathered should be fed as early as possible.
Before determining the gender of a turkey, you need to choose a method for determining the sex of the bird. There are several ways to tell the difference between a male turkey and a female. Among poultry farmers, it is easier to determine the sex of this feathered than distinguish a chicken from a rooster... Some experienced farmers can recognize the sex of a Turkeys as early as one day of age.
There are several signs by which you can determine the sex of a domestic bird:
- length and marks on the plumage;
- behavioral features;
- scallops, barbs and spurs;
- adult weight.
Spurs and a beard are the first thing that distinguishes a month-old turkey from a turkey.
This method is used up to three months of the bird's life, since usually by the beginning of the sixth month the floor of the Turkey is already visible. Females do not grow spurs; soft small feathers are usually located in their place.
Males have a small beard by the first month, and Turkeys have stiffer feathers. Also, boys usually have a larger and stronger beak.
In addition, you can find out the gender by the weight of the bird. This method is used in the first two weeks of turkey poultry life. Females are more miniature, and do not gain weight so quickly. Males, on the other hand, gain weight much faster due to concentrated feed, so that by the fourth week they can already have a developed body.
Differences in comb and feathers
The turkey differs from the turkey primarily in the small size of the comb. The growth on the head has a pale shade. males have bright combs and beards, they can be seen from afar.
The tail of males grows much faster than that of females. By the second month, the tail of the Turkey-cock acquires its fan-shaped appearance. But even during the first weeks of life, feathers in boys are long and shaped.
Feathers on the wings are considered a unique feature of these poultry. With the help of them, you can determine the sex of a small turkey in the first day of life. In males, the extreme feathers on the wings are the same in size, while in diurnal females they grow at an angle.This phenomenon has not been explained by science, but it has proven itself from the best side.
This method is also attractive because the sex of a Turkey can be determined at a very early stage. The largest chicks are left for divorce, and the small ones are almost immediately transferred to food with an increased calorie content. However, the downside is that males can only be identified in the first week of turkey poultry life. Further, the feathers will actively grow and acquire different lengths.
You can also find out the gender of a turkey by its growth rate. males gain weight faster, but females grow and develop faster. Boys from the first days are larger than females, girls by the first month of life look more formed.
Behavioral features of turkeys
Turkeys huddle together
male turkeys differ in character and behavior from females. Some breeders release young animals to the common poultry yard, after which they observe the behavior of the turkey poults.
Turkeys prefer to communicate with birds, both with Turkeys and with individuals of other species. females have collective tendencies, it is typical for them to stray into a herd in which the Turkeys support each other. However, females often have aggressive character traits - they can easily start a fight with others birds or males. Sometimes a Turkey can attack a rooster or a drake, most often this tendency is manifested in incubating females.
The disadvantage of this method is that it is possible to determine the sex of chicks or young animals only in a large group of birds. In this case, groups should be collected from different ages. If the farmer has a small farm, then the unique character traits of females and males may not appear due to the absence of external sources of irritation.
However, on large farms, this method is often used by poultry farmers. In a group, males, as a rule, behave calmer and quieter than females, so they can be immediately identified and deposited for fattening... Turkeys do not stray into a herd, prefer to walk alone, occasionally showing interest in females.
Also, to determine the sex of each individual chick, observe the behavior of the birds for a while. In a farm, this is 3-7 days.
Poultry genitals
The sex of a bird can also be determined by the organs of the reproductive system. This can be done in the second or third month of the chicks' life. The turkey is turned upside down, after which feathers are bred in the area of the cloaca. At the same time it is necessary to hold the bird on its back.
Using a rubber gloved hand, stretch the hole and examine the genitals of the turkey. To make penetration easier for young animals, lubricate the glove with petroleum jelly.
Males are characterized by round formations in the cloaca, of which there are usually two pieces. Females have pale pink folds, and the genitals of turkeys are also elongated. With this method, the sex of the bird is established with 100% probability. However, in the first month, such an examination is not recommended, so as not to injure the animal body. To do this correctly, it is best to consult with experienced breeders or watch a training video.
Additional methods for determining gender
There are also several ways to determine the sex of poultry if the young have already reached four to six months:
- anatomical features;
- the amount of droppings;
- perception of ultrasonic frequencies.
At five months, Turkeys begin to actively develop the mammary gland. If you feel the body of the bird, then feel the seal under your fingers. This method is associated with the anatomical feature of Turkeys and works flawlessly. It is also convenient in that at five months, many individuals have the same weight, and external differences are not so pronounced.
By the eighth week, females are producing more litters than males. At the same time, the organic secretions of a turkey are distinguished by a low density. This method was borrowed from American poultry farmers, who have determined the sex of a bird in this way for the past several decades.the method is considered to be unconventional methods of determining gender, but the percentage of the probability of correct determination is high.
Sometimes breeders resort to using electronic devices that emit ultrasounds. It is scientifically proven that heterosexual poultry hears noise at different frequencies. It is experimentally determined to which frequencies the females run down and which ones scare off the males. However, this technique is often discouraged as it puts stress on the nervous system of the poultry.
Conclusion
The difference between a turkey and a turkey can be determined independently. how sex is identified depends on the age and number of poultry.
Experienced breeders determine the sex of turkeys by physical or behavioral characteristics, however, it is recommended that those new to poultry consult a veterinarian. Remember that the sooner the sex of the bird becomes known, the faster you can transfer the Turkey to reinforced complementary foods.