A baby male turkey, or a poult, becomes a jake at about one year of age. Once he reaches two years old, he is known as a tom turkey.
How old does a turkey have to be to be a tom?
A gobbler or tom turkey is a mature male bird. There will be shifts in physical appearance and behavior as they get older, but a gobbler is essentially a gobbler on its 2 year birthday.
How old is a turkey with 1 inch spurs?
1 to 2 years
Using spur length to age a turkey
| Spur length (in.) | Curvature | Age of gobbler |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1/2 | None | Less than 1 year |
| 1/2 to 1 | Straight | 1 to 2 years |
| 1 to 1-1/4 | Slightly curved | 2 to 3 years |
| Over 1-1/4 | Curved | Older than 3 years |
Is hen turkey better than a tom?
Most experts agree that a hen turkey is better than a tom, but it is probably a matter of personal preference. Hens are generally smaller than tom turkeys of the same age. Hens weigh less than sixteen pounds while toms always weigh over sixteen pounds.
How many turkey hens are in a tom?
Turkeys are polygamous, and one tom can fertilize as many as 10 hens. This comes in handy when we talk about domesticated turkeys.
Do turkeys remember your face?
Erik Marcus, the author of Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, has spent a considerable amount of time with turkeys on farm sanctuaries. He reports, “Turkeys remember your face and they will sit closer to you with each day you revisit.
How old is a turkey with a 10 inch beard?
2-year-old
Beard Length
According to Turkey & Turkey Hunting magazine, a 2-year-old gobbler’s beard usually measures 8 to 10 inches. When it’s 3 years old, a gobbler’s beard will have grown about 14 inches.
At what age do turkeys start gobbling?
three weeks old
These poults are only three weeks old, and they’re already trying to gobble with the best of ’em. These poults are only three weeks old, and they’re already trying to gobble with the best of ’em.
What is the largest turkey on record?
86 lb
Fun fact: The heaviest turkey in the world weighed 86 lb
In 1989, a stag turkey named Tyson weighed 86 lb. (39.09 kg), earning it the Guinness World Record of the greatest dressed weight recorded for a turkey.
What is considered a trophy turkey?
Any bird with a beard might be called a trophy: jake, adult tom and even a fall turkey hen wearing one. For turkey hunters, most are memorable for many reasons (even those you don’t kill).
What is the purpose of a beard on a turkey?
Like the fleshy head appendages, turkey beards are believed to be an aesthetic feature intended to attract mates; beards become more erect when a tom is aroused. The longer the beard, the older the turkey – they can eventually grow to about 12 inches in length.
Should I shoot a jake turkey?
According to the NWTF, there’s no biological reason that exists on whether or not hunters should kill a jake. If a jake is taken legally, no biological backlash comes from harvesting that bird, other than reducing the potential of 2 year olds that could be in the area the following year.
How long does it take for a Jake to become a tom?
A baby male turkey, or a poult, becomes a jake at about one year of age. Once he reaches two years old, he is known as a tom turkey. Jake turkeys have a few key characteristics that can help you identify them.
Can a Jake turkey have a full fan?
A Group of Jakes
In the second year, the tail molts in the standard adult pattern from the outside in and the gobbler will then have a full, even fan. Once a bird reaches 2 years of age, he will have an even fan for the rest of his lifetime.
What size turkey tastes the best?
The flavor of a bird is determined by several additional factors, which may actually be more important than whether your turkey is fresh or frozen. Size is key — smaller birds tend to be more tender; if you have a lot of guests coming, think about cooking two small turkeys instead of one large one.
Can you eat tom turkeys?
We eat both hen (female) and tom (male) turkeys, but hens are more commonly found on dinner tables. If you need to feed a large family, a tom turkey is your best bet for a big bird.
What is the tastiest turkey to buy?
Which Supermarket Turkey Is Best? In an Epicurious taste-test of six supermarket turkeys, a fresh Bell & Evans turkey was their top choice, due to its tender meat, authentic turkey flavor and attractive outer skin. (The birds are also bred to grow at a slower pace, causing them to have broad, juicy breasts.)
Can 2 tom turkeys live together?
turkeys, often called “heritage” turkeys, can live in mixed-sex flocks so long as everyone gets along well. However, you may find that males (toms ) get along with each other better if they live away from female turkeys entirely.
Do hens and gobblers roost together?
Gobblers love to roost within 50 to 200 yards of hens. If a turkey hears you yelping and cutting late in the day, he might come in to roost in the area. Better yet, he might run over to check out the hen before he flies up.
What do you feed a turkey after 8 weeks?
Poults should be fed 28% protein turkey starter until 8 weeks of age. 24-26% protein turkey grower crumbles should be fed after the first 8 weeks until they are approximately 6 months of age. At that time, they can be switched to 16% – 18% lay pellets, crumbles, or mash.
Do turkeys like to be petted?
Turkeys love to be stroked, petted and cuddled. They will remember your face and if they like you, they will come up to you to greet you. Turkeys also love music and will cluck along with the songs.