Are turkey and turkey something different, or are they the same?

Origin story

The first mentions of turkeys are found in the description of the life and life of the ancient Aztecs. According to the official version, the birds were domesticated by the indigenous people of Mexico, but the wild turkey that lives in North America is considered its ancestor. The origin of the bird is also fixed in the Russian-language name of these poultry.

In the 16th century, the Spanish colonialists brought turkeys to Europe, where they became very popular. In just 5 years, birds have spread almost throughout Eurasia, since then a lot of work has begun on the selection of new productive species and hybrids.

At that time they were called Turkish chickens, which today is reflected in the English-language name - turkey. Today, birds are widespread throughout the world, and in America, baked turkey with cranberry sauce is a traditional Thanksgiving dish in memory of the heritage of the country's indigenous people.

Theory 1: there is no difference between them

D.N. Ushakov "Big Explanatory Dictionary"
It is believed that the bird can be called both a turkey and a turkey. That is, one name does not differ from another. If you look at the dictionary, it will indicate that "turkey" is the correct dictionary word. But "turkey" is rather a folk saying. Therefore, it is more often found in villages, and in cities it is almost never used. Nevertheless, the cognate words "turkey", "turkey" indicate that the word turkey has a right to exist.

In the historical dictionary of Ushakov, it is also indicated that turkey and turkey are synonymous words. Therefore, the bird can be called either of these two words. Although, from a biological point of view, the family of birds still has a specific name - "turkey". Therefore, it is more likely that the "turkey" is more correct.

Description of turkey and turkey

Ideyka is the largest representative of the order of chickens. Outwardly, it is a powerful bird with a streamlined body and long strong legs. It can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h.

The head is small in size and is located on a long neck. In all species, the plumage on the head is weak or absent altogether. On the neck and head there are skin formations characteristic of the species, called "corals".

On the upper part of the beak in males, a red fleshy appendage is formed by the period of puberty, which increases to 15 cm during arousal.

The body is covered with large double feathers, on one bird their number can reach 6 thousand. Depending on the species, the color of the plumage can be white, bronze or black.

The wings are small, and because of the large body, the turkeys can fly only 150 m. The body length in males reaches 110 cm, in turkeys - 85 cm. By weight, turkeys are second only to ostriches.

Depending on the species, the weight of adult males reaches 9-35 kg, females are always less - 5-11 kg. In captivity, with proper maintenance, these poultry can live up to 10-12 years.

How to determine the gender of small turkey poults, what a turkey looks like

It is quite difficult to determine the sex of small turkey poults.

The sex of an adult is determined by a number of factors:

• behavior;
• corals (growths on the neck);
• growth on the beak;
• growth under the chin;
• plumage on the head;
• the structure of the paws.

Until the turkey has reached at least two months of age, it is difficult to talk about its belonging to one or another sex.

The only way to know for sure who hatched from the egg is to use the original Japanese method for feeling the cloaca. It is suitable for sex determination in newborn chicks.

The meaning of the method is that the cloaca of the newborn chick is opened and the future genitals are examined. The not yet formed reproductive system of the male is represented by two bright red tubercles. A turkey will have one pink or pale red bump.

The only way to know for sure who hatched from the egg is to use the original Japanese method for feeling the cloaca.

Some poultry farmers determine the gender of turkeys by carcass size. But this technique can be used only in poultry farms, where there is complete confidence in the purity of the poultry breed.

Breeding at home guarantees various variations in the herd's gene pool, resulting in individual females being larger than males.

Sex-segregated chicks grow faster.

Therefore, on poultry farms, the sex is determined immediately after the birth of the bird. The Japanese technique can be used in the first 15 hours of a turkey's life. After this, the cloaca acquires elasticity and rigidity, which will not allow sufficiently inspecting the chick's genitals.

Differences between females and males

Turkey (left) and turkey (right)
In young animals, gender characteristics are poorly expressed, so it is important to be able to determine the sex of the bird. At one day of age, males have smooth feathers of approximately the same length on the wings; females do not have this feature.

The first significant differences appear only by 2 months of age. Turkeys are larger than turkeys. The nasal process in males is more pronounced, large and elastic to the touch.

The plumage of females is sparse and soft, there are no spurs on the paws. The crest of turkeys is small and faded, in contrast to turkeys. At 5 months, the sex of a bird can be unmistakably determined by the characteristic gland on the neck, which only males have.

To the touch, it resembles a large, dense wart. With the general maintenance, it can be noted that females often gather in groups, and turkeys usually walk alone, can show aggression in case of danger.

How to determine the sex of chicks

In the early stages 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 genitals. To this end, the chick's cloaca is carefully stretched, the farmer looks at 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.

Determining the sex of daily turkey poults

Also, poultry farmers use the proven folk method of specifying the sex by the feathering of the wings. When the wing of the chick opens, its framing looks: if the edge is even, then the male, if 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 feathering 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? It is quite simple to make such an analysis at this age, 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 paws of males are larger than those of delicate females. A well-developed neck with minimal plumage 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.

Varieties

The appearance of the turkey and its productive qualities are directly dependent on the variety. In the wild and at home, there are two types of these birds:

1. Common turkey... On the neck of males there are numerous red growths that can swell. The scalp and neck are bluish. The leathery folds of turkeys are less pronounced, they do not have a characteristic proboscis, but there is a small horn in the beak area. All non-plumage areas are reddish. Feathers of turkeys are more black, often there is a bronze tint, a "beard" of thin and long feathers is formed on the chest. The tail is strongly developed, it has a beautiful edging of dark and light shades. The turkeys are paler, the color saturation is less pronounced;
2. Ocellated turkey... Females and males of this subspecies have similar adornments all over their bodies. Areas of the body without plumage have a bluish tint. On the neck and head there are formations similar to corn grains, which is the reason for the name. Both turkeys and turkeys have a horn above their beak. The color can vary, there is often a metallic or olive tint to the feathers. In males, the tail is more formed, represented by a large fan, which opens during sexual hunting, danger.

An ordinary idea has become the genetic basis for most domestic breeds of the meat direction of these birds, the ocellated variety is more often used for decorative purposes.

Cooking meals

One way or another, but a turkey and a turkey are almost the same thing. Since ancient times, the bird has been used for food. It is rich in protein and has dietary value. It is prepared in different ways. For example, in the United States, for Thanksgiving, it is stuffed with cornbread, fried in the oven, and poured with cranberry sauce on top. In England, for New Year's, turkey is also baked, but stuffed with minced pork.

Turkey can be used in a wide variety of dishes

Cooking meat usually does not take long as it is quite tender. Moreover, there are many ways to prepare dishes from it. I stuff the breasts with vegetables, mushrooms, nuts. Meat kebabs are no less tasty. Turkey meat is drier, but also very tasty.

Thus, there are many versions as to whether turkeys are different from turkeys or not. Be that as it may, this bird has very tasty meat, so it is worth raising it at home.

Choosing a breed for breeding

There are several dozen breeds and hybrids of turkeys, differing in productivity, appearance and growing purposes. The main criterion is the weight of the poultry, since the meat yield in the breeding process directly depends on this.

The table shows the classification of all breeds by weight:

For industrial cultivation, modern meat crosses are usually used, or broilers, for example, Big-6 and Big-9, bred by English breeders.

In addition, the following breeds are beneficial for breeding for meat: White broad-breasted, Moscow White, Bronze and North Caucasian Bronze. Both varieties have early ripening, unpretentiousness and a fairly high egg production.

There is also a wide variety of decorative species, which are grown not only for meat, but also as a decoration of the site. Their productivity is significantly lower, but the birds have a very beautiful appearance.

These breeds include: Cambridge, English Crested, Beltsville, Norfolk black. When choosing the type of turkeys for home or industrial breeding, you need to take into account the productive qualities, nature and vitality of the bird.

Larger individuals - males

Galgans always weigh more and look larger than their "friends". The turkeys are smaller and their weight, respectively, is less. Mature males tend to weigh almost twice as much as females. The method is great for early sex determination of birds, since males look larger and look stronger immediately after birth.

Read also: Broiler turkeys: a description of the best breeds of photos

Content

In general, turkeys are unpretentious poultry for home keeping. The main factor that you need to pay attention to when setting up a poultry house is the microclimate.

Turkeys are sensitive to dampness and cold, often get sick in unfavorable conditions and slowly gain weight. They should be kept in winter only in a heated poultry house at a temperature of 18-20 ° C.

The room must be well ventilated, for which it is recommended to build a ventilation system. The poultry house should be located in a place protected from the wind, preferably away from the roadway and other sources of noise.

On the southern side of the structure, a manhole should be equipped to exit the room at a height of up to 15 cm from the floor. A walking yard should be spacious and clean where you can plant grass, such as clover or alfalfa.

Turkeys love spacious grounds where they spend most of their time. The walking area must be fenced off with a high fence, since birds can fly up to 2.5-3 m. Above the site, you need to install a canopy that will protect the birds from precipitation and the sun.

The size of the house depends on the size of the flock. Up to 2 birds can be placed on 1 m2, females and males are kept separately from each other. It is best to divide the herd into groups at the rate of 1 turkey for 5 females. Inside, you should equip a bed of straw or hay, which must be changed at least 2 times a week.

Perches are erected at a height of up to 80 cm from the floor, their width should be at least 7 cm. Lighting is also required for birds, for which you can use ordinary lamps with a power of up to 60 watts. The optimal length of daylight hours for the health of birds is 10-12 hours a day.

In the house, nests with a width and height of about 60 cm should also be installed. There can be up to 5 birds per nest. There must be drinkers and feeders in the room, the volume of which depends on the number of birds in the flock. They should be cleaned at least once every two days.

Care

Turkeys require minimal grooming. You should regularly change the litter and clean the feeders, drinkers. Disinfection is desirable 1-2 times a month to avoid dangerous infectious diseases in the herd. Birds are required to be vaccinated against most diseases according to a schedule.

The procedure should be carried out by a veterinarian, work is carried out from the first days of life. Turkeys should be inspected daily in order to notice signs of diseases and pests in time. As a preventive measure against external parasites on birds, small boxes of wood ash should be installed in the house where the turkeys can clean themselves.

Turkey diseases

It is necessary to have an idea about poultry diseases

Even the most well-groomed turkey at home can get sick. Therefore, any owner needs to know the main symptoms of pathologies. If this is an industrial farm, timely diagnosis will help save the whole livestock from infections. Most often found in poultry:

• Newcastle disease. It is caused by a virus, in birds, paralysis of the limbs occurs during infection, then diarrhea joins. The duration of the disease is 1-4 days, at least 7-10 days. If sick turkeys are identified, they must be immediately slaughtered, the carcasses must be destroyed. No treatment has yet been developed to prevent injecting vaccinations.
• Respiratory mycoplasmosis. With this disease, at first the birds wheeze, sneeze, cough. Bloating or swelling then appears under the eyes. The mortality rate is not very high, but little meat is obtained from a turkey with mycoplasmosis. She is losing weight, stunted. So that the infection does not spread, sick birds are isolated, disinfection is carried out in the poultry house.
• Pullorosis. Pathology of young animals, sick little chicks lag behind in growth, weaken, they develop diarrhea. In the final stage, the turkey poults fall on their paws, hammered into a corner. The mortality rate among young stock is rather high. For prevention, it is important to monitor the cleanliness of the box with chicks, their water should always be clean, and the food should be fresh.
• Aspergillotoxicosis. Fungal turkey pathology that is transmitted with contaminated feed. It can be acute and chronic. It manifests itself with diarrhea, the turkey becomes lethargic, stunted, loses weight. It is best to kill a sick individual, disinfect the room, change the litter. Pills with bacteria, sour milk well prevent disease.
• Histosomiasis. A bacterial disease that affects the colon and liver. The main signs are orange or yellow frothy diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, feather loss. Often, the disease occurs in a herd that lives in a former duck poultry house.
• Parasites. When skin parasites appear, the turkey itches and behaves restlessly. For prophylaxis, ash baths are arranged, and the poultry house can be treated with insecticides.

When the first signs of pathologies appear, you should contact your veterinarian, why risk it again. If this is a dangerous infectious disease, the whole herd should be slaughtered. Both sick and healthy birds are slaughtered. With some diseases, you can still get meat from turkey; they are not dangerous to humans. There are pathologies that can really be treated. So that the turkey does not get sick at home, you need to keep the house clean and vaccinate on time.

Feeding

Newborn chicks are sensitive to the quality of food, and they also have a delicate beak, so the diet needs to be thought out very competently. Day-old birds are fed every 3 hours.

Food is poured onto a newspaper or cardboard; it is advisable to use a high-calorie prestarter or boiled cereal with the addition of yolk and carrots as feed. You can also add finely chopped greens.

As the birds develop, dairy products are included in the daily diet, since calcium and protein are necessary for the formation of the body.

The chicks are transferred to the adult diet at the age of one month. Feeding should be complete and high in calories for weight gain.

On small farms, turkeys are fed with cereals (oats, barley or buckwheat) with the addition of boiled potatoes or carrots. In summer, be sure to add green grass, as well as offer the birds caterpillars, worms and other insects.

In addition, you need to give and mineral supplements, shell or chalk for normal digestion of birds.

Approximate ration for feeding:

• yeast, 5 g;
• greens and vegetables, 80 g;
• grain, 100 g;
• cottage cheese or other protein food, 20 g.

On large farms, it is best to use ready-made balanced compound feeds that contain all the necessary elements, minerals and vitamins for the health of birds.

Breeding

Turkeys reach sexual maturity at 7-9 months of age, depending on the breed. Egg production peaks in spring and autumn; on average, hens lay up to 100 eggs per season.

They are rarely used for incubation, since the turkey poults obtained in this way do not survive well, and because of the massive body, the females can simply crush the eggs. Females have a strong incubation instinct, which is used by some farmers when growing small breeds.

After laying, the eggs should be checked for fertilization with an ovoscope. After that, they can be given to a bird for incubation or an incubator can be used. It takes 28 days to hatch turkeys, after which they can be transferred to a brooder. In adult poultry houses, young animals are released at the age of 30 days.

Breeding turkey poults is a profitable business, eggs and reared chicks are in great demand in the market. Subject to the gender composition of the flock, eggs are fertilized in large quantities, however, after one cycle of laying hens, it is advisable to let them go for slaughter, since then egg productivity decreases.

Differences for determining the sex of a turkey

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;
• The 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 rapidly. You can also clarify the sex by the rate of growth and development of an individual: boys increase their total weight 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 the age of the birds for a week. 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 bird 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 distinguish 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 arrange skirmishes among themselves, express their superiority in the fight for the female, 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.

For your information. 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 partners, 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 puberty, 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. In the poultry yard, they behave sedately.

Behavior in the flock

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

Differences in 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 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.

Price

Eggs of turkeys for incubation can be purchased starting from 50 rubles apiece. Reared youngsters are a little more expensive - the price for daily turkey poults of heavy crosses starts from 300 rubles apiece.

Adults have a high cost, which is influenced by the age of the bird, the breed and the quality of the nursery. Pedigree turkeys with good health can be found from 4 thousand rubles.

It is necessary to purchase birds only on proven farms or from breeders with all sanitary and veterinary certificates. When buying eggs for incubation, it is imperative to check with an ovoscope, carefully examine the young for the presence of diseases and pests.

Interesting Facts

Turkeys are among the most popular birds in the world. They are considered to be truly unique.

Some facts about them:

• sex determination by litter is widespread among American farmers. It is believed that turkey feces are dense and there is always little of it, turkey droppings resemble chicken ones - it lays down in a characteristic abundant slide;
• in size, turkeys are second only to ostriches among domestic birds. Adult males can grow up to 30-35 kg;
• turkey meat is known not only for its low fat content and pleasant taste, but is also used for a therapeutic diet for gout, urolithiasis;
• the United States is the leader in turkey farming, where poultry is a key poultry;
• in addition to meat, turkeys also give a large amount of down and feathers.They are used to create clothes and various decorative accessories;
• birds get used to humans, become loyal to the one who constantly cares for them;
• turkey droppings can be used as fertilizer for crops, fruit and berry plants.

Turkeys are popular poultry, which began to be bred in the 16th century in America. Today they rank second among poultry after chickens, meat is valued for its good taste and low fat content.

Turkeys have strong immunity, adapt well to adverse conditions and quickly gain weight. A healthy and well-groomed individual is a real decoration of the site, so turkeys can also be kept for decorative purposes.

5 ways to tell a turkey from a turkey

There are several methods to find out the sex of a bird. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Below are the most accurate ones by which you can most likely determine who is in front of you: a male or a female.

Outwardly

The most significant feature that distinguishes a "boy" from a "girl" - "coral" - a process of the skin of a bright crimson hue, reaching a length of 10-15 cm. A beard begins under the beak, hanging down from there. Appears exclusively in males.

And above, above the beak, there is another, fleshy, process. It is present in both sexes, but in the male it is large, shiny, in the female it is pale, small.

Note the bird's head for distinction. In adult males, she is bald, in females there is a small fluff. The crest of males has a red, burgundy hue, much larger, richer in color than that of females. In the latter, it is pale pink or orange.

Note! In turkeys, the bare part of the neck is longer than in turkeys.

When offering food, take a closer look at the bird's chest. In males, the plumage is thicker, rougher, there is a stiff "brush", "brush" of feathers. In females, on the contrary, the plumage is softer, less often.

By the pomp of the tail

Sex determination option suitable for adult birds. Females have a small, neat tail. In male representatives, the plumage is dense, which makes the tail lush. This sign is more noticeable than others. By it, adult birds are immediately recognized. In an excited state, the tail of males is bulging and seems voluminous.

By spurs and litter volume

The legs of males are longer, the toes are larger than those of females. The presence or absence of sharp spurs (a kind of horny processes) is fairly easy to notice. Only turkeys have spurs, they use them for fights, protection, in females, education is rare, and even then only in its infancy.

Distinguish between birds and the number of droppings

Distinguish between birds and the amount of droppings. In males, it is smaller in volume, dense, fits in the Latin letter "J". In females, the amount of waste product is greater, and the piles are stacked in the form of a slide.

The difference between a turkey and a turkey by litter

By habits

Behavioral analysis will distinguish males from females. The former are focused on protecting the offspring; even at a young age they often fight. When the male is excited, he spreads his tail.

Also, in this state, the process above the beak is strained, and the "corals" become brighter. Males keep one by one. Females are contact and often get lost in groups.

By individual size

Male individuals are two to three times larger than turkeys. Accordingly, "boys" are heavier than "girls", often 2-3 times. The ribcage of males is wider.