No! Turkeys, like 97% of other living birds, do not have a penis. Further, birds do not have genitals and protrude through a cloaca opening in their bodies. Turkeys and other birds use this opening to urinate, defecate, and mate.
Moreover, the cloaca in turkeys is located at the base of their tail feathers, with muscle tissue around it. The bird can contract to close off the opening when required.
Hence, genitals are the main part distinguishing between male and female birds. Therefore, many people find it tough to understand the sex of their turkey.
Stay with us if you, too, are struggling to identify your turkey’s sex, as we are going to go into details and answer the question – do turkeys have penis?
Do Turkeys Have Private Parts?
Yes! Turkeys have private parts. However, they have a large and fleshy protuberance known as snood. Further, this snood hangs down from the beak and two fleshy lobes, which male turkeys use to attract mates.
However, female turkeys do not have such external sexual organs; they have a cloaca to excrete waste and lay eggs.
The Bird’s Disappearing Penis
Most birds do not have a penis. However, research has shown that 8 or 9 into the embryo, the cells in the rudimentary penis begin to die. It results in leaving behind only a slight bulge.
Further studies have revealed that such gene death activity results from another gene called the Bmp4. However, scientists link this deadly gene with evolutionary pressures, thus causing turkeys’ penises to fade away like other birds.
How Do Turkeys Mate?
Male turkeys will strut and gobble around females to impress them. Once a female is won, the male will mount over the female from behind. Although the act takes only a few seconds, they will mate multiple times during the mating season.
Generally, the mating season runs from March to May. After the mating, the female constructs a nest with twigs and leaves. Further, she will lay eggs from 8 to 12 and incubate them for around 28 days.
How Do Turkeys Reproduce Without Mating?
Since turkeys can parthenogenesis, thus they can reproduce without mating. Females of such birds can develop and hatch eggs without being fertilized by a male. Although rare, it brings numerous advantages, as you can hatch chicks without having a male turkey around.
Researchers figure out why most male birds have female like external genitalia
As discussed earlier, the presence of the Bmp4 gene makes the male penis disappear in most male birds. Although male birds previously could have penises, over the evolution period, it has disappeared.
Further, they link this mechanism to reveal how other animals could have lost certain body parts. Moreover, it is not just a hypothesis, as the Bmp4 gene is tested on duck embryos and results prove that it is responsible for forcing male birds to have female-like external genitalia.
Female Turkey vs Male Turkey: How to Tell a Young Turkey’s Gender
Sexing baby turkeys is tough; however, you can segregate them based on certain characteristics. Consequently, nature has placed certain distinguishing features that can help you identify the correct sex of a young turkey.
Male Turkeys Are Always Larger Than Females
The easiest way to distinguish a male turkey from a female is to look at its size. Since the male turkey is always larger than the female. A domesticated male turkey weighs between 30 to 80 pounds; whereas a female turkey weighs around 11 to 23 pounds.
Female Turkeys Do not Have Elaborate Tail Plumage
Male turkeys have impressive tails. They have colored and vibrant tails as compared to female turkeys. Contrarily, hens have duller tails. Furthermore, toms have a breast beard, unlike hens.
Male Turkeys Have Spurs
You can identify a tom by looking at its spurs. These are claw-shaped protrusions on the sides of its ankles. They use spurs to protect themselves and their hens from outer dangers.
Only Male Turkeys Can Gobble
Male turkeys have a distinguishing waddle under their neck. Therefore, only toms can make gobbling sounds.
Do Male Turkeys Need To Be Separated From Each Other?
Yes! Keeping toms separate is recommended as they become aggressive if kept together in single pens. Male turkeys are territorial and fight to win over female turkeys. Therefore, separating them is a better option than having them together.
Likewise, they have spurs and do not shy away from using them when required.
Are Cooked Turkeys Male or Female?
There is no specific cut on gender when it comes to our diet. Therefore, both hens and toms become part of the cooking festival. However, many people prefer having a hen on their menu. Furthermore, if you are arranging a large friend or family gathering, we suggest you go with male turkeys, which bring substantial meat.
Things You Should Know
Turkeys are interesting birds and have a long history of association with humans. There are very interesting things you should know about them in addition to knowing – do turkeys have penis?
Steps
Before you start turkey poults, you must seek professional advice about environmental requirements. Further, you need to establish the feed and space supplies. So, take your time; study, learn, and execute your turkey poultry.
Adult Turkeys
Adult male turkeys are known as toms, while females are called hens. One of the biggest issues with turkeys is segregating males and females. Although, it becomes a relatively easy task when turkeys become adults. However, you need an expert to separate them when they are babies.
Baby or Young Turkeys
Baby turkeys need extra care, as exposure to harsh weather conditions will harm their health. Therefore, maintain proper temperature and keep the hideout clean to support baby turkeys reaching adulthood. Generally, a brooding environment should have temperatures ranging from 90F to 95F and proper feed and water space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Male vs female turkeys: How to tell baby turkeys apart?
Generally, male turkey babies have a detectable bump, absent in females. Another way is to hold the turkey baby from above; if its legs dangle down, it is a female. However, sexing baby turkeys is a challenging task for both humans and babies; therefore, it is recommended to hire a specialist to avoid damage to the baby.
Teenage Turkeys: Male or female?
Teenage female turkeys are similar to their adults but are only smaller. However, male teenage turkeys have uneven tail fans compared to adult toms.