Female turkeys, known as hens, play a fundamental role in the species’ life cycle. They are distinguished from male turkeys, called toms or gobblers, by distinct physical characteristics and behaviors.
Identifying Female Turkeys
Distinguishing female turkeys from males involves observing physical and auditory traits. Hens are smaller and lighter than toms, weighing between 8 to 12 pounds compared to a tom’s 16 to 24 pounds. Their plumage also differs, with hens displaying duller, less glossy feathers, often in shades of brown or gray, which provides effective camouflage. In contrast, male turkeys exhibit vibrant, iridescent feathers in metallic hues of bronze, green, or copper. Hens also have uneven tail feathers, while toms can fan their uniformly long tail feathers during courtship displays.
Differences in head and neck features exist. Hens possess smaller, less colorful heads, frequently covered with feathers, and their snoods (fleshy appendages above the beak), wattles (fleshy flaps under the chin), and caruncles (fleshy bumps on the head and neck) are less pronounced. Male turkeys have bare, colorful heads that can change in shades of red, blue, and white, along with larger, more prominent snoods, wattles, and caruncles, which become engorged and brighter during mating season.
Toms have a “beard”—a tuft of coarse bristles protruding from their chest. It is rare for hens to possess one. Hens also lack the sharp spurs found on the legs of male turkeys. Auditory cues also provide distinction; hens produce clucking, purring, and yelping sounds, while the characteristic “gobble” vocalization is made by toms.
The Role of Female Turkeys
Female turkeys are responsible for reproduction and the care of their offspring. After mating, hens lay a clutch of eggs, typically ranging from 9 to 13 eggs, over a period of about two weeks. They construct shallow, camouflaged nests on the ground, often in areas with dense cover, to protect their eggs from predators.
Once the full clutch is laid, the hen begins incubation; this lasts about 28 days, during which she remains continuously on the nest. After hatching, the newly emerged young, known as poults, are precocial, meaning they are able to walk and leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours. The hen then raises these poults, guiding them to food sources and protecting them until they are more independent. Hens group together with their broods, providing defense against threats.