The poults, when first hatched, are covered with soft down. When they
are about 10 days old, feathers begin to appear where the wings join the
body, and in about 3 weeks the tail feathers begin to appear. From then
on feather growth is rapid, and when the poults are 2 months old they
are well feathered. About the fifth week fleshy protuberances called
caruncles begin to appear, and by the seventh week they begin to extend
down the neck. The appearance of caruncles in the poults is termed
"shooting the red." On the top of the head of both males and females
a fleshy protuberance develops into what is called the "dew bill" or
"snood"; on males it is larger and more elastic than on females.
The sex of young turkeys can be distinguished by the appearance of a
tuft of hairs on the breast of males between 3 and 4 months old. The
tuft usually does not appear on the breasts of the females until they
are much older, and the hairs of the tuft are shorter and finer than
those on males. The hock joints on the males are much broader and heavier
than on the females. The sex of well-grown Bronze turkey poults can be
distinguished by examining the mature breast feathers which appear at 12
to 14 weeks. Those of the males are bronze black with no white, whereas
the tip of those of the females have a narrow white edge. Day-old poults
may be sexed as is done with baby chicks by examining that part of the
sex organs that can be seen at the vent.