Turkey with a wire brush

redrabbit5012 · **Joined:** Tue May 26, 2009 11:40 am **Posts:** 14

I was given 2 bourben red turkeys a month ago.I know nothing about them. I found last night what looks like a small wire brush in its chest.It is as thick as a pencil and grey and all burred out on the end like abrush. Has this stabbed into the chest or is it something turkeys have. I was wondering should we remove this as it looks terrible. I dont know if the turkey is male or female. Please help someone.

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:21 am

Since no-one has answered yet, I'll give this a bump by asking...

Can you post a photo?

While you're waiting for a more helpful response, do a Google Image search or two and see if any turkeys have the feature you're concerned about.

redrabbit5012 · **Joined:** Tue May 26, 2009 11:40 am **Posts:** 14

Sorry I dont own a camera. I cant find any pictures on the net with a wire brush. This is why I have asked this silly question.

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:58 am

There's no silly questions on APF. I think yours is an interesting question and if I wasn't in such a hurry right now, I'd go and do a few Google searches and see if I can find anything resembling the wire brush.

If it is what you think, how uncomfortable it must have been for the bird.

Good luck.

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:01 pm

OK. Found one. There are probably more. I gotta go.
http://feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/ ... nUK02.JPEG

Source: http://feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/ ... onRed.html

Edit: Still here...

Another is at http://www.heatons-of-tisbury.co.uk/poultry.htm

At least three more at http://boonedockswilcox.blogspot.com/20 ... chive.html
with a good example being http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kaLbrzrCbp8/S ... .20906.JPG

I think that'll be enough. There's a good chance that if the "wire brush" resembles the wire brush on these, your bird is fine.

redrabbit5012 · **Joined:** Tue May 26, 2009 11:40 am **Posts:** 14

Thanks very much.I do feel silly now. I could not find any pictures like that. I guess I did not know where to look. Do I assume that this turkey is a male then.That would be exciting to have a male and female.

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:03 pm

I don't know, but I feel bad that no-one else has answered, so here I am.

Sorry.

Like you, I would assume a male. As I recall they all looked like males.

Stt · **Joined:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:01 pm **Posts:** 3006

hi sorry did not see this post no turkeys are suposed to have that i think its more pronounced in the males

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

My apologies
I have been away and have only just seen this post

I have owned turkeys for many years =

the 'wire brush' you mention is actually supposed to be present on all males it starts out in juveniles as a short stump of bristles
it is referred to as a Tassle or Beard depending on the country
it gets longer with age and does NOT hurt them in any way
some 'Toms' as male turkeys are called have recorded tassles nearly 15cm long
the longest one of my Thomas' tassles has ever grown in 9cm

this one of yours is definitely male and should start strutting and 'gobbling' soon
his snood [the point on top of his head] will redden and lengthen and fall down to almost the tassle he will start to fan his tail out and strut around draggin his wings on the ground [to impress the girls] like he owns the planet then he will make gobble gobble sounds and with age and hormones you will hear a deep low pitched 'thrumming' sound deep in his chest
you will fast learn to love all the sounds he will make
try calling out in a high pitched voice "gobble gobble gobble" he will repsond and they will all learn to come to you when you say this if you offer food as a reward in the training period

word of advise = DO NOT pull on the tassle DO NOT cut it

the Australian Poultry Standard has the tassle mentioned in it it also gives all the correct names for the various parts of the body

P.S. they do learn their names and will respond to their name as well

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=5091

read this post - it will give you an idea of just how tame they can become [IF you treat them correctly and with respect]

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Turkey with a wire brush

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