What’s a Baby Turkey Called & 4 More Amazing Facts!
Baby turkeys are astonishing creatures who love the warmth and are often seen enjoying a nap in the sun. They are actually born fully feathered and ready to fly. Their feathers are soft and downy and they look like little miniature chickens. They grow up fast and mature quickly, reaching sexual maturity within 3 weeks.
Turkeys are omnivores and eat lots of food including insects, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, and meat. Turkeys are herbivorous birds and do not hunt animals. Instead, they scavenge for food. In fact, turkeys are one of the most efficient scavengers because they find food where it is least expected.
A turkey’s natural habitat is North America, specifically the United States and Canada. However, they are now found across much of the world. Today, there are wild turkeys living in every state except Hawaii. There are approximately 15 million domestic turkeys in the United States alone.
The average lifespan of a domesticated turkey is 8 to 10 years. Wild turkeys live longer. A typical male turkey lives up to 12 years while females typically live up to 14 years.
As far as noise goes, turkeys make a variety of noises. Like other birds, turkeys have a loud call that lets others know they are around. When frightened, turkeys make a high pitched squeal known as a gobble. Sometimes turkeys even talk to each other.
#1: A Baby Turkeys are Called Poults or Chicks!
A baby turkey is called a “poult.” This name is used because it’s still too young to eat. As it gets older, it becomes known as a “chick,” though some people call them “turkey chicks” or “goose chicks.” These names come from the fact that they look similar to small chickens and geese.
When a chick grows up, he’ll be called a “tom” or “gobbler” if he is male and a “hen” if she is female. If you want to know what a bird sounds like, just listen to the sound of his voice!
#2: Turkey Chicks are Super Social
Turkeys are among the most social of birds. They form close relationships with one another and even enjoy spending time together. As soon as they hatch, baby turkeys start exploring the world around them. And since they spend much of their lives in groups, it makes sense that they become very friendly towards others.
The young turkeys are curious about everything around them and want to learn how things work. This includes people. Their curiosity leads them to explore the faces of strangers, making them some of the friendliest birds out there.
#3: Turkey Chicks Have a Unique Voice
A turkey chick lets out a high-pitch squeal when she needs help from her mother. She sounds like a human baby, and it’s pretty cute. But what else does she do besides squawk?
Did you know that “gooble” isn’t the only sound a turkey can make? They can even make over 20 different noises, including bleats, grunts, cackles, clucks, croaks, hoots, growls, honks, kraaak, mooing, purrs, roars, rumbles, squeaks, squawks, wheezes, and yelps.
And yes, adult males can really go “gobble“—the loudest noise they make is a deep, resonant call. This is how they attract mates, and it usually happens just once during mating season.
But what about the rest of the time? Adult female turkeys don’t gobble. Instead, they use their wings to flap loudly while making a variety of other calls. These include clicking sounds, chirping, cooing, crowing, hissing, kee-keek, quacking, and trilling.
When baby turkeys are lost, they let out a low-pitched cry. And when adults want to find each other, they sometimes yelp. If they hear another adult turkey nearby, they might start yelling too, but mostly they keep quiet unless they’re trying to alert someone.
#4: Baby Turkeys are Irrecognizable as Turkeys at Birth!
Turkeys are pretty noticeable animals, especially since they stand around 10 inches tall and weigh about 3 pounds. They have large bodies and decorative tails, similar to a peacock, that fan out similarly to those of a peacock. Males have vibrant feathers in many different colors, including red, green, and blue. Females have dull brown fur, although some females do sport colorful feathers.
However, if you saw a young turkey, you might not notice it was a turkey at first glance. In fact, if you found a newborn baby turkey, it could easily be mistaken for a duckling. Newborn baby turkeys look very much alike to ducks, except for one major difference — turkeys don’t have webbed feet.
A lot of people think that babies are born fully formed, but that’s simply not true. A baby turkey looks nothing like a grown up turkey. Their eyes aren’t open, their ears aren’t developed, and they lack feathers. Even though they’re still tiny, they’ve already begun growing a few feathers. When they hatch, they’re covered in downy fuzz. As they grow older, their feathers begin coming in.
If you see a baby turkey, you’ll know it’s a turkey because of their distinctive tail feathers. If you find a baby turkey, you should take it home immediately and feed it milk. You can keep it inside until it grows into a full adult turkey.
#5: Turkey Chicks Love Heat
Turkeys are one of the most well-known poultry species. They’re known for being delicious, having big breasts, and laying beautiful white eggs. Turkeys aren’t just pretty faces though; they’re smart too. In fact, turkeys are able to recognize individual humans based on facial features.
But what about turkeys’ babies? Did you know that turkey chicks love warmth? And it’s not just because they’re cute. Baby turkeys are born blind and helpless, and need a constant source of warmth to survive. So how do they find their way home? Well, mommy turkeys lay their eggs in nests where they’ll incubate them until they hatch. But while they’re waiting to hatch, baby turkeys don’t seem to mind sitting around in their nest. Sometimes they even fall asleep there.
So why does a baby turkey like warmth? Because it helps him feel safe. Warmth feels good, and it makes us feel better too. When we’re cold, our body temperature drops, and it affects our mood. We become cranky, sad, and anxious. On the flip side, when we’re hot, our body temperatures rise, and we feel happy, energetic, and positive. Babies are no different. Their bodies naturally produce a lot of heat, and they use that heat to regulate their moods. If they’re feeling chilly, they might start crying. If they’re feeling overheated, they might smile.
And here’s another thing you didn’t know about turkeys: turkeys are actually part of the same family as chickens. They’re both Galliformes, meaning that they belong to the group of birds known as pheasants, quails, guineafowl, grouse, and peacocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a baby turkey called?
A young turkey is usually referred to as a “chick” until he/she is about 4–5 weeks old. After that, a male turkey is often referred to as a ‘Jake’ and a female is sometimes referred to as a ’Jenny.’
How much do baby turkeys weigh?
Turkeys’ sizes depend on their breeds. The smallest newborn turks weigh less than one pound and the largest can weight up to four pounds at hatching.
What do baby turkeys eat?
Baby turks enjoy a diet of small bugs, berries, and even seed!
Where do baby turkeys live?
The turkey is a native American bird. They are also found throughout Canada.