As Thanksgiving approaches, turkey is on everyone’s mind When prepping the big bird for cooking, you may notice one side seems to have more feathers than the other. Is this just your imagination or do turkeys truly have more feathers on one side? Let’s ruffle some feathers and get down to the bottom of this puzzling poultry predicament
What Causes the Uneven Feather Distribution?
It’s true that turkeys do not have an equal number of feathers on each side This lopsided look is not a random fluke but rather the result of how turkeys sleep,
Turkeys have a preferred side that they like to lay on when sleeping or resting. Similar to humans being left or right-handed, turkeys seem to genetically favor one side over the other. As a result of laying down on and compressing the same area night after night, the feathers on their favored side become worn down and even fall out over time.
Meanwhile, the opposite side that does not get slept on retains more full, lush feathers. This gives turkeys more feathers on the side they do not lay on compared to the side that repeatedly hits the ground. Depending on whether your bird is left or right-favored, you will notice significantly more feathers on the opposite area.
Why Do Turkeys Have a Preferred Sleeping Side?
Scientists are not totally certain why some turkeys prefer sleeping on their left side versus their right. However, research suggests the tendency could be related to the asymmetric anatomy of the turkey’s major organs.
A turkey’s heart, liver, and stomach bulge more to one side of the body than the other. Experts believe sleeping on the side where these organs protrude less may offer the bird more comfort and stability. Their uneven anatomy means less pressure gets put on the organs on that side as they lay down.
This favored sleeping side seems to be instinctual in turkeys and develops early on in life, even before feathers fully grow in. Poults (baby turkeys) will demonstrate a chosen resting side almost immediately after hatching. As adults, turkeys remain quite stubborn about their sleeping preference and do not like having it disrupted.
Other Factors Contributing to Feather Loss
While the tendency to sleep more on one side explains the major imbalance, other factors can also cause turkeys to lose some feathers. Flopping down frequently to rest, mating behaviors, and pecking from other birds can all lead to some natural feather loss over a turkey’s life.
Turkeys also regularly preen and pluck their own feathers to clean and renew their plumage. They will target old, damaged feathers to make room for new feathers to grow in. This self-grooming behavior is another reason you may notice sparse patches scattered more randomly around a turkey’s body from time to time.
How Many Feathers Do Turkeys Have?
The number of feathers on a turkey varies based on their size, sex, and breed. On average, most adult turkeys have between 5000-6000 feathers covering their body. The wings and tail contain the most feathers, while the head and neck contain the least.
Male turkeys, known as toms, tend to have more feathers than females (called hens). This is likely because the male’s flashy plumage plays an important role in attracting mates, so they have evolved more feathers to enhance their display.
The feathers completely coat the turkey’s skin except for the head, neck, snood (fleshy growth on forehead), caruncles (fleshy growth under throat), and wattles. Their heads are covered with small, hair-like feathers. Overall, heritage breed turkeys have more feathers than commercially raised broad-breasted turkeys.
Settling the Great Turkey Feather Debate
While plucking and prepping your turkey for the oven, you may notice one side is easier to strip feathers from than the other. Now you know why! The lopsided feathering is perfectly normal and driven by your bird’s resting habits. Right or left, both sides get deliciously golden brown when roasted to perfection.
So go ahead and ruffle some feathers at the Thanksgiving table this year by dazzling your guests with your newfound turkey feather wisdom. After all, no fowl question should go unanswered!
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Brain teasers: Which side of the turkey has more feathers?
FAQ
Which side of the turkey has the most?
How do you identify turkey feathers?
What does it mean when turkeys spread their feathers?
How many feathers does a turkey have?
Do turkeys have feathers?
Down feathers, the soft, fluffy white feathers that grow close to the turkey’s body provide excellent insulation by trapping air between the body and the contour feathers. Poults are covered in natal down at hatching, which is rapidly replaced with juvenile feathers.
Why do turkey feathers have different colors?
Colors in feathers are formed from pigments or from light refraction caused by the structure of the feather, or a combination of both. Pigments such as melanin are the colored substances found in turkey feathers. Melanin can produce colors from the darkest black to reddish browns and pale yellows.
Why do turkeys have bristle feathers?
Attached muscles allow the feathers to be held tightly against the body in warm temperatures or fluffed in cold weather to trap air for warmth. Bristle feathers are hair like feathers that function as sensory tools and grow on the turkey’s head and neck. They’re well developed on hens as shown.
Why do turkeys molt?
Feather parasite and body lice removal through dusting and sunning protects feathers and lessens disease outbreaks in the entire flock or nest. Molting or feather replacement occurs once a year in wild turkeys. This ensures they have a new set of plumage as winter approaches.
How often do turkeys molt?
Molting or feather replacement occurs once a year in wild turkeys. This ensures they have a new set of plumage as winter approaches. During the molting and regrowth process preening removes tough sheaths from newly grown feathers and helps align them in the proper position more quickly.
Do turkey hunters have pteronophobia?
Pteronophobia is the fear of feathers, feathered objects i.e., birds, or being tickled by feathers. As a turkey hunter I’ll go out on a limb and say turkey hunters aren’t likely to suffer the “fear of feathered objects” part of this affliction. Why?