Large birds (Meleagris gallopavo) which belong to the pheasant family. Turkeys are reared throughout the world for turkey meat production. Different gender and age groups of turkeys are known as toms, stags or cocks (adult entire males; >26 weeks of age), hens (adult females; >26 weeks of age), turkey growers (sexually immature young birds; 8-26 week of age) and poults (sexually immature birds which have down rather than feathers).