Gobbler with Unusual Colored Beard

[Bohuntr]

I killed this gobbler fairly late in the season and he had this unusual colored beard. Is this the early stages of beard rot? I've just never seen one like this.

 

[megalomaniac]

Yup.

Conflicting theories about what causes it. Some say nutritional deficiency, others say stress.

I'm in the stress induced camp. Plenty of other poultry can show stress barring with growing feathers during a time of stress. And the barred areas are usually weaker. And beards are just a modified feather.

 

[fairchaser]

A natural blonde who ran out of hair dye.

 

[Bohuntr]

Thanks Megalomaniac!

 

[jbranham63]

I killed one with a double beard this year with a very similar coloration on his beards! First I've ever killed like this!