Bearded hens and multi bearded toms

[TurkeyTimes]

So I want some opinions. Is a bearded hen or a multi bearded tom enough of a defect to remove from breeding pools? I personally think a multi bearded tom is pretty cool but from a genetic stand point going for breed improvement and standardization might be more important.

 

[R2elk]

So I want some opinions. Is a bearded hen or a multi bearded tom enough of a defect to remove from breeding pools? I personally think a multi bearded tom is pretty cool but from a genetic stand point going for breed improvement and standardization might be more important.View attachment 1268036

I keep my bearded hens in my breeding group but if you are showing them and trying to breed to the standard, both would be flaws.

 

[Gray Farms]

Agree completely with R2elk. If your showing then cull or rehome them. If your just raising them for food, eggs, pets, etc. then there is nothing wrong with them. Its very common in turkeys, especially bearded hens.

 

[Cody Walker]

i agree with R2elk and Gray Farms. As a turkey hunter, I am always looking for a tom with multiple beards and bearded hens. I think its pretty cool. However, I do not show my birds and dont plan to. It is definitely a genetic thing too. A couple years ago I bought a bronze tom that had 3 beards. I bred him to a hen, one of the offspring females had a hen and a couple of the jakes had multiple beards. i bred him back to his daughter the next year and every hen had a beard. happened again last year. I am not getting rid of my bronze but was hoping to see if i could get a multiple bearded hen but I finally got tired of fighting this tom every time I entered the pen so i butchered him last year. Its always interesting though.