strange hairy growth on turkey chest

[melle1980]

I am glad you asked. I just noticed it today on one of my young toms (they are about 14 weeks old.) I was nervous because I have over 140 poultry birds and I know there are some infections that turkeys can get that you have to get rid of all your birds to eradicate. I'd post a picture but there is light rain and I don't want to get my cam wet.

It's called a beard. Male turkeys have them. My tom has one and it's handsome on him. My tom is in my avatar and you can see it a little bit on his chest in the pic. His beard is about 4 inches long. I always touch it at night when he is roosting.

 

[Amanda16]

Is this one? I found it on one of my white hollands this morning, its 15 weeks old, no others seem to have one, so i wanted to make sure it wasn't a parasite or something harmfull

 

[R2elk]

Is this one? I found it on one of my white hollands this morning, its 15 weeks old, no others seem to have one, so i wanted to make sure it wasn't a parasite or something harmfullView attachment 1101878 View attachment 1101879 View attachment 1101880

That is a turkey beard.

 

[Desiree R.]

It wasn't mentioned in any of my books on turkeys and I had never heard of it before. When my tom Triple Peep started growing his bread I was very surprised and was like, "What the heck is that!". I had to google growths on turkey chest to figure out that it was something that was supposed to be there :} He is about 4 months old and his beard is about 1-1/2 inches.