Turkey with "paintbrush" in chest

[Mrs. Mucket]

My BBWhite tom (17 weeks) has sprouted a bundle of black bristles sticking out of his chest. It looks like the head of a paintbrush. Anyone seen this before?

 

[cpegram]

I have seen wild tom turkeys have those

 

[Buckguy20]

They are called beards and all male turkeys have them. Even some hens develop them.
It is totally normal.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Thanks for your quick responses. LOL I guess I have never been that close to a tom turkey before!

 

[silkiechicken]

There are even little key chain things you can use to mount beards onto to memorialize toms! Granted, they are usually aimed more at hunters that get that big old tom they always wanted.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Yes, those are completely normal! And I must proudly proclaim that I have a hen turkey with a beard! It is great fun to make her grouchy, strut around, and charge(but that's a different story).