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#3 had the beard rot!

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Great hunt this morning. Right off the roost.

Just two soft runs of light Lonnie Sneed Hot Hen was all that was needed.

He ended up moving to my 2:00, but that was my original 5:00, as I had already turned around the tree some. I had to lean out to my left and contort my shoulders back to the right to clear some limbs etc. Wasn't easy for a big guy :D !

Spurs were a little more than an inch, but most of the beard ends at the brown point! I've killed a couple of others that had it over the years, but it wasn't from this area. Anyone knows what causes it?
 

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congrats!!!!

beards are just modified feathers... any major stressor to a bird can cause a weakness if the feather leading to breakage. Pretty aggravating when it happens to show chickens. But it would have grown back out in a few more months if you hadn't stressed him to death today :)
 
The stressors that mega referenced cause a temporary shortage of melanin which is what makes the beard black and strengthens it. Because of that shortage, the blonde growth line appears as the beard grows out. That line is weak and brittle, so the strands break off. I've killed two like that this year and several others in years past. I actually like it. Beard length doesn't excite me, but I think the character is pretty cool.
 
I believe it is caused by a vitamin deficiency in the turkeys diet, causes follicles to become rust colored, brittle and fall off.
 
I also raise chickens, and they can get it (looks like barring on the feathers). I'm sure nutritional deficiencies can cause it, but heat stress is my main problem here in south MS with the huge fat heritage orpington breeds. They can be pretty miserable when we get heat indices over 110

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