Mutant Turkey Foot

[VenaticOppidan]

Alright my Turkey Aficionados, what could cause a turkey to have feet like this? I have only started turkey hunting 4 years ago, and have been doing well (i think anyway) 5/5 with 3 Toms and 2 Jakes. Anyway, I am no subject matter expert. I called this Tom in yesterday morning in PA (20lb, 9" beard, 1.25" spurs). The Turkey looked great and I am super happy, but when I got to the bird I noticed his feet were extremely odd. Both of them. Identical in shape. None of the other birds I shot looked this way Attached are some pictures.

Have any of you seen anything like this or know what causes it? just a birth defect?

 

[hobbes]

I've killed a few that had single toes like that but never all of them. It doesn't look like a birth defect to me because it looks like some sort of trauma. It's a full on guess but I wonder if frostbite got them.

 

[hobbes]

Then again, it could be a birth defect and the "trauma" could be from scratching for food without the claws/nails that most turkeys have.

 

[sram9102]

Looks like frost bite. I've had chickens in that past end up looking like that.

 

[mullet dredge]

Looks like bumblefoot, common in chickens...

 

[VenaticOppidan]

very cool guys, thanks for the responses. Both feet essentially looked identical. I emailed the Turkey Doc, so we will see if he gets back to me.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

The Turkey Doc got back to me, and he said from first blush and what he can say he would say its Bumblefoot. Good diagnosis Mullet!

 

[lyingflatlander]

Had a Tom with it a few years ago up in the U.P. In Michigan. Saw him one day then dead the next, figured a coyote caught him. His feet looked the same and figured it was frostbite. I wouldn’t be shocked if frostbite was a precursor to staph infection. Very interesting and Thanks!