Based on another thread. I have not seen a piebald critter of any kind, or heard of anyone else in my area. Have wondered before... is it genetic? Some places around here will have a fair amount of bearded hens and some have zero so am assuming it is the same with piebald?

Can't say about turkeys but with piebalds the answer is YES it is a gene mutation

There are a bunch of different genes, on different locus, that can make animals and people piebald. Some genes are dominant, some are recessive and some have partial dominance. Some piebald genes express randomly on the body and several express specific patterns of white. In pigeons, which I raise, there is a multitude of piebald genes, many that are patterning. Some are even progressive, with the pigeon getting more white feathers after each molt.

Keith

^^^Shoot Keith, with my grey beard and top knot....(after successive molts) maybe I got piebald genes?!

Turkey Time, in Missouri anyway, there are a few piebald otter taken yearly in the SE part of the state. Just Sw of St. Louis is as far North as I’ve heard one taken. I’ve never heard of one North of the Missouri River. Certainly could be, but none that I’m aware of.
We’ve caught a piebald beaver or two over the years. Couple albino coon, other oddball color coon. (Red, salt and pepper colored, solid black)

Carl, my beard is mostly white now, with minute amounts of blond, red, brown and black. I got at least a dozen comments about looking like Santa Claus in December and the only places I went until December 22nd, were 4 different hospitals. Black people especially think I look Santa. If I remember right, I interacted with 7 black people In December and everyone of them said I looked like Santa.

Keith