10 percent
Sources say that about 10 percent of hens will be bearded. A hen beard is almost always thin, like a pencil, and about 4-6" at the longest. They will breed and nest and raise poults.
Gobblers distinguishing characteristics are a large, fleshy head, neck and wattles, the wattles often brilliant red in the spring. There is a white fleshy crown on the top of the head. Predominant body color always strikes me as iridescent black, almost like a giant lump of coal. In hand, a gobbler breast feather will have a black iridescent band across the top. Of course there is the beard and spurs. Good gobblers (20 lbs plus) may seem enormous in size.
Hens neck and heads are largely feathered by comparison. Head flesh color is a dull blue. Predominant body color always strikes me as a dull slate gray, trending towards brown. There is little, if any iridescence. In hand, a hen feather will have a buff, tan/brown band across the top. Hens trend smaller than gobblers, maybe 15 lbs tops, but that is guess, as I've never killed/weighed a hen.
Sounds to me like the bird killed was a bearded hen. Any jake I've killed or handled, will have minimally a pea sized bump for spurs. Lack of spurs says hen to me. It happens. If legal, I wouldn't sweat it, and use it as a learning experience.
I'll add, if I have to ask myself, "Is that a hen or a gobbler,?", It almost always turns out to be a hen. Given good light and reasonable distance, a gobblers appearance is usually striking, and seen together, the difference between the two is readily apparent.
