Is it better to remove them?

I never remove them. Doing so might damage either the leaf sheath around the ear base or even break off the stalk. Don't see any need to remove them. If you are getting two good ears that's about all you can hope for. Even if removed I don't think it would help the other ears. It's too late to do any good at the point the 3rd ear might be removed.

The same thinking would apply to plants with one good ear and a weak second.

If they're small enough and still tender, you can use those little secondary ears for "stir fry" corn.

Just leave it. It won't help to remove it, and it wont hurt to leave it.

When I harvest the corn, the tiny ears get shucked and right to my chicken coop. Boy, do the girls thank me.