How to Raise Turkeys at Home: Practical Tips

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Such beautiful and majestic birds as turkeys, are suitable for keeping on private property. But keeping and to look after They are not easy to look after, especially for novice poultry farmers.

How profitable is it to raise turkeys at home?

Private farmers are increasingly choosing to raise these birds. Some raise them for personal consumption, while others often sell their meat and eggs at market. Keeping turkeys has its pros and cons. Those considering raising turkeys should consider the potential advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits of raising birds:

• Low-calorie turkey is a very healthy product that contains a minimum of cholesterol, vitamins, amino acids, and microelements;
• the costs of maintaining individuals pay for themselves in a short time;
• At the market, in order to generate income, you can sell not only meat and eggs, but also feathers and down;
• turkeys quickly gain weight;
• Birds are not capricious about living conditions and are undemanding about food.

Some poultry farmers are hesitant to raise turkeys, citing a number of disadvantages:

• low productivity – these birds produce much fewer eggs than hens;
• newborn chicks often die;
• individuals require fresh water at room temperature;
• Turkeys often get sick, especially if hygiene rules are violated;
• birds skpubic to obesity.

The most suitable breeds for farming

For poultry farmers who decide to raise turkeys, it's important to choose the right breed. It's chosen based on the farmer's needs, preferences, and husbandry methods. Before purchasing birds, you need to pay attention to their distinctive features and characteristics. breeds, because only in this case can we ensure birds Proper care. There are several well-known breeds in Russia:

1. Bronze. Males have reddish-brown feathers and a black neck, while females are dull in color. They can be kept outdoors without special care.
2. Moscow Bronze. A resilient breed, suitable for both private farms and commercial breeding. It has a prominent chest and an elongated body. It thrives in the pasture.
3. Broad-breasted Bronze. Similar in appearance to its predecessor, but more compact and massive. Low egg-laying ability, so letting the bird roam freely is not recommended. Better suited for breeding on large farms.
4. Bronze North Caucasian. Originated in the USSR in 1946. One of the most popular domestic turkey breeds. Large individuals easily adapt to a variety of conditions.
5. White broad-breasted. It has an oval body, a full chest, a massive back, lush plumage, and thick legs. It produces low-calorie meat and eggs.
6. White North Caucasian. Unpretentious individuals with high fertility and rapid weight gain. Easily maintained on pastures, they are not picky about food.

On average, the bird weighs from 7 to 15 kg, and the number of eggs laid per year is from 70 to 100.

Turkey Care Basics

Eyou birds They are unpretentious and can survive temperatures down to -15°C (-15°F), but they thrive in dry, warm air. Humidity in the pen should be controlled, and comfortable bedding should be placed on the floor to keep the birds' feet warm. This should be done at least twice a week. Each pen should be provided with small boxes filled with ash and sand to prevent parasites from developing.

Young birds require special care. Newly hatched chicks require a dry and warm environment. A box or crate is suitable for this. The temperature in the temporary housing should be at least 36 degrees Celsius, and good lighting should be maintained. Once the chicks are fully grown, they are placed in a common pen. When building the nest, its edges are raised high to isolate the mother hen from other birds.

What the room should be like

Competent poultry farmers have a number of requirements for a suitable location for keeping and profitably raising turkeys. To set up a poultry house, follow these guidelines:

1. Choose the room size. The following calculation is recommended: at least 1 square meter per 2 individuals, but preferably per 1 individual.
2. Adjust the temperature in the prepared pen, which should not be lower than 5 degrees in winter and 20 degrees in summer.
3. Install lighting. A simple 60-watt light bulb can be used.
4. Install perches according to the number of turkeys in the pen. There should be one perch per turkey, with a distance of 60 cm between them.
5. Check ventilation to reduce humidity.
6. Adjust the perch height. Ideally, the perch should be 70-80 cm from the floor, 5-7 cm wide, and 8-10 cm high.

In addition to the main nuances for proper turkey rearing, it is necessary to provide containers for food and water, perches, nests, and aviaries for walking in the summer.

How to walk turkeys

Obesity is a common problem among poultry, so they need more exercise. Outdoors, birds receive nutritious food such as worms, insects, greens, nuts, and seeds. Turkeys need more shade to escape the heat. They can be exercised in special outdoor enclosures, complete with feeders filled with barley and oats and containers of regularly refreshed water.

The most important time to run turkeys is in winter, when the birds are taken outdoors for a few hours in calm weather. The run is lined with a thick layer of straw to prevent frostbite on the birds' feet. Food is scattered outside to attract the turkeys. If there are large numbers of turkeys, small groups led by males can be formed.

Fattening of young animals on a private farm

Turkey farms raise meat birds of various ages. Young birds are kept and fed until their breeding becomes unprofitable and it becomes necessary to cull them. On private farms, turkeys are fattened using meat, lard, or a combination of the two methods. Mature birds are suitable for the second method, while healthy adolescents are suitable for the first and third. Typically, young birds unsuitable for breeding and excess males are culled.

Forced feeding

The idea is to increase the turkeys' food supply several times over. If an individual stops eating due to lack of appetite, it is forced to do so by placing food in its crop.

Initially, the turkey's movements are restricted by placing it in a cage. It is given 700-800 grams of food per day, rich in fat and protein.

This feeding method uses soft foods to avoid harming the digestive tract. Specifically, a "mash" of corn, barley, and wheat is used.

If you force-feed a turkey, it will double its weight gain rate within 20 days.

Turkey breeding on farmland

Professional poultry farmers advise inexperienced breeders to start breeding older chicks. Ideally, the birds should be 3-4 months old. By this age, they are consistently fed a standard diet, and their immune systems are strengthened. If breeding is starting from scratch, the coop should contain several birds of different sexes: 1 male and 8-10 females. With more hens, the breeder will not be able to cope with the task.

The females incubate the eggs for about a month. The birds are placed in the nest in the spring. Each turkey should have 17 eggs, spread loosely underneath her. If the turkey is inexperienced and just beginning her mothering duties, she won't be able to hatch many eggs. The bottom of the nest is thinly lined with soil and covered with dry straw. The nest is placed in a secluded area, with a container of water and a bowl of food nearby.

What are incubators and brooders used for?

Turkeys have a highly developed maternal instinct: they are skilled at incubating, training, and protecting the next generation. Sometimes, they become so engrossed in this activity that they forget about food, in which case the mother hen should be removed from the nest and taken to the feeder. While the mother is feeding, you can inspect the eggs for damage. The hatched chicks should be kept close to their mother for 6-8 weeks.

On a private farm, you can use an incubator. Eggs to be raised this way are removed from under the mother and placed in the device. They are placed in a tray, point down, to conserve space. The chicks will hatch in approximately 28 days. For up to 22 days, the eggs should be turned 12 times a day to ensure even heating. The correct temperature is also essential. The closer to hatching, the warmer the egg should be inside.

What to feed birds for normal and timely growth

To ensure turkeys raised on private farms are marketable, their diet must be properly managed. Farmers typically use a mixed diet. Turkeys are fed sprouted grains, dry, or wet mash. In the fall and spring, turkeys are taken out to pastures where they eat greens. The feed should be combined with vitamins and nutritional supplements: finely chopped carrots, cabbage, and beets. Dried, steamed greens are also a good addition.

Turkeys enjoy oatmeal and barley, but sprouting the grains is recommended. During the breeding season, it's best to feed turkeys 4-5 times a day. Feed raw food in the morning and dry food in the afternoon. To produce tasty and tender turkey meat, professionals recommend increasing the content of juicy ingredients while gradually reducing the amount of grains.

Chicks need to eat eight times a day to ensure a healthy brood. Three days after hatching, they are given dry flour mixed with chopped hard-boiled eggs. Until they are one month old, they are fed fine grains with added greens such as clover, lettuce, cabbage leaves, and nettles. Mixed feed, which contains all the nutrients needed for proper development, is also acceptable.

Feeding during reproductive maturity

Reproductive functions in birds develop at 8-10 months. Hens begin laying eggs at 10 months of age. During this period, birds should be closely monitored and offered food approximately five times a day. In winter, a wet grain feed with added carrots and plant meal is necessary. In hot weather, any seeds and greens are suitable. Mature turkeys require a mixture of yeast, vegetables, herbs, sprouted seeds, and cottage cheese.

Turkey production

To produce tasty meat, it's best to breed hybrids, or crossbreds. Farmers purchase chicks weighing no more than 50 grams, hatched no more than eight hours ago. The classic Russian method for raising these birds is as follows: young birds are kept in cages for eight weeks and then placed on the floor. The young birds need a vitamin-rich feed. Initially, the birds are fed eight times a day, then the number of meals is reduced to four. The principles of raising turkeys for meat are the same as for laying turkeys. The best time to slaughter females is 16 weeks, and males, 22 weeks.

What diseases can domestic turkeys get?

There are contagious diseases that can spread from one animal to another on a farm. These can be caused by viruses. Most of them can be avoided with preventative measures. Here are the main ailments affecting turkeys:

1. Respiratory mycoplasmosis. Caused by high indoor humidity and an unhealthy diet.
2. Tuberculosis. A very serious disease. It affects the upper respiratory tract and the lungs. It can be transmitted through contaminated bedding, untreated water, eggs, and equipment.
3. Histomoniasis is a cecal disease. It occurs in the digestive system of turkeys living in an undisinfected poultry house where geese or chickens were previously kept.
4. Worms. The most common disease affecting the digestive and respiratory systems. They can be transmitted through soil, food, water, and other animals.
5. Smallpox. It cannot be cured, so infected birds are destroyed and then burned. Turkeys can become infected through water or food, or through contact with sick birds.

To prevent illness, the birds need reliable feed and decent conditions in the pen. To achieve this, it's important to maintain a tidy pen, clean water and food containers, and regularly inspect and vaccinate the birds.

Turkey farming is a business

More and more poultry farmers are considering acquiring turkey flocks. They are attracted by the low competition and substantial profits this offers. Raising chickens is less profitable because turkeys are larger and their meat is lean and has a distinctive flavor. Each bird produces about 100 eggs per year and 600 kg of meat when properly fed. However, when planning a business, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. You need to find the right breed, become well-versed in the rules for keeping turkeys, buy the necessary equipment, and raise the necessary funds.
2. A business needs a high-quality business plan that addresses every detail. It should outline the key stages of the project, estimate its costs, and outline the expected risks and revenue.
3. Farms register with government agencies. They can also obtain a quality certificate, veterinary approval, and sanitary and epidemiological services.
4. To raise poultry, you rent a plot of land or a farm, and set up a poultry house. You need to buy not only turkeys from specialized farms but also the necessary breeding equipment. These birds require proper care.
5. Selling products isn't easy either. Sales methods are determined in advance. Markets or retail outlets, such as stores and restaurants, are suitable.

What are the benefits of raising turkeys?

Of course, at the initial stage of business development, you'll have to spend a considerable amount of money. After all, the first few months require caring for the purchased young animals, which requires substantial expenses. You'll also need to pay for the construction of the pen, its heating, electricity, feed, and the animals themselves. Not to mention the utilities, which must be paid for monthly.

But six months will pass, and the income collected from selling turkeys and eggs will cover the initial expenses. Then the farm will acquire new flocks, and, accordingly, the next profit will follow. For example, if you initially buy 30 chicks and several mature birds, after six months you can reap a profit of 150,000 rubles. As the number of birds increases, so does the income.

Advice from the pros

We've listed the key factors necessary for turkeys' development and weight gain. If you follow these recommendations, you shouldn't encounter any complications. However, experienced poultry farmers advise always remembering the following:

1. Turkeys thrive on cleanliness, not only in their coops but also in their run. The areas need to be thoroughly disinfected, especially if they were once home to chickens or other birds.
2. The pen's microclimate must not be disturbed, otherwise the birds will become ill. The health of each individual must be monitored, as there are infections that can destroy the entire flock.

Raising turkeys on a private farm is a fun and profitable venture, even for a novice unfamiliar with the intricacies. The key is to follow all the rules, provide the birds with food on time, and care for the adults, who will generate a decent income.