Is it difficult to grow turkeys at home

There are advantages in breeding chickens, geese, ducks, but one chicken is not enough to feed a large group of guests with meat, but a turkey weighing under 20-30 kg will be quite enough. In addition, its dietary meat is highly nutritious and excellent taste, which is why growing turkeys is becoming more and more popular among farmers: some breed these large poultry for personal consumption, others profit from the sale of meat, fluff and eggs.

Pros of growing turkeys

But no matter how good turkeys are, growing them has its difficulties and disadvantages.

If turkey meat is so healthy, why then are not everyone ready to give up the usual chickens and geese for the sake of raising turkeys? What are the pros and cons of breeding them? Does it make sense to breed these poultry on your site?

Turkey is easy to digest and does not cause allergies

First of all, it is worth noting, of course, the benefits of dietary turkey meat: low cholesterol, a large amount of important vitamins, amino acids and trace elements, turkey is easy to digest and does not cause allergies. The turkey liver is no less useful - it has a high content of useful folic acid and vitamin K.

Video about growing turkeys

You can buy a turkey in the store, but growing turkeys with your own hands, you will be sure of the complete harmlessness and freshness of their meat. If your family has pregnant or lactating women, small children, if a family member is engaged in hard physical labor or constantly suffers from stress and insomnia, then you should definitely start raising turkeys!

In terms of their taste and dietary properties, turkey eggs rank third after quails and guinea fowls, and after turkey eggs are followed by chicken eggs. The only downside is that turkeys produce fewer eggs than chickens.

Turkeys from the age of three months quickly gain weight, outstripping chickens in this.

For those who are interested in the financial side of the issue in poultry farming, it will be interesting to know that growing a turkey pays off quickly enough and begins to bring good profits. Especially when you consider that turkey meat is more expensive than chicken meat, and is much less common on the market. In addition, turkeys gain weight quickly from the age of three months, ahead of chickens. 60% of turkey live weight is muscle, which is healthy white meat.

In order to make a profit, you can implement:

• turkey meat,
• eggs,
• down and feathers,
• young growth,
• small turkey poults.

In food, turkeys are unpretentious, they can be fed with fresh wet mash with vegetables and root vegetables

As for the conditions of detention, turkeys are satisfied with the same room in which chickens are usually raised, only nests for layers need to be provided for a larger size and perches must be built in such a way that 40 cm of free space is provided for each bird. The house should be light, dry and spacious.

In food, turkeys are unpretentious, they can be fed with fresh wet mash with vegetables and root crops, compound feed, hay. In the summer they are released to pastures, where turkeys feed on greenery and insects.

Cons of growing turkeys

Many poultry farmers do not take the risk of raising turkeys due to the difficulty of raising small turkeys. The risk of death of chicks at a tender age is very high. But if you know the basic rules of how to raise turkeys and care for young animals, you have nothing to fear.

Many poultry farmers do not take the risk of raising turkeys due to the difficulties in raising small turkeys.

Here's what you need to remember to keep the poultry from dying:

• try to maintain +33 degrees in the first five days of chicks' life, +27 degrees up to 10 days, +23 degrees after 11 days of turkey poultry life;
• chicks with white plumage need a higher temperature than chicks with dark plumage;
• do not allow sudden changes in temperature in the room where small turkeys live;
• when growing chicks under a brooding turkey, it is enough to maintain a temperature of about +23 degrees in the poultry house;
• before the formation of skin growths on the neck, young animals (by 5 weeks) are very sensitive to dampness - do not let the birds out into the yard when dew falls and on rainy days;
• for small turkey poults, the chopped food is poured onto thick paper so that they do not damage the beaks on a hard surface, otherwise this can lead to their death.

Small turkey poults should not be kept together with chickens and chickens, since as a result of cohabitation of turkey poults, they can become ill with enterohepatitis. Unlike chickens, turkey poults are more fearful, more susceptible to colds and do not get used to a change of environment or a change in feed. Spoiled feed can easily cause illness and death in turkeys.

Video about the content of turkeys

Water is poured to turkeys only fresh, always at room temperature. Try to design the drinker so that little turkey poults can easily reach the water, but cannot get into it. The feed should also be constantly fresh: regularly remove leftover leftovers from the feeders, cook the mash immediately before feeding so that they do not sour, do not allow moldy and musty food to enter the feed. Drinkers and feeders will need to be rinsed as they become dirty.

Growing turkeys is further complicated by the fact that they are more prone to obesity than other types of poultry. Adding more greens and grass flour to their daily diet helps to prevent obesity in turkeys, the amount of grains is reduced. Birds that are prone to obesity are made to move more.

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Turkeys are beautiful and majestic animals ideal for keeping on a home farm. However, breeding, keeping and caring for turkeys is a headache for many novice poultry farmers. How to breed turkeys correctly?

Turkeys: breeding, maintenance, care at home

The most famous breeds for breeding

If you have chosen turkeys as a breeding bird, the first thing you need to do is decide on the breed. They usually choose it in accordance with the goals, method of content and personal desire. Before buying individuals, you need to learn how to navigate the characteristics and main features of the chosen breed - this is the only way to organize proper care. In Russia, several of the most common breeds are distinguished.

Bronze	Red and brown striped feathers, black necks in males. Females are more modest in color. They are good for keeping in the fresh air, they do not require special conditions.	13	7	up to 100
Moscow bronze	Hardy individuals intended both for breeding in production conditions and for a home farm. Relief chest, elongated torso. Feel good when grazing.	15	9	100
Bronze broad-breasted	In appearance they are similar to their bronze ancestor, but larger and larger in the body. Low egg production, inability to walk. Are intended more for industrial content.	14	8	70-80
North Caucasian bronze	They first appeared in the USSR, in 1946. One of the most common breeds for growing at home. Large birds adapt well to any conditions.	14	7	80
White broad-breasted	Oval body with a large chest and a broad back. They are characterized by rich plumage, strong legs. Grown for healthy dietary meat and eggs.	15	7	100-120
North Caucasian white	Hardy birds with good performance and quick weight gain. They are well kept in pasture conditions, not picky about food.	13	7	up to 180

Read also: Turkey breeds

Negative and positive aspects of breeding

Home farmers are increasingly opting for turkey farming. Some breed turkeys for personal consumption, some make a profit from the sale of meat and egg products. Either way, turkey breeding has its advantages and disadvantages. Before deciding whether to do this business, you need to know them.

Bronze broad-breasted turkey

The advantages of content are the following:

• dietary turkey meat is very useful for humans, all thanks to low cholesterol, vitamins, amino acids and trace elements;
• the cost of a turkey growing business quickly pays off;
• for the purpose of earning money, you can sell not only meat and egg products, but also down, feathers;
• turkeys gain weight quickly and rapidly;
• undemanding to conditions of detention and unpretentiousness to nutrition.

Turkey meat is considered dietary

Turkeys are excellent pets for keeping at home and running a business selling meat, eggs, fluff. But some breeders refuse to keep turkeys. They justify this with the following disadvantages of keeping turkeys:

• low productivity - turkeys produce much fewer eggs than chickens;
• the risk of death of chicks after birth;
• demanding for water - use only fresh liquid at room temperature;
• turkeys are often sick, especially if hygiene rules are violated when caring for them;
• the tendency of turkeys to obesity.

Obesity turkey

The note! Turkeys first appeared in America, domesticated them about a thousand years ago. Europe saw birds only in the 16th century.

Features of caring for turkeys

Turkeys are unpretentious animals that can withstand cold temperatures down to -15 ° C, but they still prefer dry and warm care. Make sure that the pen is not damp and that there is always warm bedding on the floor - you need to keep the legs of the turkeys warm. Change the bedding at least twice every seven days. Equip each paddock with small boxes of sand and ash to prevent parasites.

Ash bath for birds

You should especially carefully approach the issue of caring for young animals. Provide chicks with a dry and warm place for the first time. For these purposes, you can use a cardboard box or box. In a temporary dwelling, the temperature must be at least 36 degrees, in addition, it must be constantly illuminated. When the chicks mature, you can move them to a common stall. When arranging a nest, you need to raise its walls high, isolating the hen from other individuals.

Turkey nest

Read also: DIY turkey nest

Requirements for the premises

Experienced livestock breeders have specific room requirements for comfortable keeping and profitable turkey breeding. To set up a comfortable house, follow the instructions below.

Step 1. Decide on the size of the room. The correct calculation is as follows: at least 1 m2 for two turkeys.Ideally, there should be 1 m2 per individual.

Turkey house on a small flock of birds

Turkey house project for 15-30 heads

Step 2. When the house is set up, check the room temperature. The acceptable temperature in summer is 20 ° C, in winter it is no colder than 5 ° C.

Step 3. Adjust lighting. You can illuminate the poultry house with a conventional 60-watt light bulb.

Lighting in the poultry house

Step 4. Be sure to equip ventilation, this will help eliminate dampness.

Step 5. Equip the perches according to the number of birds in the pen (one perch per bird), the distance between them is 60 cm or more.

Step 6. Check the height of the perches. Correct indicators: about 70-80 cm from the floor, width - from 5 to 7 cm, height - from 8 to 10 cm.

Turkey roosts

The note! If you keep all individuals in the same pen, the flock should be no more than 5 females per male, otherwise not all hens will be covered.

Do turkeys need walking?

Turkeys are prone to obesity, so they need to spend enough time walking. While walking, the bird eats useful food, finds worms, beetles, eats greens, seeds and nuts. The ideal place for walking in summer is dry ground with shrubs and green grass. Make sure that the bird can find shade and hide there from the heat. For walking turkeys, you can equip special outdoor enclosures. Install feeders with oats and barley, drinkers, and change the water regularly.

Walking for turkeys

It is especially important to walk the turkeys during the winter - take daily walks for several hours, but not in too windy weather. Cover the area with plenty of straw to keep the turkeys from freezing their feet. You should also scatter food to lure pets out for a walk. If there are too many turkeys, divide the herd into small groups (each with one breeder).

Organization of walking turkeys

Breeding turkeys

Experts recommend for beginners to start breeding with grown young individuals. The best option is three or four month old individuals. By this time, they get used to the classic food, and their immunity is getting stronger. When breeding from scratch in the house, it is necessary to have individuals of different sexes. One male - for 8-10 females. If there are more of them, the male will not be able to properly perform his duties.

North Caucasian silver turkey and turkey

Female eggs incubate for about a month. The bird should be rooted in the spring. Ideally, there are about 17 eggs under one turkey, and all are freely located under the female. Under an inexperienced turkey, which became a mother for the first time, it is better not to lay a large number of eggs. At the very bottom of the nest, place a thin layer of earth, and put dried straws on top. Put the nest in an isolated place, put a drinker and a feeding plate with food next to it.

The note! Female turkeys can raise about 80 babies. A turkey is able to hatch even other people's chicks - chickens or ducks.

Hatched chicks

Using incubators and brooders

Turkeys are wonderful mothers who hatch responsibly and then raise and protect their offspring. Sometimes they give themselves up to their duties so much that they forget to eat - in this case, forcefully remove the hen from the nest and take it to food. While the turkey is feeding, you can inspect the eggs for scratches or dents. After hatching, it is recommended to immediately add the babies to the hen and keep them with the mother for about 6-8 weeks.

Bronze turkey with chickens

On a home farm, you can use an incubator. Eggs that are intended for incubator rearing must be removed from the poultry and transferred to storage. Place eggs on the tray with the pointed end downward - this saves a lot of space. From the moment the eggs are placed in the incubator to hatching, it takes about 28 days. Turn eggs up to day 22 inclusive 12 times a day so that they warm up evenly. You should also observe a strict temperature regime.

1-3	37,8-38	29-29,5	closed
6-12	37,6-37,8	29-29,5	ajar 15 mm
13-25	37,5-37,6	28-28,5	ajar 15 mm
26	37,2	29-30	ajar 20 mm
27	37-37,2	30-33	ajar 20 mm
28	37	35	ajar 20 mm, open completely 3 hours before sampling

Setting eggs in the incubator

Video - Turkeys: breeding and maintenance

In the video, an experienced livestock breeder tells the audience where turkeys came from in Russia. You will learn how to organize the keeping of a bird from egg to adult. The video covers the incubation process, as well as the main issues of care and maintenance. You will also see how to properly equip an aviary and how animals behave while walking.

Nutrition for proper and complete growth

To successfully raise turkeys on a home farm, feed them properly. In most cases, poultry farmers use a combined type of food. Feed the birds with sprouted grains, dry or damp mash. In the fall and spring, take your pets for walks in the pasture so that they can feast on the greens. Use vitamins and top dressing: add chopped carrots, chopped cabbage and beets. Food can be diluted with dried, steamed herbs.

Turkey feed recipes

Turkeys love oats, grains, and barley, but germinate them first. During the breeding time, feed the pets about four to five times daily, during the other period - three times. In the morning and in the afternoon, you can feed with wet food, and in the late afternoon - with dry grain. To make turkey meat tastier and more tender, experienced livestock breeders recommend increasing the concentration of juicy mixtures, gradually reducing the number of grains.

To improve the quality of meat, poultry farmers recommend increasing the concentration of juicy mixtures

Small chicks need to be fed eight times to ensure good health of the brood later on. Three days after hatching, feed dry flour grits, which are mixed halfway with chopped hard-boiled eggs. For up to a month, feed your little ones with small cereals mixed with a variety of nutritious herbs - lettuce, cabbage leaves, nettles and clovers. You can also use a combination feed containing all the elements required for healthy growth.

Feeding at puberty

Puberty in turkeys occurs when they reach 8-10 months. Females lay eggs starting at 10 months. Watch the birds closely during this time, feed them about five times daily. In winter, feed moistened grain feed, finely chopped carrots, and grass flour. In summer, any grain crops mixed with fresh herbs are suitable. Sexually mature individuals should be fed with a mixture of yeast, carrots, greens, sprouted grains and cottage cheese.

Adult turkey and turkey

Yeast	5
Carrots and greens	70-80
Cottage cheese	20
Sprouted grain	100

The note! The weight of one egg laid by a turkey is between 70 and 90 grams - much more than that of chickens. Eggshells are pockmarked, not brown or white.

Video - How to feed turkey poults?

The brood owner explains the basic principles of poultry feeding. From the video you will learn how to feed babies from 0 to 7 days inclusive. The farmer also considers the following questions: in what percentage to add feed, whether it is worth introducing greens into the diet, and also how to properly give the turkey poultry water.

Growing turkeys for meat

To grow turkeys for meat in a farm, use hybrids (individuals that were born from crossing representatives of different breeds). Purchase chicks weighing at least 50 grams, which were removed from the incubator no more than eight hours ago. The most common meat production technology used by many Russian farmers is that young turkeys should be kept in cages until they are eight weeks old before being moved to the floor. Babies should eat fortified feed. Feed the birds about eight times daily, but gradually reduce the number of feeds to 4 times.Otherwise, the rules for caring for individuals intended for slaughter do not differ from the rules for keeping other individuals. It is recommended to slaughter animals at 16 weeks, males at 22 weeks.

Growing turkeys on a farm

The main diseases of domestic turkeys

Some diseases are contagious and are transmitted from other animals that are kept on the farm. Most often, ailments are caused by certain infections and viruses, and in many cases they can be prevented. Experts identify several main infectious diseases of turkeys:

• respiratory mycoplasmosis... Runny nose due to excessive moisture in the pen, as well as due to unbalanced nutrition;
• tuberculosis... One of the most dangerous ailments. Acts on the upper respiratory tract, lungs and other organs. Transmitted through dirty water, eggs, foul bedding and tools;
• histomoniasis... The defeat of the cecum. The disease spreads to the digestive system. Develops in individuals that were placed in an untreated room, where chickens or geese were previously kept;

Turkeys histomoniasis

• worms. The most common disease that affects not only the digestive system, but also the respiratory system. Infection occurs through land, food, water, as well as from other birds;
• smallpox. It is not treated - the dead bird is burned. It is transmitted to turkeys from chickens through food or water, as well as through contact with sick animals. Sometimes transmitted by insect vectors.

To avoid the development of diseases, feed pets only with proven food, provide the turkeys with decent conditions, periodically clean up the pen, keep food bowls and drinkers clean, and periodically inspect animals and vaccinate them. Proper care will help save your pets from the most common diseases.

The first manifestation of smallpox in a turkey

Turkey breeding business

Some novice farmers often think about breeding turkeys. They are attracted by the low competition, as well as the high return on this business. This is more profitable than breeding chickens - the turkey is larger, and its meat is more nutritious and tastier. One individual gives about 100 eggs annually and more than 600 kilograms of meat when fattening offspring. However, there are important points to consider when planning a business.

Step 1. Decide what you want to create a business for. Choose a breed, carefully study all the rules for caring for turkeys, acquire useful equipment and collect initial capital.

Step 2. Draw up a competent business plan for your business, in which all aspects are considered. Determine the main stages of the business, analyze all financial costs, indicate the possible risks, the expected profit.

Step 3. Register the farm with the relevant authorities. Obtain quality certificates and all permits from the sanitary-epidemiological and veterinary services.

Breeding turkeys in a large production environment

Step 4. Rent an area, land or farm. Equip the poultry house, create all the conditions for proper care of pets. Purchase turkeys from specialized farms. For self-breeding, purchase an incubator.

Step 5. Take up the sale of products. It is best to define marketing methods in advance. You can choose to sell on the market or make contacts with retail outlets - shops and restaurants.

The note! Place an ad in your local newspaper for the sale of the product. If possible, place ads on the Internet - this will several times increase your chances of selling the product.

Sale of Inuk carcasses on the market

Benefits of a turkey breeding business

Breeding turkeys is a fairly profitable business that requires large investments at the initial stage. In the first few months, you will be engaged in raising the acquired young stock, which requires constant financial investments.First you need to pay for the construction of a pen, its insulation, the purchase of turkey poults, feed, electricity. In addition, you will have to pay for utilities and feed every month.

After about six months, the profit received from the sale of products will cover the initial costs. Soon, your farm will acquire a new livestock, which will bring new income. For example, if you buy 30 turkey poults and several adults at the beginning, you will receive about 150 thousand rubles after six months of work. At the same time, by increasing the number of birds, you will increase your profit.

Turkey breeding is a profitable business

Breeding turkeys on a farm is an interesting and profitable process even for an inexperienced and novice farmer. It is not difficult at all if you know the theoretical information well. Observe all the conditions of keeping, properly care for the birds, feed them on time and take care of your pets, then they will grow strong, healthy and bring you long-awaited profit.

Breeding turkeys is quite a profitable and interesting activity. They gained the greatest popularity in America, which is their homeland. Over time, Europeans also began to grow them, so little by little the turkeys reached our countries. These birds are famous for their unique dietary meat. It tastes very tender and juicy. Farmers successfully raise these birds in their vast territories. Not everyone has such opportunities, but is it possible to have birds at their summer cottage? This article will tell you all the intricacies of growing turkeys in small areas.

Strong and healthy turkeys. Feeding and care

Choosing the right breed is the key to success

For a long time, farmers have worked to develop a variety of breeds. Thanks to this work, they have achieved good results. The most popular birds of the following breeds are:

• white wide-breasted turkey. The birds have thick white plumage. The advantage of the breed is that it has excellent meat, is well accustomed to different climates and grows quickly. They come in different sizes: the weight of males ranges from 8 to 20 kg, and of females from 5 to 10 kg, it all depends on the sub-grade. Birds begin to lay eggs at 9 months of age. One female can produce up to 120 eggs per season;

  White broad-breasted turkeys

• North Caucasian bronze turkey. The birds have a tight-fitting bronze plumage with a greenish overflow. The breed is well adapted to the climate in our country. Adult males reach a weight of 14 kg, and females - about 7 kg. Oviposition begins at 9 months of age and lasts six months. Only 80 eggs can be obtained from one turkey per season;

  North Caucasian bronze turkey

• bronze broad-breasted turkey. The birds have a brownish-blackish plumage that shimmers beautifully in the light, giving greenish highlights. The breed has a number of advantages: high egg fertility, good hatchability and increased chick vitality. Males weigh 15 kg and females 8 kg. Females begin to lay eggs at 9 months of age. So, during the season, you can get about 100 eggs.

  Bronze broad-breasted turkey

For growing these birds in a small area, any of the listed breeds is suitable. All of them are small in size, but this does not in any way affect the unique taste of the meat and its carrying capacity. The choice is up to the owners.

Important features of the content

By and large, the keeping of turkeys is almost no different from other poultry. But in order to get excellent meat, enough eggs and fluff, you need to know the little subtleties. At the dacha, it is necessary to build a room for birds.

The poultry house should be light and dry, have no drafts, but be well ventilated (for this, holes and hoods are made in the upper part of the wall). In summer, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about + 20 ° C, so the birds can breathe freely.In winter, the temperature should not drop below -5 ° C (if this figure drops, then the temperature in the room must be raised).

Poultry house option for home keeping turkeys - diagram with dimensions

It is important for birds to establish strong perches made of quality timber. They must be installed at a height of 70 cm from the floor. The length must be calculated in such a way that there is at least 50 cm of free space for each bird. It is necessary to install a ladder to the bar, along which the birds can climb to their place.

Turkey in the nest

Cozy nests are established for turkeys in which they can safely lay eggs. It is best to put them in dark places, in two tiers. One nest is enough for 5 females. Their size should be such that the turkey fits freely in it and feels comfortable.

It is necessary to lay straw or wood shavings on the floor of the barn. It must be changed every 7 days, if necessary, this can be done more often.

Turkeys bathe daily to keep their feathers in good condition. To provide them with this procedure, trays filled with sand and wood ash are installed in the shed. It is imperative to make convenient feeders and drinkers.

After eating, all food debris must be removed, so that bird disease can be avoided. The water must be changed regularly so that it is always fresh in the drinker.

Turkeys love to walk freely, so they need to arrange an area for walking. They just need walks, as birds are prone to obesity, which causes heart disease. The size of the house is calculated so that there is about 1.5 m2 of free floor per bird. It is imperative to build a canopy under which the turkeys can hide from the scorching sun. Under such conditions, the birds will feel comfortable at the dacha.

Breeding chicks - several ways to get healthy chicks

Young turkey

If a person is trying to get a farm in the country for the first time, then it is better for him to initially purchase turkey poults at the age of 1 month. Such chicks are already strong enough, and caring for them is not a big deal. If a person has experience or just wants to breed chicks on their own, this can be done.

Fertile eggs need to be purchased and placed in an incubator, or a good brood hen that will hatch healthy chicks must be found.

Below, these methods will be discussed in detail and the summer resident will be able to determine which one suits him best.

If the owners bought chicks right away, then they need to provide appropriate conditions. Where should you start to create a cozy atmosphere for them in your summer cottage:

• the poults must be placed in a box. A soft cloth is covered at the bottom. It is forbidden to use a newspaper, as their paws are not yet strong and slide on the surface, which leads to injuries;
• feeders and drinkers are installed in the box;
• the nestling house should be well lit and heated. For this, a conventional incandescent lamp is used;
• the box must be kept at a constant temperature not higher than +36 °.

If you like the experience of breeding birds, it is worth leaving a few adults, they will be able to give offspring. This option is practiced only when the owners live at the dacha all year round or there is an opportunity to come daily. For many, this hobby has become a well-paid business.

Turkey poults (hatched only)

Depending on the territory of the summer cottage, you can leave one turkey for 8 females. The first egg laid must be marked and left in the nest so the turkey will be more willing to lay eggs.

The females that expressed the desire to lay before the rest are the best hens. It is worth putting 15 to 20 eggs under them, including the marked one - so they will definitely stay in their place.During incubation of offspring, males are not recommended to be allowed near females.

How to determine which eggs are suitable for hatching? Everything is simple enough. It is important to select eggs that do not have a large number of translucent spots. These eggs have a thin shell that will cool while the turkey is out to eat.

In addition, these eggs are poorly fertilized, so they will not make good and healthy offspring. Good eggs are most easily identified with water. It is necessary to collect water in the basin and put eggs one by one: those that float do not fit, and those that sink to the bottom are fertilized and are suitable for incubating them.

Experienced farmers, according to their observations, claim that the shape of the egg indicates the sex of the future chick. Round eggs will hatch turkeys, and spicy eggs will hatch turkeys. The brooding site should be quiet, and with dim light, but well ventilated. Before planting a brood hen, the nest must be thoroughly cleaned, the straw replaced and inspected so that there are no cracks so that predators do not enter.

Oats should be fed to the turkey every morning. While she eats, the eggs are covered with a blanket to keep them warm. Cubs begin to appear after 4 weeks, but eggs should be checked already on day 27. Some chicks are already starting to loosen their shells. Weak turkey poults need help, that is, you can carefully remove the shell.

Feeding turkeys and adult birds

The successful keeping and raising of healthy birds directly depends on proper and balanced nutrition. The main food is grain and grass. Newborn turkeys need careful care and feeding. For the first month, they need to be fed at least 8 times a day. Such efforts are worth it, then leaving is much easier, since the chicks have already grown stronger. For them, it is necessary to prepare a special mixture, which includes chopped herbs:

Approximate diet for turkey poults, g per head per day

• nettle;
• burdock;
• thyme;
• serebryanka.

They must be thoroughly rinsed and finely chopped. The chopped herbs are mixed and wheat bran or barley flour is added. Sour milk or cottage cheese, as well as boiled eggs are mixed into the mixture. The resulting mash must be laid out on a rag so that it absorbs excess moisture that is harmful to babies.

After which it can be given to chicks. If the chicks have not eaten everything during a meal, the leftovers must be removed so that they do not turn sour.

Turkeys need vitamins throughout their growth. Therefore, it is worth introducing special compound feeds into the diet, which will improve the growth and development of chicks. Food must be supplemented with animal proteins, as well as vitamins A and B. All these components are sold in a veterinary pharmacy.

Older turkey poults, at the age of one month, are given herbal slices with the addition of whey or water. Little by little, they begin to introduce finely ground grains. As soon as the heads of the chicks begin to turn red, inflorescences of horse sorrel and grain are added to the diet. From the moment the turkey poults grow scallops, they need to be fed like adult birds.

Approximate norms for feeding turkey poults, g per head per day

Adults need to be given cabbage leaves, carrots, onions, beet tops. The herb must be crushed and combined with barley flour or bran. Wet mash should be given in the morning and at lunchtime, and dry grains should be given in the evening, it is worth taking corn, wheat, barley. In winter, turkeys need vitamins, which are found in beets, cabbage and pumpkin. In the summer, it is worth preparing hay so that in the cold there is something to feed the bird.

What to do to prevent birds from getting sick

Even on the territory of a small summer cottage, raising birds can complicate diseases, therefore, preventive measures must be taken in advance. It is clear that such procedures will have to spend time, money and effort, but this is a necessity.

It is imperative to take preventive actions:

• provide high-quality and fresh food;
• regularly treat the barn with special disinfectants or lime;
• keep turkeys in good conditions;
• clean feeders and drinkers;
• constantly monitor the condition of the birds and inspect them, if necessary, seek advice from a veterinarian.

Air velocity in poultry houses

All health problems of birds arise from improper care and unbalanced nutrition. It's best to initially follow all the tips in this article. Then growing turkeys in the country will bring not only pleasure, but also healthy and tasty dietary meat.

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Video: Breeding turkeys at home

It is not for nothing that the farmers call the king's bird turkey poultry. Growing them at home has several benefits. Firstly, the turkey meat is dietary and extremely tasty, and secondly, the bird itself grows to an impressive size.

How to start growing turkey poults at home

There are several criteria by which poultry is selected for breeding. In appearance, healthy turkey poults differ from weak ones, which immediately catches the eye.

Healthy chicks are active, clean, responsive to sound and light, the down is dry, soft, with an even coverage of the whole body.

Any draft is contraindicated for chicks, which should be taken into account, first of all, upon delivery. It is advisable to prepare the place in advance, since the high-quality maintenance of turkey poults from the first day affects their condition and further development.

The cage where small turkeys are located should be warm, always dry and with the possibility of ventilation. It is best to install a pallet to make cleaning easier and cleaner for the chicks.

Such a dwelling is heated and illuminated with the help of ordinary and infrared lamps. After all, 3-5 day old turkeys, which are harder to grow at home than young ones, should be kept at a temperature of 33-35 degrees. When chicks are cool, they gather in heaps, try not to move, do not approach the stern, when it is hot, they can lie with open beaks and outstretched wings.

The lack of light and heat in the cage, even for the shortest period, threatens overcrowding and piling of turkeys one on top of another in search of warmth, which leads to rapid death. This is especially true for chicks from 4 to 7 days old.

There should always be a drinking bowl with clean water at room temperature and a food tray in the cage. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure that the poults do not get wet and do not trample the feed. Therefore, so that growing turkey poults at home for beginners does not seem troublesome and difficult, vacuum drinking bowls and trays with sides are recommended.

Starting from the 10th day of life, turkey poults can be transferred to a freer cage with a temperature of about 20 degrees and an open-air cage for walking in the fresh air.

Proper feeding and diet

The nutrition of the chicks is a very important point.At the initial stage, when growing turkey poults at home, the diet is a combined feed with the necessary vitamins, microelements, various natural additives.

Ready-made feed should not exclude the use of chicks, especially at the initial stage, mashed cottage cheese, steamed millet, boiled eggs. Turkey poults are happy to eat finely chopped greens (green onions, bum, nettles, carrot tops, clover).

For the prevention of intestinal diseases, drinking water may contain a small solution of manganese, and for better digestion, be sure to put a separate tray with fine gravel, shells and chalk.

In the early days, the risk of death associated with improper digestion is very high. If the turkey “froze” for a long time with his eyes closed, ruffled, drooped and dropped his feathers, then he has stomach problems. It is urgent to put a pea of ​​black pepper deeper into the beak.

In the first week, the turkey poults are poured with food every three hours, after that four meals a day are enough, with the obligatory addition of a mash to the diet.

Meshanka is a mixture of bran or chopped grain (millet, rolled oats, wheat) with herbs, sour milk. The mixture should always be fresh, crumbly and not sour. It should be given so much that the poults can cope with it within 15-20 minutes.

Starting from 1.5 months of age, turkey poults are fed only with dry food, herbs, finely chopped vegetables.

Knowing how to care for turkeys from the first days, providing them with proper and balanced nutrition, good living conditions, you can avoid unpleasant moments associated with illness and death of chicks.

Features of walking turkey poults in an aviary

Raising poultry means having a special and free space for them to walk. Therefore, starting from 10-13 days of life, turkeys need to be released into fresh air.

For this lesson, an aviary should be equipped, fenced and covered with a net, to protect against drafts and predators. It is better if the entire territory of the enclosure is sprinkled with sand or sawdust.

As with a pen, there should be water bowls and feed trays. Turkey poults, especially on warm, hot days, consume a lot of water, you need to monitor its amount.

In addition to feeders, place trays for gravel, shell, chalk in the aviary.

Heat also adversely affects the condition of the bird, they can refuse food, move little, and this leads to slow growth and weight gain. Therefore, the aviary should be equipped with several places with a canopy.

Turkey poults love to climb, take off on perches, which also need to be installed in the main pen and in the aviary.

Small home-grown turkey poults are afraid of dampness and moisture. Do not let them out into the fresh air through dew, as well as immediately after rain.

Features of temperature and light conditions

Little chicks need round-the-clock lighting. For this, the lamps are placed at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from the location of the birds. In the early days, this is necessary for their full adaptation, finding feeders and trays with water.

If you arrange lamps with a blue or green tint, the bird will grow more actively. Also, for rapid growth, daylight hours, on the contrary, are extended. The use of fluorescent light bulbs will significantly reduce energy consumption.

With each day of growing up, daylight hours should decrease slightly, and eventually come down to 16 hours.

From birth, turkey poults do not know how to keep their body warm, and acquire such skills only by the age of two weeks. Ensuring correct thermoregulation is the main condition for successfully raising turkey poults at home.

For the first 4-5 days, the temperature in the house or cage should be kept at 33-35 degrees, and only after 10 days can it be gradually reduced to 22-20 degrees.

In this case, incandescent lamps are located at the edges of the heated room, and not in the center. Thus, the chicks will be able to choose a more comfortable place for themselves.

Heaters are never used to keep the cage warm, nor are they installed on the sides to avoid poultry crowding to the warmer edge.

Proper cultivation of turkey poults at home (there are plenty of videos on this topic on the Internet) provides for separate maintenance from other types of poultry, to exclude the transmission of infectious diseases.

Features of the behavior of turkey poults

Sometimes, among turkeys, there is such a phenomenon as cannibalism. It is expressed in the pecking of both its own body and the body of its relatives.

Causes:

• dry environment in the house, lack of water;
• poor maintenance, feather parasites, insects;
• improper diet, lack or excess of protein;
• adding new turkey poults to a group of birds.

When wounds, scratches, turkey poults appear on the skin, feeling itching, they peck at the diseased surface even more, which leads to deeper wounds and damage. For this reason, many young animals die.

To avoid this, you need to know how to raise turkey poults, protecting them from such a phenomenon.

Prevention methods:

• monitor a sufficient amount of fiber in the diet of turkey poults;
• avoid crowding, providing a good walking area;
• monitor the cleanliness of the room, carry out disinfection actions before moving in;
• add abrasive substances to grind down beaks;
• keep in a bright room, avoid bright aggressive colors;
• beak cutting - only as a last resort.

Sometimes, in order to avoid the spread of mass cannibalism, it is necessary to resettle or remove the most aggressive turkey poults.

Growing turkey poults at home is the most profitable and advantageous option, it is not easy, but it pays for itself quickly. By showing maximum attention to the chicks, especially in the first two weeks of their life, you can absolutely do without serious losses and, in the end, get tasty dietary meat.

Problems of growing turkey poults - video