Is it profitable to grow turkeys at home

If you want to create your own mini-farm from scratch and in the future get a good profit, then growing turkeys is the best option for a stable income. Why?

1. Profitability. Poultry grows faster than other animals. In particular, turkeys live without unnecessary stress, especially without wasting energy like chickens.
2. Saving. By purchasing 3 kg of feed for one turkey, you can get 1 kg instead, while for 1 kg of pork you need to purchase 7 kg of feed.
3. There are no additional difficulties. They eat almost all types of food, especially green species.
4. Multifunctionality. Turkeys provide a large amount of meat, fluff, feathers, dung for fertilization.
5. Poultry can be grown both in rural areas and in the private sector.

Bronze broad-breasted turkey

Therefore, poultry farming is one of the most profitable business categories today. Turkey meat is very popular with meat lovers because it is similar to chicken. This meat is dietary, has high taste and useful properties. Read more about breeding turkeys at home below.

How to start raising turkeys at home from scratch?

Before planning to build a poultry farm, the farmer should select a turkey variety. Know the environmental factors that will affect the viability and performance of your poultry:

• light duration and saturation;
• air temperature and structure;
• type of food;
• living space;
• disease propensity;
• a kind of bird.

What breed should you choose?

The rate of production growth and profitability of the entire poultry complex depends on the correctly purchased variety of poultry. Some species gain mass in a short time, while others grow less intensively. The best option is to choose elite bird species, for example, Big 6, because it increases the fastest in the weight category (males for 130 days about 19 kg, females - 11 kg.).

Another successful species for fishing is bronze broad-breasted bird. These are massive birds (females grow up to seven to nine kg, and males ten to fifteen kg).

• Minus: the turkey is not adapted for pasture nutrition, since it was bred specifically for cages and poultry houses.
• Plus: fertility is up to one hundred and twenty eggs per year, and fertility is 80%, chicks - turkey poults - up to 75%.

Slaughter is carried out at the twentieth or twenty-third week, when males reach 13-15 kg, and females 7-8 kg.

North Caucasian bronze turkey has a well-developed adaptation to green nutrition. Males can put on weight up to fourteen kg, and females - seven kg. Oviposition - from nine months to six months (1 period - 80 eggs).

White broad-breasted turkey

White broad-breasted turkey has excellent meat performance, quick adaptation to a variety of climatic factors. Egg production from nine months to a year (1 period up to 120 eggs). White broad-breasted turkey is divided into: heavy, medium and light. Males grow up to 25 kg and females up to 10 kg.

Cross BIG-6 (heavy breed) has quality meat characteristics and has a short growth period. It is bought for meat (males weigh 25 kg, and females - 11 kg).

• Plus: the net weight of an adult is 80-85%.
• Minus: to breed this species, it is necessary to artificially fertilize poultry.

Poultry farms make a special schedule for hatching turkeys, and farmers calculate the days to buy chicks. Since the transportation of chicks, eggs, feed and similar cargo is carried out systematically, it will be more profitable for such purposes to buy your own transport. It is not cheap, but this business will soon yield results that will delight you.

Where to buy turkeys?

You can buy poultry at a special farm. Try to choose such turkeys between which there are no family ties, because the offspring may be born weaker than when mating individuals that do not have family ties. Before you get turkeys, you must carefully familiarize yourself with the rules for choosing the young generation of rural poultry.

Features of growing turkeys at home for meat

You can grow turkeys in a variety of ways: extensive, semi-intensive, cage, outdoor. Also alternate these options, depending on the weather, age criterion, goals, variety. You can breed turkeys at home both naturally and in a broiler way (eggs are placed in an incubator for a specific period of time at a specific temperature). If the goal of your business is to obtain meat, then the broiler method is suitable for you, since turkeys quickly increase in size in a short period of time. The younger generation that was bred in the incubator is more susceptible to diseases than the one that was grown naturally, so you need to take care of them more carefully.

Difficulties in breeding appear when turkeys are 1 month old. An important advantage of the bird is a large percentage of hatchability (90%). Turkey poults are well bred in incubators. If they grow in a natural environment, then it should be borne in mind that the turkey is a very caring mother and this can be used to raise any type of bird.

For turkeys, it is recommended to create a straw nest 40 by 40 centimeters (one bird - 13-17 eggs). The required egg temperature is 12-15 degrees, and the required incubation time is twenty-eight days.

Only newly born chicks should be drunk with boiled water along with green tea and sugar (1 tablespoon / 1 liter of water), since the antiseptic properties of green tea help to strengthen the immunity of the offspring. So they need to be fed for the first three days, and on the fourth, you can give ordinary water.

Immediately after birth, young offspring need constant light, which must be reduced step by step by thirty minutes. On the 20th day, fifteen hours of light are needed. Poults can easily catch colds, so it is very important to maintain the recommended temperature.

Due to the rapid weight gain over the next three weeks, it is recommended to feed the bird during the first month with PK-5 compound feed with vitamin supplements, amino acids and minerals. At the start of the second offspring, they are fed with an inexpensive food mixture (crushed corn, barley and bran) with the necessary additions of cottage cheese, grated carrots or fish giblets.The best vitamin for turkeys are B vitamins, therefore, according to the recommendations of experts, add dry yeast to your food.

Conditions of detention

You should not keep turkey poults in the same place with other birds (chickens, geese, ducks). As a last resort, make a small wire fence to avoid crowding between the turkeys. In this limited area, the presence of various pits and grooves is not desirable.

You can raise turkeys in:

1. A special building. To correctly equip the building, it is necessary to adhere to the temperature regime, the permissible air temperature (no more than + 20C °). It is also worth observing the correct location and number of birds in one cage.
2. Open air, fenced area. This option is relevant if you live in a warm area. These birds are not afraid of cold weather, but only if the air temperature is not too low.

When growing poultry in an open area, you need to equip it. To do this, block the required area with a net, and put drinkers and feeders for turkeys inside:

• Mesh diameter: 3.00-4.60 m for 240-450 individuals.
• Material: wire, height 40-50 cm.
• Heaters: 3.0-5.6 kW (take into account the fence and the number of individuals).
• Burner height - 70-90 cm.
• Temperature range: 36-38 С °, decreasing to 27 С °.
• Drinking bowl. It is recommended to put a round one with an automatic machine or a vacuum one.
• Feeder. For 40-60 turkeys - one feeder.
• Light. Observe the required amount of light for a strong and healthy generation. To do this, use an incandescent lamp, with automatic or manual mode.

Turkey diet

Pay close attention to the nutrition of the poultry, because it affects the rate of weight gain and the readiness for slaughter for meat. The diet of elite turkeys includes many vitamin, protein and carbohydrate, fat components, which are contained in vitamin mixtures, sold in special points or in a veterinary pharmacy. Replenish the amount of food in the offspring as it decreases and do not store it in the trough for more than 3 days. An adult male should be fed 2.9 kg of feed per kg. the weight of the turkey, to the female - 2.6 kg. Do not forget that turkeys practically do not see into the distance and it is worth making sure that other birds do not eat turkey poults. When raising turkeys for slaughter, females living 105 days (10 kg) are recommended.

Drinking bowls must be given special attention: they need to be rinsed a couple of times a day, and also to avoid overheating of the water. It needs to be replenished constantly and kept cool and clean. After a week and a half, it is recommended to start letting the bird go for a walk on its own.

Is it worth it, the possible profit

When breeding turkeys, you can earn by selling: meat, eggs and chicks. The selling price of turkey meat ranges from 150 to 350 rubles per kilogram. If we take an average mass of 15 kg, then we get that the meat of one poultry can be sold for about 3750 rubles.

Turkey eggs can be of interest to entrepreneurs who breed in incubators. The cost of one egg is 35 rubles.

Selling one chick can bring you from 250 to 500 rubles. The exact figure depends on the breed. The sale of chicks is carried out when they reach the age of three weeks.

And yet the main incentive to grow turkeys is poultry meat. Compared to chicken offspring, they breed a small number of chicks - 80-100 per year. Growing turkeys requires a lot of effort at the start, but in the future, due to the advantages of breeding this bird, the business becomes profitable. And if you have not yet decided for yourself: “Breeding turkeys as a business - is it profitable or not,” then the answer is obvious - “Yes”.

Breeding turkeys is gaining more and more popularity from year to year. Even in private farms, farmers strive to make their own business on this. This direction of poultry farming is profitable with low costs, easy care for the wards, and the demand for dietary meat.

It is very important to organize your business correctly. The health of birds directly depends on a reasonable approach, which means their productivity and profitability of the business.

How to start planning your business

Breeding turkeys as a business starts with a general idea of ​​the desired result and the way to achieve it. The future farmer must decide on what he will earn money: on the sale of meat, hatching eggs, young animals or adult breeding individuals. From this, the necessary inventory and breed are selected. Next begins the study of specific hybrids, their compatibility with each other.

The farmer must choose what products he wants to sell.

Next, you need to decide on the form of maintenance, care, the number of heads in the flock. After the prices are studied, a plan of expenses is drawn up, profitability is considered, construction work and arrangement of premises are organized. In conclusion, the disinfection of the poultry house, the purchase and settlement of livestock, the registration of the business with government agencies are carried out.

Choice of direction

Where to start choosing the direction of maintenance, not every newly-made farmer will guess. First of all, the features of a particular cross, its tendency to disease, the scale of the territory, and the climate of residence are taken into account.

Depending on these factors, the priority type of cultivation is determined:

Usually turkeys are kept outdoor.

1. Extensive - best suited for southern regions, in cold areas is difficult. A warm poultry house and pasture area are combined with a shelter from precipitation and heat. From 2 months of age to slaughter, individuals spend most of their time walking. They have the ability to feed on grass, insects on their own, which reduces feed costs. The method is good for the development of the immunity of the livestock to the disease, reducing the percentage of rejects. At the same time, extensive maintenance is possible only seasonally, so the income is also not constant. Suitable for all breeds.
2. Cellular - multi-tiered cages are installed in the poultry house. Only suitable for light to medium crossovers. The room is equipped with ventilation, lighting and heating. In such conditions, females for slaughter grow faster. In addition, it is more profitable to keep young animals for pedigree sale and space is more efficiently spent. The method is often combined with artificial insemination of turkeys to hatch hatching eggs. Long-term keeping of one livestock in cages is not recommended in order to avoid frailty, sickness of birds. For quick slaughter or sale at a young age, this option is acceptable.
3. Floor - often chosen in cold regions for heavy turkeys, but also suitable for other types of breeds. For such content, a spacious room is taken with heating, light, ventilation without drafts. The floor rises above ground level by 25-30 cm, is insulated and covered with a bed of hay and sawdust of soft trees. Slots can be made, or nets can be installed to remove droppings, dirt, moisture. It is better not to keep small turkeys on the floor so that they are not trampled, and so that they do not choke on sawdust... Birds are divided into groups by breeds, ages, families with high partitions. It is necessary to observe the population density per 1 square meter - no more than 3-5 heads, depending on the size.

Only light and medium crosses of turkeys can be kept in the cages.

Important. Experienced breeders recommend combining several directions in order to maximize the efficiency of the farm.

All types can be implemented at different scales.

The nuances of breeding turkeys

Whether or not it will be profitable to breed turkeys depends on the comfort of the conditions created for them. With proper care and timely vaccinations, young animals are less likely to get sick, have immunity to infections, ripen faster, and the taste of meat improves.

Factors important for the healthy growth of chicks include:

• ambient air temperature and composition;
• population density, size of habitat;
• type of food;
• genetic purity;
• prevention of diseases to which there is a natural predisposition.

With proper care and maintenance, turkey poults do not get sick and grow well.

It is worthwhile to study the symptoms and treatment of these pathologies before buying, to find out the vaccinations made and necessary by age.

Contagious diseases

It is especially important to prevent infections and parasitic infestations. They can affect all livestock and lead to disastrous consequences. These problems include tuberculosis, mycoplasmosis, worms, histomoniasis and smallpox.

Non-communicable diseases

In cases of improper feeding and congenital abnormalities, vitamin deficiencies and goiter most often occur. These pathologies are not dangerous for the pack, but they bring inconvenience to a particular baby.

Due to improper feeding, turkey poults can suffer from vitamin deficiency.

Minimum requirements for enclosures

Healthy livestock can only be raised in a warm enclosure. The temperature in the first days is about 36-37C, as it grows, it gradually drops to 27C. For heating, burners of 3-5 kW are placed at a height of 70-90 cm. There are 2 feeders and 2-3 drinkers for 50 heads.

Buying livestock

The farmer can purchase eggs for incubation, young or adult layers. The easiest way to start is with chicks of 30 days of age - such turkeys are as hardy as possible, strong, capable of adapting to a new place, and eating regular food.

In the version with eggs, an incubator, time for hatching, and special feeding of newborns are required. In addition, not all eggs will give birth, much less a healthy one. The condition of the young is immediately visible, and this way saves time and money.

It is better to buy turkey poults from one day to 30 days old.

It is recommended to buy chicks with the onset of February. You need to pay attention to the health of the parents, vaccinations, appearance. It is advisable to take young animals of different litters to ensure better survival.

Breed selection

Light to medium crosses are best for beginners. Heavier species eat more and are harder to care for. Turkeys weighing up to 12 kg are less whimsical, have higher survival rates. Heavyweights are the realm of experienced poultry farmers and can be started as the business grows.

Some of the best crosses for beginner breeders include:

• wide-breasted bronze - suitable for cage keeping, weight - 9-11 kg, egg production - 120 pieces;
• North Caucasian bronze - they are taken on pastures, weight - 7-12 kg, egg production - 80 pieces.

For beginner farmers, it is better to choose a light or medium cross.

The popular breeds Hybrid Converter, Big 6, Universal, white broad-breasted should be approached from at least 2 years of work with turkeys.

Bird keeping

As noted earlier, you can only succeed in the turkey business with the right content. The growing of the first weeks can occur naturally or incubation, but then it is necessary to transfer the birds to general conditions.

After 4-6 weeks (depending on the breed), individuals need about 20-22C of heat. On colder days, the heaters are turned on. No more than 5 heads live on 1 sq. M. Juveniles are never mixed with sexually mature turkeys. Drinking bowls and feeders are required in the proportions of 2-3 for 20 heads.

When grazing outdoors, a fence is made at least 2.5 m high (turkeys fly), and fortifications are placed on the ground against wild animals. Humidity above 25% is not allowed. For layers, nests are made on boards with sills 20 cm from the floor.

For 1 sq.m. they settle no more than 5 heads of young animals.

The best option is considered to be a combination of cages for young animals, a covered aviary for adults, a corner for laying hens and an outdoor paddock.

Proper feeding of turkeys

An optimal turkey menu includes:

• In the morning - PK-5 compound feed with herbs;
• For lunch - a wet mash of corn, barley, bran, fish offal, boiled carrots and herbs. Dry yeast, minerals, salt, and sometimes cottage cheese are added. When grazing, the birds feed themselves on pasture;
• In the evening - dry grain with grass and berries. You can mix feed.

When feeding, it is better to give preference to ready-made complete feed.

Important. Corn and other starchy foods are given only after heat treatment.

Youngsters at the beginning of life are fed boiled eggs, greens, cottage cheese, and feed is gradually introduced. Grains and vegetables - from 3 weeks.

Enterprise planning

A business plan is an important part of any business deal. All expenses and incomes are entered into it to calculate the profitability.

When breeding turkeys, planning includes taking into account factors:

• Buying eggs or specimens.
• Purchase of a plot (if it was not there).
• Construction of the premises (if not).
• Arrangement of the internal space of the poultry house, inventory.
• Feed costs.

All costs associated with the purchase of poultry and equipment are included in the business plan.

Assumptions about the sales market are made, the payback is calculated. Optimally, the costs should not exceed the total income.

Expense, income, profitability

The minimum costs of a turkey business in the presence of a common room are about 40 thousand rubles:

• 3-6 thousand - cages or aviaries for young animals;
• 10-12 thousand - purchase of 4 adult layers and 1 turkey;
• About 4 thousand - feeding chicks up to 3 weeks;
• 15 thousand - feed for half a year for 30-40 adult heads.

If eggs are bought, then the cost of 40 rubles per piece is taken into account. Young animals are sold for an average of 300-500 rubles per individual.

The average cost of an incubation turkey egg is 40-60 rubles.

When selling eggs, income is at least 3-5 thousand rubles from the amount (some are left for growing). A kilo of meat costs from 200 to 400 rubles, depending on the breed and area (they sell the second annual droppings, slaughter at 6 months). Young animals are sent on sale from 3 weeks of life (first litter).

Thus, even minimal investments and sales will give a profit of at least 10 thousand in 1 or 2 years with self-maintenance of the farm.

Important. The slaughterhouse will increase the demand for processed poultry. The presence of this brings profitability closer to 98%, regardless of the size of the farm.

What kind of staff is needed

The business may require accompanying personnel: veterinarians, drivers for transporting purchases and delivering goods to customers, bird care assistants.

For a large population, a full-time veterinarian is required.

When expanding the business, spending this column will cost at least 30 thousand rubles.

Capital investments

Capital investments are considered paperwork, purchase of livestock, arrangement of the main poultry house, incubator, and related equipment. For 100 birds, investments will amount to at least 126 thousand rubles.

Monthly costs

Spending each month includes feed purchases, utilities, staff salaries and transportation costs. On average, about 70 thousand rubles are produced per 100 heads.

We suggest watching a video that is devoted to the question: is it possible to get benefits from breeding turkeys and is it worth starting such a business.

Sales of products

It is possible to sell turkey meat by agreement in cafes, restaurants, shops. Also, carcasses are sold to individuals at meat markets or by ad. On a large scale, it is possible to organize the production and sale of minced meat, fillets and semi-finished products.

There are lovers of turkey eggs for food. Young growth and hatching eggs are sold in clubs, by ad, by agreement with the farms.

Russian poultry farming is flourishing. Breeding chickens, geese, ducks is now really appropriate, and it is especially promising to deal with turkeys. Today we will consider breeding turkeys as a business: is it profitable or not, reviews of experienced entrepreneurs in this area, financial calculations of the project's profitability and various tips for running a turkey farm.

What is this business?

At the moment, breeding turkeys as a business may well be perceived as an extremely promising business idea.This direction differs from others in that it does not yet have high competition in the Russian market, although it is rather highly popular in other countries, especially in the United States.

What is noteworthy, this business can be much more profitable than raising chickens, due to the rapid growth of the turkey and its rapid gaining a lot of weight. Therefore, it is really important to arouse the demand among the people for these products, and this is not difficult to do.

Turkey meat can be served as an excellent substitute for chicken also because it is a dietary product, while it contains many useful elements such as protein and iron. In addition, like any meat, turkey meat is relevant at absolutely any time of the year, week, day.

Of course, this business project will require some investment at the start, but a competent strategy will make it possible to earn really big money, besides, our costs are much lower than in America.

Which format should you choose?

A beginning entrepreneur should first decide on the format of his project. The turkey business has several options for breeding poultry. What they depend on and what they assume is worth considering in detail:

1. Extensive - ideal for breeding in the southern regions of the country. It is an area with a poultry house and pasture, with a separate area from rain and sun. With this option, the bird is on the street two months before slaughter for meat directly, feeding exclusively on grass and insects, which allows not to spend money on feed. Livestock in this case develops immunity to disease. Minus - this method is seasonal (during the warm season).
2. Cellular - in this case, turkeys are raised specifically in cages, moreover, lined up in several tiers. In such conditions, exceptionally light and medium crosses can be kept. The cage method is perfect for raising females for slaughter, and it is quite easy to breed young animals for sale in this way. Many farmers also try to combine this option with artificial insemination, which allows them to get much more eggs. It is worth noting that it is not worth keeping individuals in cages for a long time, this will ruin all the livestock. This method is needed for quick slaughter or sale.
3. Outdoor - as opposed to extensive, this method is used most often in cold regions as the most profitable. In this case, the maintenance of heavy cross turkeys is carried out, although other breeds can also be bred in this way. The outdoor method assumes the presence of a fairly spacious room insulated with sawdust with communications and heating. Usually, farmers hesitate to keep young animals on the floor so that adults do not trample them. In addition, all birds will need to be split into sections by breed, age and family.

Great advice for beginners from experienced farmers, it is worth using each of the above methods in breeding, however, skillfully. This will help you promote your business as efficiently as possible.

Which breed should you choose?

When making a business plan, decide what is more important to you. Breeding turkeys requires the purchase of three types of crosses: light, medium and heavy. Heavy turkeys eat more and take more energy in terms of grooming, but they will also be able to take much more meat from them.

Beginners are advised to engage in rather light and medium breeds due to the ease in their care, moreover, they are less susceptible to diseases. A budding entrepreneur should focus on the following breeds of turkeys:

• bronze or white broad-breasted;
• North Caucasian;
• station wagon;
• big-6.

Many of them have an increased level of egg carrying (80-120 eggs), as well as a large body weight. Pay attention to the seller's recommendations: which breed is suitable for cage keeping, and which is for outdoor.

How to buy a livestock correctly?

In order to breed turkeys, you should first learn how to choose them correctly.As in other poultry areas, here the farmer buys eggs, young or already an adult laying hen, and the older the individual, the more it costs. For beginners, the best place to start is by purchasing one month old young.

Such a turkey is already hardy and healthy enough to change habitat, and can also already consume standard feed. Eggs are unprofitable, as they require additional purchase of incubators, and also spend a lot of time on hatching and money on special feed.

With eggs, it is more difficult to decide which of them will be able to give birth and bring a healthy individual, while young animals allow you to assess at least the external characteristics of turkeys. By the way, it is worth buying young animals for business in early February, so that they have time to grow by the time natural food appears on the street.

Be sure to read the supplier's reviews before buying, as well as find out more information about the parents and the vaccinations of the purchased livestock.

How is care and feeding carried out?

To properly organize your turkey business, you will have to learn how to care for them. Some write that caring for this bird is quite laborious, but learning how to do it is actually not so difficult.

First of all, it is worth dealing with feed. If you are able to additionally plant oats, wheat and various legumes at home, then the cost of purchasing feed will be significantly reduced. You only need to buy additional chalk and vitamins.

It is extremely important to follow a certain diet of the bird, including all the necessary foods in the diet. This will have a positive effect on breeding: turkeys will produce more healthy eggs, individuals will gain the required weight faster, and the meat will become much tastier.

Do not forget that good nutrition enhances immunity and disease resistance. To do this, it is worth giving more vitamin E to young animals and poultry preparing for slaughter. It is also worth remembering the following rules for keeping poultry:

1. Protect livestock from moisture and drafts.
2. Try to change the litter on the floor regularly.
3. Monitor the filling and serviceability of the feeders and drinkers.
4. Prevent droppings from getting into drinkers and feeders.
5. Try to completely eliminate poor-quality feed from the bird's diet.
6. Separate juveniles and adults in sections.
7. Provide fencing to keep birds out of contact with wild animals.
8. If possible, eliminate all stress on the bird.

The importance of clear planning of running a farm cannot be ruled out here, if in time to change places in the pasture area of ​​the walking area, feed and unoccupied, then you can reduce the cost of feeding and increase the yield of products.

What kind of staff will be required for the project?

When writing out a business plan for breeding, do not forget about having your own staff. Naturally, you will not need so many people, but you absolutely cannot do without additional hands and specialists. Specifically, a turkey farm requires the following list of employees:

• two livestock care workers;
• a driver transporting carcasses or young animals;
• avian veterinarian;
• marketer, he is also a customer search manager.

Of course, even for the vacancies of bird watchers, it is better to hire already experienced people who do not have to be taught the basics. In medical terms, the project does need a qualified specialist who has the ability to give official papers on the health of the bird. It is worth concluding an agreement with the clinic and calling a specialist one-time to pay him for each examination and vaccination separately.

Here you can download a turkey farming business plan for free to use as an example for your own.

What is the profitability of the project?

Considering turkey breeding as a business, it remains only to calculate whether it is profitable or not. To do this, take as a sample a 100-head turkey farm built from scratch by a beginner:

	Expense line	Cost amount, thousand rubles
1	Initial lease for two months	20
2	Building of a poultry house and its repair	100
3	Purchase of the first livestock	50
4	Utilities	10
5	Paperwork	5
6	Salary of all staff	35
7	Purchase of additional feed	15
8	Purchase of additional inventory	10
9	Marketing campaign and market search	2
10	Transport costs	35
11	Unexpected expenses	10
	Total:

A fairly small amount of start-up capital is covered by the fact that farmers do not receive profit every month. The cost of a grown young turkey for sale is approximately 300-500 rubles, one egg on the market can be sold for 40 rubles.

If you sell meat, then a kilogram of turkey meat has a fairly wide range from 200 to 400 rubles, depending on the characteristics of the turkey. Thus, the income for the year is approximately 400 thousand rubles, which makes a net profit of 100 thousand rubles.

Video: turkey farming as a business in the countryside.

Reviews

“I opened my turkey farm relatively recently, about three years ago, and it is still my pleasant additional way of earning money. I will not lie, you will not receive big money here, but this is a matter of time, with expansion into large markets and the opening of industrial production, you can start making good money. And for the village people, this is generally the best way to earn money: to raise their own meat livestock and quietly sell either the chick or the meat. The money is good for the village ”- Roman.

“Guys, what can I tell you: keep your gardeners away from the turkey! This bird too wants to peck your green onions, tomato seeds and other garden "joys". Turkeys need a lot of greens, do not forget. By the way, occasionally you can feed them with boiled potatoes and bread crumbs - they eat them like cute ones. We even tried cottage cheese, but we will not give such advice on growing, perhaps this is wrong. The main thing is to let the bird roam and eat herbs ”- Anastasia.

“If you have long wanted to do something on your own and not work for your bosses, your own farming is not a bad option. My wife and I were lucky: we live in a private house and have a fairly spacious, not even a plot, but a whole field behind the house. We read about turkeys and decided that the field should be used. To be honest, breeding turkeys seems to be the most optimal choice for poultry and farming in general. Of course, we run around with birds as little ones, but every month it's easier to understand, so we will certainly continue in the next season "- Samvel.

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Turkey-breeding farms have gained immense popularity among businessmen. It is a profitable, fast payback business with a wide range of advantages, low investment and high profitability. To organize it, you need a competent approach that will take into account all the nuances of this case.

Breed selection

There are three main varieties of turkeys, each with its own characteristics. For convenience, they were divided by the weight of the birds:

• heavy;
• medium;
• lungs.

The first type is large birds with high growth rates. By 4 months, the weight of females will vary from 8 to 11 kg, and in males from 19 to 23 kg. To grow these turkeys, special feeding and housing conditions must be observed. When they are observed, they grow up healthy and strong. This type of bird is best suited for large industrial complexes that use intensive rearing technologies.

Females of the middle type weigh about 5–7 kg by 4 months, and males 13–17 kg. This variety is not so capricious in care and feeding and shows the best indicators of disease resistance. This option is best suited for farms.

The light type has the best rates of early maturity, but the smallest weight. The poultry carcass weighs only about 3 kg by 4 months. This is the most unpopular variety these days and is very rarely bred.

The main varieties of turkeys and their hybrids

There are just over 40 turkey breeds in the world.They are divided not only by physique, but also by color and breeding productivity. They can be divided into two subgroups of breeds:

1. oviparous;
2. meat.

The former are lighter in weight, but produce more eggs, while the latter, on the contrary. In addition, turkeys differ in specialized traits, which can be roughly divided into paternal and maternal groups.

Paternal ones are characterized by high growth rates, and maternal ones with the best level of egg production and hatchability. When they are crossed, hybrids are obtained, breeders call this a cross. It can consist of 2, 3 and 4 lines, according to the number of crossed birds.

In our country, a two-line cross was developed, which is called "Universal". These turkey hybrids have the best hardiness performance regardless of the bird conditions, which is ideal for our challenging climatic conditions. In addition, their maintenance does not require large investments for the purchase of feed. Breeding turkeys of the "Universal" hybrid can raise birds weighing from 4.5 to 11 kg and bringing from 70 to 80 eggs, suitable for subsequent incubation.

Foreign breeders relied on the weight of the bird and received the following popular hybrids:

• "Big-6";
• Highbird;
• Cuddy.

These birds are more demanding in terms of keeping conditions. However, by growing them, you can get carcasses weighing from 10 to 25 kg, but in terms of egg production and hatchability, laying hens of these hybrids are inferior to our "Universal".

In terms of the taste of meat, these hybrids are suitable for the manufacture of various delicacies, but before choosing one of them, you should evaluate the real possibilities of providing them with decent living conditions. Otherwise, most chicks will simply not survive.

Birds for eggs

Consider the most popular bird breeds that yield the maximum number of eggs and are suitable for growing in our country:

White broad-breasted

The most widespread breed in the world is the broad-breasted white turkey. It is these birds that have the best egg-laying properties. They grow well in almost any weather, with the exception of the extreme north. Oviposition begins at 9 months and lasts six months. During this period, it is possible to collect from 90 to 120 eggs with an average weight of about 85 g. When this breed is slaughtered, a white carcass with a high meat yield is obtained.

Moscow white and bronze

These are two subgroups of the same breed, which differ in the color of plumage and carcasses when slaughtered. Due to their strong constitution, it is these birds that are best suited for breeding in the non-black earth regions of our country. They have good egg production and hatchability. Oviposition begins at 9 months with normal maintenance and 3 months earlier under controlled light conditions. On average, one turkey will bear from 80 to 100 eggs, weighing 85 g. When slaughtered, adult birds receive carcasses from 7.5 to 14 kg of white or pinkish color, depending on skin color and plumage.

North Caucasian white

These turkeys were recently bred but quickly gained popularity. This is the breed with one of the highest egg production rates. The live weight of a turkey varies from 6 to 7 kg, and of a turkey from 12 to 13 kg. When slaughtered, white carcasses with high rates of meat yield are obtained. Oviposition begins at 9 months of age and lasts for about six months. On average, one laying hen will give 100–120 eggs, with an average weight of 85 to 100 g. This breed also has record-holder turkeys that yield up to 180 eggs.

Meat breeds

In the subgroup of meat turkeys in our country, the following breeds are most popular.

North Caucasian bronze

This breed was bred in the middle of the last century by our breeders. They were obtained by crossing with bronze Dutch turkeys. The live weight of birds varies from 5 to 7 kg in females and from 15 to 17 kg in males. Oviposition begins at 9 months of age and lasts for about six months. During this time, you can get 80-90 eggs, weighing from 85 to 100 g.

North Caucasian bronze turkeys grow best in grazing conditions, so in our country they are best bred in black earth regions. The breed is unpretentious in food, but has one small drawback. When slaughtered, dark brown marks are visible on the carcass, which does not contribute to the presentation. However, her taste is very good, so it is best to use them for the manufacture of meat delicacies.

Bronze broad-breasted

American breed, bred in the middle of the last century on the basis of the North Caucasian bronze turkey. These birds are distinguished by their high live weight. On average, the weight of the female varies from 7 to 8 kg, and of the male from 13 to 15 kg. Oviposition begins at the age of 10 months and lasts for about six months. Laying hens give 70–80 eggs, weighing about 95 g. They are unpretentious in terms of keeping and feeding. Suitable for breeding in central Russia.

North Caucasian white

This breed is the record holder for growth. By 40 weeks, the bird reaches its maximum weight. The live weight of turkeys is about 5–7 kg, and that of turkeys is 12–15 kg. Oviposition begins at 9 months of age. During this cycle, the laying hen will give from 40 to 75 eggs, with an average weight of about 80 g. Despite the low egg-laying rate, this breed has a high fertilization rate. On average, 75-80% of the eggs hatch into turkey poults. When slaughtered, a white carcass is obtained with good indicators of meat yield.

Breeding nuances

To breed turkeys, you will need a room in which you will need to equip nests for layers and perches. It should be warm, clean, dry and fairly spacious. Calculate its size by the number of turkeys. On average, you will need about 40-50 sq. see for each bird.

Feeding

Let's consider an approximate ration with the calculation of products in grams for each bird with an average weight of about 4 kg.

Feed type	Period
	Spring	Summer	Winter
Bran	30	30	30
Corn	120	100	108
Dry food of animal origin	16	11	4
Herbal flour	50	Not required for grazing	30
Grass	–	240 (in the absence of pasture maintenance)	–
Beet	150	–	150
Carrot	60	–	50
Chalk crumb (shells, grated shells)	7,5	3	4,3
Bone meal	2,5	2,5	2
Edible table salt	1	1	1,3

Diseases of turkey poults

Here are examples of the most common types of chick diseases and how to treat them:

• Histomoniasis. Age from 20 to 90 days. Signs - lack of appetite and diarrhea 2-4 days after the disease, in some cases, the chick's head and legs turn black. It is treated with metronidazole. The drug should be given at 10 mg for every 1 kg of live weight three times a day for 10 days.
• Paratyphoid. Age from 3 to 30 days. Signs - lack of appetite, watery eyes, unsteadiness while walking, lack of appetite. It is treated with trimerazine at the rate of 1 g per 1 kg of live weight once a day and mepatar, added to drinking water at the rate of 10 g per 5 liters.

Turkey diseases

• Respiratory mycoplasmosis. It is a contagious rhinitis that manifests itself during the fall and winter period. He talks about the lack of vitamins "A" and "B". You should diversify your food.
• Tuberculosis. It is no longer possible to cure a sick bird, but you can prevent the spread of tubercle bacillus with the help of daylight.
• Worms. In turkeys, this disease is very difficult to treat and only under the supervision of a veterinarian. Spread can be prevented by regular disinfection of the room.
• Hard goiter. This disease cannot be treated. It speaks of the accumulation of solid food in the goiter. The diet of birds should be reviewed.
• Pica. With this disease, the bird eats everything that catches the eye: bedding, upholstery, etc. For treatment, you need to diversify your diet.
• Smallpox. Birds become infected through the water. This disease is not subject to treatment. After slaughter, the carcass must be burned, the room must be disinfected. For prevention, you need to use a vaccine.

Financial investments

If we consider breeding turkeys as a business, then the following expense items should be considered:

• Equipment or construction of a poultry house. In the first case, from 10 to 20 thousand rubles, in the second from 100 to 900 thousand.rub., depending on the size and availability of additional premises (for example, a slaughterhouse).
• Purchase of chicks. The cost of 1 chick varies from 100 to 300 rubles.
• Stern. This cost item should be calculated on the basis of the herd population and region of residence. In central Russia, from spring to the end of summer, it takes from 8 to 12 thousand rubles to feed 20 heads.

Profit and payback

The most significant expense item is the poultry house. If not, then the payback period for this business is 3 years. With the availability of premises and the purchase of at least 20 heads of turkeys, you can get income in the first year of breeding.

Let's consider an example:

• 10 turkeys and 10 turkeys were purchased for 200 rubles. for the chick. Consumption 4000 rubles.
• It took 10 thousand rubles to re-equip the premises.
• The purchase of feed cost 12 thousand rubles.

At the end of the season, if they decide to kill all the birds, then about 24 thousand rubles will be raised for males, and 14 thousand rubles for females. In this case, the profit will be 12 thousand rubles.

Another source of income can be the sale of eggs or one-day-old chicks. The cost of eggs for incubation is 100 rubles. a piece. One-day chicks 100-300 rubles a piece. Let's say each hen produced 80 eggs. In total, you can earn from 80 thousand rubles on the sale of eggs.

After each year, half of the profits should be kept to cover the next season's expenses. However, even under such conditions, the net profit will amount to more than 50 thousand rubles.

Please note that the example was considered a case when all acquired chicks survived. This is quite difficult to achieve. On average, the mortality of one-day chicks with proper care is about 2% for females and 6% for males. Even with the mortality taken into account, the turkey breeding business remains profitable and quickly pays off.

Business personnel

The need for staff depends on the number of heads in the herd. With a large number of poultry, a poultry house will be required to feed the turkeys and clean the premises. Slaughterhouse, if a slaughterhouse is provided. Visiting, and with a large population, a permanent veterinarian. Temporary accountant, for drawing up reports, declarations and other documentation. A courier driver who will simplify the delivery of meat and eggs to the point of sale.

Sales market

Farmers need to find sales markets in advance where they will supply finished products. It can be:

• Markets.
• The shops.
• Plants for the production of meat delicacies and sausages.
• Restaurants.
• Companies for the production of semi-finished meat products.

Pros and cons of doing business

Any business has its merits and demerits. Let's take a closer look at what can be attributed to the pros and cons of turkey breeding.

Advantages:

• Fresh dietary meat.
• Fast payback.
• Diet eggs.
• Large sales market.
• The high cost of buying meat and eggs.
• Unpretentiousness of birds, with the right choice of breed.
• Possibility to save money due to pasture maintenance.

Flaws:

• High mortality rate of one-day chicks.
• The need for additional costs for vaccination and treatment of livestock.
• Low egg production.

Despite the disadvantages, the profitability of this business is about 100%. With a competent approach, you can make good profits from the first year, at relatively low costs.