How to grow turkeys at home: detailed information for beginners

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Keeping a herd of turkeys is a profitable type of home business. At present, it is gaining more and more popularity in our country. Domestic meat products are gradually replacing imported products. To get a decent return on investment or provide your family with valuable meat, you need to know all the intricacies of poultry farming. From our article, novice farmers can get detailed information on how to raise turkeys in various conditions.

What should be included in a business plan?

First you need to decide in which direction you will develop. Doing this business is not limited only to the idea of \u200b\u200bhow to grow a turkey at home. It includes several activities and, accordingly, income. This allows you to maximize the use of all existing opportunities for supplying market requests. If it is reasonable to approach this issue, then you can organize the following types of sales:

• live two-month-old chicks;
• turkeys as live weight (withmass cultivation);
• whole bird carcasses;
• pieces of turkey;
• sale of breasts (for turkeys this is the most valuable part of the meat);
• various semi-finished products;
• selling eggs;
• homemade sausages.

There are several types of keeping birds. All of them need to be considered and carefully studied the chosen option. Each individual method has its own significant differences. It's one thing to run a feathered household, and quite another to figure out how to raise a turkey in a poultry farm.

It is important for a beginner poultry farmer to solve the following cost-related problems:

• choose and buy a plot to create a poultry farm;
• purchase materials and build a utility complex;
• install and adjust work equipment;
• select and populate productive turkey crosses;
• get enough food;
• make a system of necessary calculations with the initial figures of production cycles: fattening turkeys, raising chicks (this includes the possible percentage of death of individuals).

In the future, other tasks can be added to the business plan. It would be advisable to think about expanding the complex, for example, to build a slaughterhouse and a meat processing workshop. To offer the consumer a full range of meat products, it is necessary to master new technologies for their manufacture. You can engage in the production of various semi-finished products, sausages, sausages, schnitzels and supply them to the nearest shops, bars, cafes andother establishments. As you can see, growing turkeys as a business is a promising farm with a wide field of activity.

Types of keeping birds

Increasing demand for dietary meat has gradually led to the development of new bird breeding technologies. The type of turkey keeping chosen by the farmer will also depend on the layout of the construction of the premises. There are the following ways to grow birds:

• extensive;
• semi-intense;
• intense (cellular);
• outdoor.

Any type of keeping birds involves the full satisfaction of their natural needs. The farmer should take care of the possibility of individuals to realize their genetic potential inherent in them during selection or selection. The degree of lighting, temperature, feed quality, the chemical composition of the airspace, the size of the premises, disease prevention - all these factors are vital for the maintenance of birds. First, let's see how turkeys are raised in a poultry farm.

Intensive way

This type is a complete isolation of birds from the natural environment. Growing turkeys in cages can be afforded by technically advanced poultry farms. Birds are kept in automated rooms with microclimate regulation. Certain systems in them are designed to provide individuals, taking into account their age and genetic characteristics. It requirescompliance with high standards of hygiene and supervision by veterinarians. Although birds are exposed to viral diseases due to the intensive way of breeding, they are rarely affected by parasites and harmful bacteria. A balanced diet promotes proper metabolism and protects individuals from mortality.

Young medium and light crosses are grown in special cell batteries, adult turkeys are transferred to floor conditions. Due to the lack of seasonality, the farmer has the opportunity to regularly supply products to the markets. The organization of such a farm requires clear management and large investments.

Semi-intensive

A long-established system that includes two different methods of keeping birds. To conduct this kind of economy, both closed rooms equipped with automatic equipment and designated areas for walking will be needed. This method allows you to receive products throughout the year. The semi-intensive type is usually chosen by diversified enterprises or agricultural farms.

In order for the company to be able to sell the planned amount of products, the employees of the poultry farm monitor the microclimate in the premises in order to grow the right amount of poultry for meat in a timely manner. Fresh turkey is brought to market at the peak of consumer demand. The sale of meat is carried out during the mass maturation of livestock to slaughter age. Thus, the rational use of products obtained in large volumes occurs.

For semi-intensivemethod, you need to purchase medium-type turkeys or large breeds. This technology is characterized by the occurrence of diseases in birds with a certain frequency. This is due to the isolation of the premises, poor air exchange. Most often, adverse conditions lead to ailments of the respiratory system of young animals. During the stage of the life cycle that takes place in a closed house, turkeys can suffer from pasteurellosis, colibacillosis and mycoplasmosis.

Extensive

Since the viability of birds is significantly influenced by external factors, the choice of the type of their content is often tied to a particular region. The extensive method is favored by climatic conditions in the south of the country. Here, the chicks are in warm mini-farms only for the first time (45-60 days). They spend the rest of their lives on the street, i.e., they are in free range.

The complex of such a poultry farm should consist of a heated room, a paddock (where the birds can hide from the rain) and pasture areas. Particular attention should be paid to the arrangement of the summer canopy. In it you need to place drinkers, feeders and create a floor litter. It would be nice to equip the paddock with running water and electricity. Two areas should be allocated for pasture in order to separate females from males during puberty. At least 2 m should be allocated per bird2 free territory.

For walking content, it is better to purchase medium-type crosses that tolerate variouschanges in nutrition and living conditions. In the natural environment, due to the lack of crowding, birds get sick less. If you are interested in a way to grow turkeys on a personal plot, this is it. The largest free-roaming domestic birds can also be found on small farms.

Selection transformations

Since we will talk about how to grow turkeys at home for meat, it will be appropriate to get acquainted with the main crosses of birds. In recent years, breeders have achieved their goal, which was to change the anatomical features of turkeys and turkeys. Bird crosses are distinguished by slaughter weight: light - 9-11 kg, medium - 13 kg, heavy - up to 16 kg.

Breeds are divided into two main groups: meat and egg-bearing. The former gain weight well, but are unproductive in relation to eggs, the latter are smaller in size and are characterized by increased egg production.

From meat breeds, you can pay attention to the most common crosses:

• North Caucasian White;
• bronze broad-breasted;
• North Caucasian bronze.

Popular crosses whose females are capable of maximum egg production:

• Moscow Bronze;
• broad-breasted white;
• Moscow white.

Domestic scientists have bred a new breed with a meaningful name - station wagon. These are large hybrids, reaching up to 10 kg in weight and bringing a decent amount of eggs. During the period of productivity from the female, you canget about 74 pieces. Moreover, they are suitable for the incubation process. Foreign heavy breeds of birds are also grown in Russia. These include:

• cuddy;
• heibert;
• big-6.

Imported crosses are not famous for the desired return of eggs, but they allow you to get carcasses with an average weight of 18 kg. Many poultry farmers are interested in the question: how to grow big-6 turkeys? You can breed the breed by any method of keeping, but this is associated with some difficulties.

When breeding big-6, natural fertilization is excluded. There is a high probability of injury to females due to the large size of males. For this reason, insemination of birds is carried out artificially.

Home business

It's time to discuss such a cost-effective system as business in the countryside. Growing turkeys in expanse pays for itself a hundredfold. However, first of all, living beings need a comfortable home. To equip a turkey house, recommendations from experienced poultry houses are needed, which are given below:

Turkeys are freedom-loving birds, which means that they should allocate more space. If they are in cages, then you need to expand the territory for walking with the help of an attached aviary. In 100 m 2 you need to place 50-60 individuals.

Feathers do not tolerate humidity indoors, so it should be warm and dry, but with good ventilation. With a lack of air, birds get sick, as well as with the presence of drafts.

If there are individuals in the poultry yardother species, then for the young it is necessary to build separate rooms, since the birds do not like crowding. Or you can make partitions.

Comfortable perches for rest should be built. They are constructed from wooden beams. The lowest one is placed above the floor with a distance of 80 cm, from the first to the next log you need to leave 50-60 cm.

Feeding requirements

First of all, for those who study information on how to raise turkeys, the poultry industry is attracted by the value of dietary meat. Experienced farmers know how important it is to pay attention to proper feeding of birds so that product quality indicators remain at their best.

Green grass, vitamin supplements and egg shells should be added to special high protein foods.

In the first days, the chicks should be given herbal juices and vegetable juices from a pipette. Week-old turkeys begin to be fed wheat porridge with chopped boiled eggs in the amount of 5 g.

A little later, onion greens, oatmeal, carrots are added to the mash. Fermented milk products are important ingredients.

At 14 days, potatoes are added to the feed and the feeding dose is increased to 45-50 g.

It is important to ensure that the drinkers are not empty and that the feeders are filled with mealy mixture in a timely manner.

Purchasing young stock and getting offspring

Independent cultivation of a turkey herd is a rather difficult task.complex. It is better for beginner poultry farmers to start their business by buying grown young. By 14-20 days, the babies are already strong and will not require much attention. At this age, the number of dead individuals is significantly reduced.

In a year it will be possible to try to lay eggs in an incubator. When selecting them, the following requirements are imposed: clean shell, correct shape, test for fertilization. In order not to think about how to raise a turkey at home to hatch chicks, many farmers have been using this method for a long time.

It is wiser for beginners to purchase automated incubators. For safety net, you need to bring a spare power source to the equipment, in case of power outages. The incubator is placed in a place protected from drafts. The temperature is set no more than +36 oС, humidity - 43-44. It is important to know that turkey poults can die due to improper regulation of these indicators. The full incubation period takes 28 days.

To ensure that the shells of eggs warm up evenly, they should be turned over several times a day. In the last week of the incubation period, they are best left alone.

When the babies hatch and dry out, they are transferred to a room equipped with special lamps.

Rural poultry farmers share how to grow turkeys naturally. For incubation of eggs, you can choose a female from the herd. If she hisses and her behavior begins to change from usual, this is a signal of readiness for motherhood. The mother hen must choose her own place. A nest is being built for her.with twigs and straw. If there are several females with a maternal instinct in the herd, they need to be fenced off from each other. Place a feeder and water nearby.

Growing turkeys at their summer cottage

Suppose you do not intend to open your own business, but at the same time you want to provide your family with a quality product at home. In this case, you will be interested to learn how to grow turkeys in the country.

The management of such a farm does not provide for breeding chicks and raising young animals, since you need to have time to raise birds during the summer season. For the normal development of birds to a lethal state, this time is quite enough. On bird lands, individuals for such purposes are kept for no more than four months. If they are overexposed for longer, this will contribute to the development of the reproductive system and obesity of the bird. Baby turkey poults can be bought in early May and reared in the same way as in normal poultry houses.

The value of turkey meat

How to grow a turkey at home, we have already figured out, now let's talk about the qualities and use of a valuable product. It turns out that among other types of meat, turkey is in the lead both in terms of taste and nutritional properties. Being a source of natural protein, it contains substances necessary for the body: fiber, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium, ash, carbohydrates, fats, amino acids and atomic gold molecules. As well as vitamins: A, E, PP, B, K. Most of the nutrients are in the breast of the bird.

Regular consumption of meat improves metabolism, has a beneficial effect on brain activity and the nervous system, strengthens joints and bones.

In cooking, turkey meat is called "Spanish chicken". Dishes from it are very diverse. Soups, salads, aspics are prepared from meat, used as a filling. It is baked, stewed, fried, offal is used to make pâtés.

Conclusion

Having figured out how to raise turkeys in different housing systems, as well as the basic basics of this business, to summarize all of the above:

1. The advantage of this business is that in a short period you can get the meat of the largest poultry in size.
2. The value and taste of the dietary product are in great demand among the consumer.
3. It is worth paying attention to the high level of profitability, which reaches 60%, and on personal plots this figure can be higher.
4. Another characteristic feature of turkeys is intense weight gain. The female individual weekly gains up to 140 g, the male - 80 g.
5. The ratio of slaughter body weight of a turkey to live weight is 80-82%.