A Beginner’s Guide to Turkey Farming

Turkey farming is the process of raising turkeys for the purpose of producing meat or eggs for food or money. Turkey, chicken, guinea fowl, duck and quail are all domestic birds that nutritionally and economically contribute to any country.

Turkeys are kept or reared for meat purposes. Their meat is recognized as the leanest of all poultry species. Additionally, they are consumed by almost every country across the globe. Turkey farming is popular in countries like the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, UK and Netherlands. This post is a beginner guide for those who want to start turkey farming.

The scientific name of Turkey is Meleagris gallopavo, and it is a large gallinaceous bird that is native to North America but domesticated in Europe. The breeds of turkey include:

• Beltsville Small White
• Black Turkey
• Blue Slate Turkey
• Bourbon Reds Turkey
• Broad Breasted White Turkey
• Midget White Turkey
• Narragansett Turkey
• Standard Bronze Turkey
• Royal Palm Turkey
• White Holland Turkey

Terminologies in Turkey Farming

• Tom: Matured male turkey
• Hen: Matured female turkey
• Poult: Very young turkey
• Snood or Dewbill: Fleshy protuberance close to the base of the beck
• Caruncles: Fleshy protuberance on a turkey’s head and neck. It is usually red or pink in color.
• Dewlap: Large flap skin seen immediately below the chin
• Beard: Tuft of hair attached located in the upper chest region
• Strut: Male turkey’s mating behavior

Other important information about turkeys is explained below:

• De-beaking. This is the reduction of the beak’s length in order to prevent cannibalism and feather picking. It is carried out at 4-5 weeks of age. While debeaking, the tool must be very hot and should not be too close to the nostrils.
• De-snooding. This is the removal of the snood or dewbill in order to prevent the head from getting injured while fighting or picking. Pressing the snood at a day old using the thumbnail or finger would remove it. A sharp scissor can be used to cut off the snood when the poult is 3 weeks old.
• De-toeing or toe clipping. This is the removal of the toenail and it is usually done at a day old.

A sexually mature female turkey should start laying in the 30th week of age and the egg-laying period lasts for 24 weeks starting from the day the first egg is laid. Under proper artificial lighting and feeding management, a female turkey will be laying around 60-100 eggs every year. Turkeys usually lay their eggs in the afternoon, and their eggs are tinted and weigh around 85 grams. The eggs are also pointed at one end with a very strong shell.

Turkey Colors

The varieties of turkeys are categorized under domestic turkeys and wild turkeys. While both domestic and wild turkeys share some common characteristics, they still express some differences. One major difference between the two types of turkey is that domestic turkeys cannot fly while wild turkeys can fly.

Apart from the ability to fly, domestic and wild turkeys can be identified by their feather colors. Turkey colors help one to guess the type of turkey and breed. The importance of turkey colors cannot be farfetched. Some people use the feathers for decorations and boa and shawl makers are concerned about the colors of the turkey feathers.

The following are common turkey colors.

• White
• Black
• Red
• Gray
• Blue
• Bronze
• Copper
• Bright red

Management Practices in Turkey Farming

Incubation

A fertile turkey egg has an incubation period of 28 days. The eggs can be incubated in two different ways which are:

1. Natural Incubation
2. Artificial Incubation

Natural Incubation

Turkeys normally can brood on their eggs and they can hatch between 10-15 fertile eggs. To achieve a higher hatchability rate, only clean, well-formed eggs should be set for incubation.

Artificial Incubation

Under this method of incubation, an incubator is used in hatching the eggs. The temperature and relative humidity in the setter and hatcher are as follows:

• Setter: 99.5^oF temperature and 63% humidity
• Hatcher: 99.5^oF and 85-90% humidity

The eggs should be turned hourly every day and their collection should be done frequently in order to avoid breakage and soiling and to improve hatchability.

Brooding in Turkey Production

Day-old Poults are brooded for 4 weeks or to about 6 weeks in the cold period. A gas brooder or infra-red bulb could be used as a source of heat or the traditional brooding systems such as coal stoves could be adopted. Click here for more information on brooding turkey poults

Turkeys are not the best starters in their life and will really need some tender loving care to get them safely through the first four weeks of life. The average mortality rate is 6-10% during this period. Young poults by nature are reluctant to eat and drink in the first few days of life, primarily because of bad eyesight and nervousness. Hence, they have to be force-fed.

Floor, Feeder and Waterer Space Requirement of Turkeys

Age	Floor Space (ft2)	Feeder space (m3)	Waterer space (m3)
0-4 weeks	1.25	2.5	2.5
5-16 weeks	2.5	5	2.5
16-29 weeks	4	6.5	2.5
Adult/Breeder	5	7.5	2.5

• Turkeys can be fed with pelleted feeds or mash.
• They need higher energy, protein, mineral, and vitamins than chickens.
• Male turkeys are raised separately from the female for best performance.
• The feed should be provided in feeding troughs and not on the bare floor
• Don’t change the birds’ diet immediately but gradually.
• Provide them with constant clean water always.
• To avoid leg weakness, provide your turkeys with shell grit (20-40 grams/day)
• When the weather is hot, give them more water to drink.
• Feed when the weather is cool and avoid feeding when the weather is hot.

Nutritional Requirements of Turkey

Nutrient	Male Age (weeks)	0-4	4-8	8-12	12-16	16-20	20-24	Adult
	Female Age (weeks)	0-4	4-8	8-11	11-14	14-17	17-20
Energy ME/kg diet		2800	2900	3000	3100	3200	3300	3300
Protein (%)		28	26	22	19	16	14	14
Lysine (%)		1.6	1.5	1.3	1	0.8	0.65	0.6
Methionine (%)		0.5	0.45	0.38	0.33	0.28	0.23	0.2
Calcium (%)		1.2	1	0.85	0.75	0.65	0.5	2.25
Phosphorous (%)		0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.6
Vitamin A (IU)		4000	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000
Vitamin D3 (IU)		900	900	900	900	900	900	900
Choline (mg)		1900	1800	1300	1100	950	800	1800
Niacin (mg)		70	70	50	50	40	40	30

Body Weight and Feed Consumption Rate of Turkeys

Age (weeks)	Average Body Weight (kg)	Total Feed Consumption (kg)	Cumulative Feed Efficiency
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
4	0.72	0.63	0.95	0.81	1.3	1.3
8	2.36	1.90	3.99	3.49	1.8	1.7
12	4.72	3.85	11.34	9.25	2.4	2.4
16	7.26	5.53	19.86	15.69	2.8	2.7
20	9.62	6.75	28.26	23.13	3.4	2.9

Turkey Feed Formula

Feed your turkey poult with chick mash for the first 6 weeks of their life. Then continue with grower mash after.

Turkey Poult Feed Formula

Ingredient	Quantity (kg)
Maize	570
Wheat Offal	120
Soya Bean Meal	153
Groundnut Cake	120
Bone Meal	20
Limestone	10
Chick Premix	2.5
Salt	2.5
Methionine	1
Lysine	1
Total	1000

Growing and Adult Turkey Feed Formula

Ingredient	Quantity (kg/100kg)
Maize	45
Soya Meal	7.5
Wheat Offal	12
Limestone	5
Bone Meal	2.5
Palm Kernel Cake	12
Groundnut Cake	15
Premix	0.25
Toxin Binder	0.15
Salt	0.3
Super Liv	0.05
Methionine	0.15
Lysine	0.1
Total	100 kg

Economic Parameters of Turkeys

Male – Female ratio	1:5
Average egg weight	65 grams
Average day old poult weight	50 grams
Age at sexual maturity	30 weeks
Average egg number	80-100
Incubation Period	28 days
Average body weight at 20 weeks
Male	7-8 kg
Female	4.5-5 kg
Egg production period	24 weeks
Marketable age
Male	14-15 weeks
Female	17-18 weeks
Marketable weight
Male	7.5 kg
Female	5.5 kg
Food efficiency	2.7-2.8
Average feed consumption up to marketable age
Male	24-26 kg
Female	17-19 kg
Mortality during the brooding period	3-4%

Common Diseases of Turkey

Common Diseases of Turkey	Cause	Symptoms	Prevention
Arizonosis	Salmonella Arizona	Poults unthrifty and may develop eye opacity and blindness. Susceptible age 3-4 weeks	Elimination of infected breeder flock and hatchery fumigation and sanitation.
Blue Comb Disease	Corona virus	Depression, loss of weight, frothy or watery droppings, darkening of head and skin.	Depopulation and decontamination of farm. Give rest period.
Chronic Respiratory Disease	Mycoplasma gallisepticum	Coughing, gurgling, sneezing, nasal exudates.	Secure Mycoplasma free stock
Erysipelas	Erysipelothrix rhusiopathidae	Sudden losses, swollen snood, discoloration of parts of face, droppy	Vaccination
Fowl cholera	Pasturella multocida	Purplish head, greenish yellow droppings, sudden death	Sanitation and disposal of dead birds.
Fowl pox	Pox virus	Small yellow blisters on comb and wattles and scab formation	Vaccination
Haemorrhagic enteritis	virus	One or more dead birds	Vaccination
Infectious Synovitis	Mycoplasma gallisepticum	Enlarged hocks, foot pads, lameness, breast blisters	Purchase clean stock
Infectious Sinusitis	Bacteria	Nasal discharge, swollen sinuses and coughing	Secure poults from disease free breeders
Mycotoxicosis	Fungal origin	Haemorrhages, Pale, fatty liver and kidneys	Avoid feed spoilage
Newcastle Disease	Paramyxo Virus	Gasping, wheezing, twisting of neck, paralysis, soft shelled eggs	Vaccination
Paratyphoid	Salmonella pullorum	Diarrhea in poults	Prevention and flock sanitation
Turkey coryza	Bordetella avium	Snicking, rales and discharge of excessive nasal mucus	Vaccination
Coccidiosis	Coccidia spp	Bloody diarrhea and loss of weight	Proper sanitation and management of litter
Turkey venereal disease	Mycoplasma meleagris	Lowered fertility and hatchability	Strict sanitation

Vaccination Schedule for Turkey

Age	Vaccine	Route of Administration
Day 1	1st NDV Lasota	Spray or oral
Week 6	Fowl Pox	Wing Web
Week 9-10	2nd NDV Lasota	Oral
Week 12	Fowl Cholera	Oral
Week 15	3rd NDV Lasota	Oral

For additional information on Turkey Farming and Management, check this turkey farming eBook