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 purpose. 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 wants to start turkey farming. Before you proceed, I would want you to buy an Ebook Guide on Raising Turkeys on Amazon. Click the image below for details.
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
- Hem: Matured female turkey
- Poult: Very young turkey
- Snood or Dew bill: 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 chim
- Beard: Tuft of hair attached located in the upper chest region
- Strut: Male turkey’s mating behavior
Other important information about turkeys is described as follows:
- Debeaking. This is the reduction of the beak’s length in order to prevent cannibalism and feather picking. It is carried out at the 4-5 weeks of age. While debeaking, the tool must be very hot and should not be too close to the nostrils.
- Desnooding. This is the removal of the snood or dewbill in order to prevent the head from getting injured while fighting or picking. By pressing the snood at a day old using the thumbnail or finger would remove it. A sharp scissors can be used to cut off the snood when the poult is 3 weeks old.
- Detoeing or toe clipping. This is the removal of the toenail and it is usually done at 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.
Nutritional composition of a turkey egg
Carbohydrate – 1.7%
Protein – 13.1%
Fat – 11.8%
Mineral – 0.8%
Cholesterol – 15.67-23.97 mg/g of yolk
Turkey Meat
A turkey meat is nutritionally recommended because a turkey can produce 30 grams of digestible protein from 100 grams of feed. Turkey’s dressing percentage is 80-87%, which is even higher than those of other poultry species.
Turkeys have a lean meat, and this is one of the reasons why people prefer the meat of turkey than other animal’s meat. The nutritional properties of turkey meat are as follow:
Energy – 162 Cal/100g
Fat – 6.6%
Protein – 24%
The meat contains magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, zinc and iron. It is also rich in vitamins (B6, B12 and Niacin), essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids. The cholesterol in the meat is low.
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: Natural Incubation and 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 setter and hatcher are as follows:
- Setter: 99.5oF temperature and 63% humidity
- Hatcher: 99.5oF 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 cold period. 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.
- Feed should be provided in feeding troughs and not on the bare floor
- Don’t change 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 avoiding feeding when the weather is hot
Nutritional Requirements of Turkey
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
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.
Chick Mash 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
Grower Mash 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 | 65gms |
| Average day old poult weight | 50gms |
| Age at sexual maturity | 30weeks |
| 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 brooding period | 3-4% |
Common Diseases of Turkey
Diseases 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
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