MANUFACTURE OF POULTRYDRINKER AND FEEDER
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Maybe you’ve been raising chickens successfully and are ready for a new challenge. No matter why you decide you want to try raising turkeys, you need to know the proper care techniques, general information, feed and water needs, and space requirements when adding turkeys to your poultry farming or backyard.
Raising turkeys is relatively similar if you’ve ever raised chickens on your brooder farm or in your poultry backyard. Both poultry birds need quality feed, fresh water, secure living space and run, clean bedding, roosting poles, and poultry nesting boxes. However, since turkeys are bigger than chickens, they typically need more of everything—water, food, space, and nesting areas.
One thing to note is that if you also have chickens on your chicken farm, you’ll want to raise them separately from your turkeys. Chickens can be a carrier of blackhead disease, though they show no signs or symptoms of the illness. This disease will decimate your turkey flock because they are susceptible to blackhead disease. Since no vaccination or treatment is available, you should do your best to protect your turkeys from this disease.
It takes about 16 to 22 weeks for turkeys to grow into the appropriate market weight, so you should be have enough time to grow your turkeys in time for the late fall and early winter holidays, so you need start breed the baby turkeys from we middle of August.
Docile, regal, and intelligent creatures.
Cleaner than chickens due to less scratching, and their soiled bedding typically stays in one place, compared to chickens who will fling it throughout chicken coop.
Delicious meat.
Gentle and loyal.
Cons of Raising turkeys:
Delicate turkey poults—they are sensitive to slight changes, such as dampness, drafts, and temperature adjustments;
Slower moving than chickens, which means they are more susceptible to attacks from predators;
Need turkey feeders and Drinkers separate from baby chicks because the chickens will bully them;
Need lots of space—everything is bigger with turkeys;
Eat more than chickens and need higher protein feeds;
Raising turkeys can be a fun and profitable venture but doesn’t come without its share of pros and cons. If you’re ready to add turkeys to your business, here are some pros and cons you should be aware of before you start.
In addition to knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of raising turkeys, you also need to understand how to care for baby turkeys from day one. Like chickens or ducks, baby turkeys need brooder space, about one square foot per turkey poult. This space requirement allows for enough air circulation to keep the litter dry. The litter for turkey poults should be large wood shavings because they absorb water well and produce little dust, so those tiny turkey lungs won’t suffer from respiratory infections.
Turkey poults also need a heat lamp at least 18 inches from the ground, but be aware that as your turkeys grow, you may need to move it higher so that they don’t get burnt from the heat or peck at the glass. You’ll start the heat lamp at 95° Fahrenheit, but since they are so delicate, ensure that this temperature remains consistent. You’ll decrease the temperature by five degrees every week until the turkeys are fully feathered, at around six to eight weeks of age.
When your heavy white turkey poults arrive, you’ll want to check on them often for the first few days. Remember that they are incredibly delicate, so prepare to spend time ensuring they are OK and growing healthy. They should have a safe space away from other birds you raise and can keep predators out. Ensure the temperature is correct and the poults are eating and drinking.
If your brooders start getting too full as the poults grow, you may have to expand the brooder space until they have all their feathers. Prepare for this situation in advance in case it does happen.
Raising turkeys is fairly easy, and the birds are quite adaptable. They can be grown as free-range or pastured turkeys. Turkeys also do well in coops, barns, and sheds, provided they have enough space.
Confined turkey birds need three to four square feet per bird, and free-range turkeys need 100 square feet per turkey bird. Ensure that their housing has adequate ventilation, can protect them from the elements, and keeps them safe from predators.
So, what kind of turkey starter feed do you need for your poults to grow into big, healthy adult turkeys? When brooding, poults should have a free-choice starter feed of at least 28% protein.
Adult males need 0.75 to 1.5 pounds of feed per day, while females need 0.8 to 0.5 pounds of feed, depending on the size of the turkey. Ensure the meal is specifically made for turkeys to meet the protein requirements for the birds to put on weight and be ready for the market during the holidays.
In addition, it’s helpful to dip their beaks in the turkey water dish so that they know where to get a drink of water. For the first few weeks, it’s beneficial to place some marbles in the bottom of the turkey waterer. Making the water more shallow reduces the risk of accidental drowning.
Young turkeys don’t have a lot of coordination and balance, and one wrong step could put them facedown in the water dish, which it’s difficult for them to get out. Plus, if they do get out, the wet, delicate feathers can give them chills, leading to death for the delicate poults.
