Turkey Farming - What You Need to Know to Help You Raise Turkeys Quickly

Turkey is the third most important fowl next to
chicken and duck. They form almost 2% of the
total poultry population. Turkeys are reared for
meat only. Turkey meat is considered the leanest
among other domestic bird species. Turkey
farming is common in most western countries.
Major Turkey producers are the United States,
Canada, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom,
and Netherlands.

Knowledge in how to raise turkeys begins in
learning a few terminologies such as the
following:
a. Tom - adult male turkey
b. Hen - adult female turkey
c. Poult - baby turkey
d. Snood or dew bill - it is the fleshy lump
near the base of the beck
e. Caruncles - this the fleshy bump on the head
and neck that is usually colored pink or red,
appearing about the 5th week of age
f. Bread - is a bunch of hair that is attached
to the skin on the chest
g. Strut - the mating behavior of a tom

There are a few safety measures to do to avoid
some problems when you are starting to raise
turkeys.
1. To prevent feather picking and cannibalism,
about half from the tip of the beak is removed
from the poults, usually during the 3rd or 5th
week of age.
2. Removing the snood or dew bill usually
prevents head injuries as a result of picking
and fighting. The snood can be removed by finger
pressure at one day old. When the poults reach 3
weeks of age, the snood can be cut off with a
sharp pair of scissors.
3. Clipping is done for a one old turkey by
removing the tip of the toe.

A turkey farming topic will not be complete
without discussing the eggs. Turkeys start
laying eggs on the 30th week of age. The
production period is about 24 weeks from the
point of lay. If turkey hens are fed properly
and are provided with good artificial lighting,
they can lay as much as 60-100 eggs yearly. Most
often than not, about 70% of the eggs will be
laid in the afternoon. Turkey eggs tinted,
weighing about 85gms, and they are pointed at
one end and with a noticeably strong shell.

As mentioned earlier, turkey meat is the
leanest. It is also rich in essential amino
acids and vitamins like niacin and vitamin B6.
It is also low in cholesterol. A good housing
for turkeys is one important aspect of turkey
farming. Turkeys need to be protected from sun,
rain and wind, as well as predators. They also
need to be provided with comfort. You also can
find a lot more information about turkey farming
in the internet. There are detailed discussions
on proper housing, feeding and rearing turkeys,
among others.

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If you think you still need guidance on turkey
farming, consulting existing turkey owners and
farmers will certainly be a big help. If you
would like to learn more about raising turkeys
correctly, please visit:
http://www.howtoraiseturkeys.com

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