Turkey farming as a business is profitable or not. Turkey breeding as a business: profitable or not. Turkey breeding as a business. Reviews and comments from our readers

If many people previously associated turkeys only with a dish on American Thanksgiving Day, now dietary meat is a daily dish for people leading a healthy lifestyle. A turkey farm becomes a profitable and profitable production. The nuances of growing and keeping turkeys will be discussed in this article.

Turkeys are the largest, most majestic, strong domestic birds. They belong to the chicken order and the pheasant family. A male turkey weighs approximately 10-20 kg. The female is much lighter and weighs only 5-11 kg.

America is considered the birthplace of turkeys. It was there that these birds were domesticated and bred by the famous Mayan Indians. Turkeys were brought to the European mainland in the 17th century. Since then, they have become widespread, and their breeding has become a profitable business. Today there are two types of breed:

• domestic, bred in many parts of the world;
• wild, a few birds still exist in Central and North America.

Accustomed to freedom, turkeys prefer to live in an unlimited space with an imitation of freedom. However, farmland does not always provide ideal conditions for birds. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the psychological state of the turkey. Spending too much time in enclosed areas, turkeys begin to suffer from depression. As a result, they can pretend to be dead and not move from their place. The most desperate individuals commit suicide by running away and hitting their heads against the wall. The other side of depression is bouts of rage. Frequent walking will help avoid tragedy.

Modern selection is being undertaken to solve the problem of depressive behavior. As a result of breeding, many less freedom-loving breeds appeared. Current species have become slower and more imposing than their wild relatives. Scientists also set a goal to breed larger breeds of poultry.

Interesting! The weight of the turkey increases by 170-200 times by week 16. If we draw an analogy with a child, then with similar growth rates a 16-week-old baby would weigh 700 kg.

Turkeys are always at least 30% heavier. This fact indicates that turkeys are bright representatives of sexual dimorphism. In addition to weight, sexual differences in birds are the presence or absence of a beard and spurs. This sign becomes noticeable around the second month of life.

The ability of turkeys to quickly gain weight is a decisive factor in the benefits of their breeding. The following facts are no less significant:

An undeniable advantage of turkey meat is its low calorie content compared to other meats. It also contains a large amount of protein, and its phosphorus content can only be compared with fish.

Features of raising turkeys at home

Opinions among turkey farm owners vary slightly. Some believe that raising this large bird is no different from keeping other birds. Others argue that raising turkeys is more troublesome.

But everyone agrees that the efforts are worth a hundredfold, since from one carcass the farmer receives 60% of dietary meat, which is in demand among allergy sufferers and those who lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right.
First of all, to create a turkey farm, you need to select a site and build a turkey poultry house.

Turkeys are bred at home in a country house or garden. When building a room, you should take into account the characteristics and habits of the bird:

Breeding turkey poults and keeping young animals

For beginners in poultry farming, it is better to start breeding with older young animals. 2-3 week old turkey poults are a good start. By this age, babies become strong enough to withstand transportation. The likelihood of their death is reduced several times.

More experienced poultry farmers can try breeding from eggs. To do this, you will need adult birds at the rate of 1 male per 8-10 females. This ratio is optimal, since with a larger number of females, the turkey will not be able to fertilize eggs efficiently. If there are many males in the flock, then the right to cover the turkey will belong to the main turkey. Everyone else will just create extras.

Hatching eggs

How can you tell if a turkey is ready to lay eggs? If the female begins to behave differently, hisses and begins to carry straw in her beak, then she can become a hen.

The best place for hatching is the one the turkey herself has chosen. This is where the nest needs to be prepared. For this:

• they build partitions or erect walls high enough so that the females do not see each other. It is also possible to arrange a wooden box or barrel for the nest;
• They lay twigs on the floor of the nest and cover them with straw on top. The last layer is hay;
• In order for the eggs to better retain heat and not roll around the nest, it is necessary to make a ring of straw;
• Place a feeder and water bowl nearby. Make sure there is plenty of food and water, as the bird rarely rises from its eggs.

In her maternal impulse she is so persistent that she may die of hunger. The parental instinct of turkeys is extremely developed. Even males sometimes incubate eggs.

Reference. Experienced poultry farmers claim that the sex of the future chick can be determined by the shape of the egg. This is how turkeys emerge from pointed eggs, and turkeys from rounder eggs.

About a month after the turkey sits on the eggs, the poults hatch. One female is capable of raising up to 80 chicks at a time. It’s easy to add those from the incubator to her own babies.

Young animals

The greatest problems are caused by raising small turkey poults. In fairness, it should be noted that compared to chickens and ducklings, they are hardier. With good care, their survival rate is higher. To begin with, provide the young animals with a dry, warm room. You can take a cardboard box or make a brooder.

A temperature of 36 degrees must be maintained constantly. Lighting must also be present.

The chicks eat 8 times a day. For the first three days they are fed the smallest grains with the addition of boiled, crushed eggs. From the fourth day, the cereal is mixed with alfalfa, nettle stems, onions, cabbage or other greens. They are fed this way for up to a month. It is possible to grow on special feed.

Experienced poultry farmers note a number of points that need to be taken into account when raising young animals:

The menu of adult birds includes potato stems, nettles with seeds, withered cabbage leaves, rutabaga, and overgrown lettuce. Chopped grass is mixed with barley flour and bran. You can drive turkeys into mown fields so that they can get their own food.

In winter, turkeys are fed chopped raw vegetables such as potatoes, rutabaga, turnips, cabbage and carrots. The chaff is steamed, with the exception of buckwheat and barley. You can use compound feed at any time of the year.

There is a version that, starting from the fifth or seventh week of life, males and females should be bred separately. This helps birds live in more comfortable psychological conditions and eat in accordance with their growth rates by sex.

Turkeys raised for slaughter are kept for 16 weeks. Next, they develop a reproductive system that promotes the deposition of internal fat. Their weight at this age is approximately 10 kg. Turkeys in this case are kept from 19 to 24 weeks, gaining 20 kg or more.

Anyone can raise turkeys for their own consumption. For larger-scale breeding, determination is required, calculation of all the pros, cons, as well as possible profits.

Turkey breeding as a business

In Russia, a small number of farmers are engaged in raising turkeys. Although this is a promising business with good profits.

Advantages of a turkey farm:

However, not everything is so smooth on the poultry farm and it is worth considering the disadvantages:

• mortality of young turkeys;
• high costs for farm equipment;
• low egg production;
• the need to look for markets.

All these shortcomings can be easily corrected with proper care.
To begin with, you can try raising turkeys on your own property and start with a small number of birds.

Small turkey breeding business

Let's take a step-by-step look at what needs to be done to open a small business on your own property, and also calculate its payback.

Step 1. To breed birds you will need a turkey poultry. Let's say you have a suitable room. If you build it from scratch, you will spend about 200 thousand rubles. Also include in your expenses:

Step 2. The premises, as well as the walking area, are ready, it’s time to buy birds. The most economical option is to buy day-old turkey poults. 20 chicks will cost 4,000 rubles. However, we have already mentioned that this is also a big risk. To reduce it, it is better to contact trusted breeders. To begin with, it is better to take medium-sized breeds, as they are more hardy.

Step 3. Don’t forget to vaccinate the turkey poults on time and include the costs in the cost price.

Step 4. Turkeys are raised for slaughter for about 4 months. The monthly cost of feed for 20 heads will be 3,000 rubles.

Step 5. Half the flock is slaughtered for meat and sold. Half remains for further breeding from the egg. If we take the average weight of 15 kg and the price of 200 rubles, then the income will be 30 thousand rubles.

At this rate, your investment will pay off in a year or two. Also consider transportation and utility costs. In total, the net profit will be approximately 18,000 rubles.

Video – Turkey Breeding Business

Mini farm for breeding turkeys

If you decide to start a more substantial business for 1000 heads, then your expenses will increase significantly. You will need to build a farm and hire staff.

Specifications

When building a farm, you can use the following projects recommended by experts as a basis.

The poultry slaughter area consists of:

All these investments are included in the capital costs of a mini-farm. As well as paying for documents for permission to do business. Monthly expenses will be the salaries of hired assistants.

Turkey Farm Staff

The following specialists are required among poultry house workers:

• manager;
• livestock specialist;
• vet. You can hire someone who comes on an hourly basis;
• workers caring for turkeys, at least 2 people;
• driver-courier.

If you create a personal website for selling poultry, you will also need an administrator.
If you sell the poultry yourself, become a seller.

Having decided on the material and technical base, let’s move directly to economic calculations.

Calculation of income and expenses of a turkey farm

For example, we take a farm with a capacity of 1000 heads. In total, we buy birds for 50 thousand rubles. We take into account the mortality rate of young animals of 10%. We sell meat and offal from about 900 head in 4-5 months. Without taking into account by-products, one turkey produces at least 6 kg of meat. We multiply 5400 kg by 150 rubles per 1 kg and get 810 thousand rubles. By-products can be sold for 24 thousand rubles. The total income will be 834,000 rubles.

You can also sell eggs, feathers and droppings.
Subtract from the resulting amount:

• 50,000 rubles for young animals;
• 60,000 rubles for food;
• 1500 - vaccination;
• 34,000 – utility bills;
• 12,000 - transportation costs;
• 20,000 – other expenses;
• 160,000 – workers’ salary for 4 months.

Total expenses amount to 337,500 rubles. Profit for 4 months excluding taxes - 496,500 rubles.

Don't forget about the risks. Epidemics and deaths of turkeys, rising prices for mixed feed, and falling prices for products are possible.

Video – Turkey Breeding Business

Selling products

To get maximum profit, you should consider the markets for meat, eggs and other things in advance.

Private owners who keep a small number of heads can sell turkey to friends, using the services of word of mouth, as well as in the market.

Large producers must look for more reliable markets. They could be:

• farm departments of stores;
• orders from cafes and restaurants;
• farmers markets;
• personal sales website;
• notice boards.

In addition, you can negotiate with crop farmers and supply them with manure as fertilizer. Don't throw away down and feathers. They are bought for making pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags. You can find clients on the bulletin boards of agricultural complexes, or by directly contacting the pillow manufacturing plant.

Prospects for the development of the turkey business

Sales of turkey meat are gaining momentum. According to statistics, more and more people are buying turkey meat. Because it has beneficial properties.

Turkey is healthy, contains a huge amount of microelements and a whole complex of vitamins, and is often prescribed by doctors:

• pregnant women;
• those suffering from depression and insomnia;
• postoperative patients to restore the body;
• small children;
• patients after chemotherapy. Scientists have proven that turkey meat prevents the formation of cancerous tumors;
• losing weight.

The nutritional value of different parts of the carcass differs.

The differences must be taken into account as they affect the sale. What do these statistics indicate?

Based on the above, we can conclude that a great idea for business development would be the production and packaging of turkey in parts. This will help increase the value of the products sold. It is also possible to open a production workshop for the production of minced meat, sausages, and kupats.

If you have no desire to get involved with production, you can start selling young animals. One-day-old turkey chicks and older chicks require much less space for breeding.

To summarize, it should be noted that the prospects for the development of the turkey business are very good. With proper management of the farm, the money invested quickly pays off. The business begins to bring high profits, since dietary turkey meat and eggs are in great demand in the current market. Over time, you can expand production and breed other birds. For example, pheasants or peacocks.

Turkey meat is in great demand. Raising turkeys is a troublesome business, requiring from the entrepreneur not only the ability to negotiate with clients, but also knowledge of breeding and raising poultry.

How to start your own business?

First you need to create an action plan. The first point in entrepreneurial activity is the acquisition of young animals. A distinctive feature of turkeys is their early maturity, so farmers recommend purchasing young animals in early February. It is worth noting that purchasing a family capable of reproduction costs an average of 10–12 thousand rubles.

How to breed and keep turkeys

Week-old chicks are inexpensive - no more than 300–500 rubles per individual. The purchase plan for turkey poults consists of the following points:

1. We are interested in the health of parents;
2. We examine the offspring in their natural habitat, selecting the most active individuals;
3. We purchase young animals of different litters.

Factors to consider when writing a business plan:

• All livestock are conventionally divided into two categories: individuals for breeding and slaughter. It is better to leave the strongest and healthiest turkeys for breeding;
• The plan includes the costs of purchasing an incubator. Despite the fact that turkeys are distinguished by their perseverance and care for their offspring, an incubator is still useful. Especially in cases where the turkey is not there or has fallen ill;
• Raising turkeys must take into account all the features - diet, walking and keeping in winter. For these purposes, you will need a spacious and well-insulated room, a large yard with grass and a lot of food;
• The profitability of a business depends on the availability of range and the quality of feed. In confined conditions, poultry grows slower and produces meat of poorer quality, so the plan will have to include additional costs for good food and vitamin and protein supplements.

Sales of products

It is not recommended to start raising young animals without a prior agreement on the sale of products. If there are no suitable clients nearby, then you will have to look for them in potential places - these could be restaurants, cafes, meat markets.

How to look for clients? The first step is to draw up a plan for potential sales locations, as discussed above. You should not contact store sellers, but directly the owner of the outlet.

If the store director is not in the mood for cooperation and continues to respond negatively to all arguments, then in this case there is no need to waste your energy. It is better to try to negotiate with the owner of another establishment.

Keeping a large number of turkeys and not knowing at least the approximate prospects for selling meat products means that it is wrong to organize turkey breeding as a business. Therefore, before purchasing young animals, it is recommended to establish the approximate volumes of products sold. There is only one way to do this - to establish economic ties with buyers.

Thus, wise use of available resources and a properly drawn up plan is 50% of success. The remaining 50% of success depends on the organization of raising young offspring.

Raising turkeys at home

Turkeys are raised at home in two ways: natural or artificial. The natural method involves the female laying eggs and incubating them.

The artificial method involves purchasing eggs and placing them in incubators under strict temperature control. Practice has shown that keeping artificially raised turkeys in the household is profitable, since the entrepreneur does not waste precious time raising young offspring naturally.

Artificial cultivation significantly increases business profitability. However, profitability strongly depends on secondary factors: the health of the brood, the quality of food and living conditions. Only with careful observance of all the rules is it possible to raise a good brood with excellent health and tasty meat.

• Premises requirements. It is beneficial to keep turkeys in a specially equipped room. The room temperature should not exceed 20 degrees above zero. It is recommended to separate birds by age and sex. There should not be more than 5 young individuals in one cage;
• The outdoor cultivation plan requires compliance with the following points: the farm must be protected from predatory animals and equipped with drinking bowls and feeders. Young individuals have no place in an adult flock, so it is better to keep them in cages for the first 1.5 months.

Special attention should be paid to the nutrition of turkeys. The growth rate of the offspring depends on a well-formulated diet.

It is better to draw up a feeding plan for young animals according to generally accepted standards, that is, for the first two weeks, young animals are given boiled eggs, cottage cheese, mixed feed, and greens (nettles and green onions). The main food is compound feed; it begins to be given when the young animals reach three weeks of age.

The feeding plan should take into account the cost of vitamins. In addition, it is recommended to regularly prevent classical diseases. Young individuals with dangerous diseases are placed in a separate cage or killed if there is no chance of recovery.

Business profitability

Turkey meat is 95% digestible by the human body. Every owner of restaurants, cafes and fast food establishments knows about its incredible benefits and excellent taste. Doctors attribute the consumption of turkey meat to children and adults who have been diagnosed with problems with the digestive system. In addition, turkey meat is included in the menu of housewives during preparation for the New Year holidays.

Trade in turkey meat is a profitable business. The statement is supported by the following facts and figures:

• Turkeys are rapidly gaining weight. The technical maturity of an individual occurs after 6 months, that is, after six months the young animals can already be used for meat. An adult grows up to 15 kg. It is worth noting that the growth rate of turkeys depends on the amount of feed and vitamin supplements. A high concentration of minerals and growth activators has a slight effect on the quality of meat, however, this is not critical. The average cost of a kilogram of turkey meat is 200–400 rubles;
• During the season, one turkey lays more than 80 eggs. Entrepreneurial practice has shown that several turkeys are capable of providing a farm with eggs for rearing. The rest can be sold. The average cost of one egg is 30–40 rubles;
• Sale of young turkey poults. Young animals can be sold at the age of 3 weeks. The average cost of a young turkey is 300–500 rubles. The cost is affected by the breed and health of the brood. Farmers prefer to sell the first litter. They use the second for breeding for meat, which is slaughtered in early November;

Thus, the relevance of the business of selling turkey meat and eggs is beyond doubt. Minimum expenses required for business:

• 10–12 thousand rubles for the purchase of adult turkeys (4 females and 1 male);
• 2–4 thousand for feeding the young brood during the first three weeks;
• Up to 15 thousand rubles for feeding a young brood for six months (up to 30–40 heads);
• 3–6 thousand rubles for the arrangement of cages and premises for young animals.

The cost of starting a business is no more than 40 thousand rubles. Successful entrepreneurial activity has shown that the business pays off already at the end of the first season. You can earn about 6 thousand rubles from young livestock. They earn another 3–5 thousand rubles from selling eggs; You can earn from 30 to 40 thousand rubles by selling meat. What to do if you don’t have 40 thousand rubles to organize a stable business? You can start small - buy a few females and breed the younger generation for the next season.

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Video: Keeping poultry Chickens Roosters Turkeys

In recent years, raising farm animals and birds has become a fairly popular type of entrepreneurial activity, and in particular raising turkeys as a business. With proper planning, this area of ​​poultry farming can bring good profits to turkey farm owners. The productivity and profitability of this business directly depends on a well-written business plan and a reasonable approach.

Today, the turkey business is the most relevant business. You can successfully raise turkeys both on an industrial scale and on a private farm. Turkey farming has a number of advantages:

• low maintenance costs;
• ease of caring for livestock;
• low start-up costs;
• good yield of meat and egg products;
• high consumer demand;
• the bird is not picky about food;
• young animals quickly gain body weight (the weight of some breeds can reach 30 kg);
• Poultry meat is dietary, has excellent taste and beneficial properties.

An important stage in successful turkey breeding is the creation of comfortable living conditions on turkey farms.

Future farmers should take into account that the final result of entrepreneurial activity will depend on this. In this case, you should pay attention to such important factors as:

• air temperature and its composition;
• providing balanced and nutritious nutrition;
• the size of the poultry house and its population density;
• prevention of diseases to which there is a genetic predisposition

Breed selection

Before starting a business related to turkey breeding, a farmer must understand what kind of result he wants to get. You should also know the likely ways to achieve these goals. First of all, he must decide what he wants to make a profit from: from the sale of eggs or meat, from the sale of young animals or adult breeding animals. The choice of breed, selection of inventory and equipment depend on these factors. To choose the optimal cross of turkeys suitable for the tasks of a particular farm, it is necessary to study the features and characteristics of various breeds.

It is better for novice poultry farmers to choose light and medium crosses of turkeys for growing.

Representatives of heavy breeds need to be fed more, and they are more demanding in their care. At the same time, lightweight turkeys (up to 12 kg) have stronger immunity and are less demanding in terms of nutrition and living conditions. Heavyweight crosses are more suitable for experienced breeders. You can start breeding them as you gain experience.

For meat

Production growth rates and business profitability are greatly influenced by breed selection. Therefore, every farmer-businessman who decides to start raising turkeys for meat must first of all buy the right livestock. Some breeds grow quickly, others gain enormous body weight.

A farmer who plans to make a profit from raising turkeys for meat should choose breeds that have excellent meat properties. Broilers are best suited for this, as they will gain good body weight in a short period of time.

1. White broad-breasted turkey. It grows quickly and easily adapts to different climatic conditions. There are 3 varieties of this breed: light, medium and heavy. The weight of a male can reach 15 kg, and a female can weigh about 10 kg;
2. Big 6 is a cross meat product. Adult turkeys grow up to 25 kg, turkeys - up to 11 kg.

For eggs

The following breeds are excellent for producing not only meat products, but also eggs:

1. Bronze is a breed that is considered the best for industrial breeding. Males can gain weight up to 15 kg, females - up to 9 kg. This breed compares favorably with others due to its excellent egg production. In a year, one adult turkey can lay up to 120 eggs, which is a good indicator. The disadvantage is their inability to breed on pastures. This breed was primarily bred to be kept in poultry houses and cages;
2. – a species suitable for grazing. The egg production of mature turkeys is 80 eggs per year. The weight of a male reaches 10 kg, females – up to 7 kg.

Required personnel for business

Having a large number of turkeys on a farm, it is impossible to raise them yourself. One person cannot do this, since the bird must not only be fed, but also keep the house clean. It is also necessary to monitor her health status, carrying out both preventive measures and therapeutic procedures, if necessary.

For the full functioning of the business, a turkey farm must be staffed with at least the following personnel:

• poultry care assistants (several people);
• vet;
• courier driver for delivering feed and transporting finished products to the point of sale or to clients.

On average, this expense item will be about 30 thousand rubles.

Sales market

The success of breeding any livestock in order to make a profit from the sale of meat directly depends on properly organized sales of products. You can set it up in different ways, by agreeing, for example, with the nearest food retail outlets, cafes, canteens or restaurants. Also, meat carcasses, fillets, semi-finished products and minced meat can be sold at the meat market. You can offer products through advertisements.

To sell meat legally, you must officially register your business and choose a taxation system.

Having a quality certificate will allow you to sell it at a better price. This is a very important aspect, especially if there are competitors.

Financial investments

An important stage of any business is carrying out financial calculations that will help determine the amount of required initial capital. To open a turkey farm, you will need to purchase at least one male for every 5-6 females. This amount will be enough to start. Only healthy individuals should be purchased.

On average, one adult bird will cost about 2 thousand rubles, depending on the breed.

When drawing up a business plan related to raising turkeys, the following basic parameters should be taken into account:

• total number of livestock;
• quantity of poultry intended for sale;
• goods planned for sale (eggs, meat, offal);
• approximate yield of marketable products from one turkey;
• the total volume of products planned for sale (determined by multiplying the number of birds intended for sale by the approximate production yield);
• price of 1 kg of goods sold;
• total turnover;
• approximate annual turnover.

Cost items for a mini-farm include the following parameters:

• feed costs;
• medical care (vaccination, vitaminization, treatment);
• wages of service personnel;
• payment of utilities and rent;
• other expenses (equipment, inventory, transport, etc.).

Profitability and payback

Is it profitable to raise turkeys? Are these birds profitable? As practice shows, with fairly small initial costs, you can organize a profitable farm. The first profit from maintaining a turkey farm can be obtained within 4-6 months.

Full payback of all financial investments occurs within 2-5 years.

The profitability of a business depends on the main direction of farming activity.

Sale of meat

The profitability of this business is very high, but at the same time, the expenses are quite large. To feed a large population, it is necessary to have appropriate premises and a good food supply. You can get significant savings (on feed and heating) by fattening turkeys in the spring and summer, followed by slaughtering and selling meat products before the onset of cold weather.

Sales of eggs

Having formed a herd of a male and 6-8 females, you can make a profit from the sale of eggs, of which one female can lay up to 200 pieces.

Sale of turkey poults

This direction can bring the greatest profit to farmers. You can start selling chicks from the moment they reach the age of 4-6 weeks. The only disadvantages are the seasonality of this direction and difficulties with stable sales of goods.

Breeding

This business requires large investments and is associated with some risks and difficulties, so most often this area is developed in conjunction with other types.

Advantages and disadvantages

As you can see, the business idea for breeding and selling turkeys has a large number of advantages. The advantages of turkey farming are:

• short time to obtain the final product;
• high consumer demand for dietary meat;
• little competition in this commercial segment;
• good yield of commercial products;
• The business of raising turkeys can be combined with other activities.

Raising turkeys also has small disadvantages, for example:

• the bird requires attention and needs daily care;
• the business may become unprofitable due to the death of turkeys from various diseases;
• Difficulties may arise with raising birds of different ages, since each group has its own requirements for housing and feeding conditions.

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Turkey breeding is a fairly profitable business; this branch of poultry farming is gradually gaining momentum in our country. To achieve tangible success in breeding this unique bird, it is necessary to clearly understand all the features of this complex matter, where to start and what to pay special attention to.

Turkeys are beautiful and large flightless birds that love freedom and large spaces for walking, while domestic breeds of birds are calmer and slower than their wild relatives.

In the process of domesticating turkeys, many new breeds were developed, among which the White Broad-breasted and North Caucasian Bronze attract attention. They can be characterized by rapid growth, high egg production and rapid increase in meat mass. White breeds require certain conditions of maintenance and high quality food.

How to start a turkey breeding business

It should begin with studying the relevance of products in your region, for which you can go around nearby markets and stores and find out how much poultry meat is sold in them in one day. Then, after deciding to open a poultry farm, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur and choose a tax payment system.

For residents of the southern regions, keeping turkeys outdoors, in a covered area, is suitable, since individuals can easily withstand temperatures as low as -15°C, although it is best to equip them with warm rooms for the winter, and in the summer transfer them to open cages with a canopy from the rain.

The livestock is divided according to age: at the age of up to a month, no more than 15 birds are kept in one cage, at the age of two months - up to 10, at an older age - no more than 5 birds. When kept in cages, a temperature of up to +35°C is suitable for chicks; when kept free, up to +28°C; for adult turkeys, +17°C is sufficient.

An important condition for the successful keeping of turkeys is compliance with the following conditions:

• inadmissibility of contact between adult turkeys and chicks;
• good room lighting and absence of excess moisture;
• constant ventilation of the room;
• arrangement of a walking area;
• clean water with a temperature of approximately +26°C;
• Thorough cleaning of cages and walking areas:
• high-quality varied food.

Proper nutrition is of great importance in the diet of turkeys, so their daily diet should include:

• flour feed;
• cereal mixtures;
• grains, root vegetables, fresh grass;
• vitamins and other supplements containing beneficial substances.

The business has three directions:

• breeding and raising chicks for sale;
• sale of eggs;
• raising poultry for slaughter and selling carcasses.

It is most profitable to raise poultry for the purpose of selling carcasses.

To obtain a large number of eggs per male, 6-7 females are needed, which begin to lay eggs in the eighth month of life, provided the room temperature is acceptable. If all standards are observed, one female produces up to 200 eggs per year.

When breeding turkeys for meat, you need to know that the female gains weight 13 kg, and the male up to 20 kg at the age of about 23 weeks. After cutting the carcass, the meat yield is up to 65% of the live weight of the bird.

To successfully raise turkeys, the following requirements must be met:

• the room must be equipped with all communications and heaters;
• automatic supply of water and high-quality feed;
• exclusion from the diet of any supplements to accelerate growth;
• regular cleaning of cells;
• engaging a competent veterinarian.

Purchasing young turkeys to start a business

There are three classes of individuals (in kilograms):

• light: females up to 7, males - 9;
• medium: females up to 8, males - 16;
• heavy: females up to 14, males - 30.

For the business of breeding turkeys, it is recommended to choose a middle-class bird, since raising heavy birds is profitable on an industrial scale, and light birds are raised only for personal consumption.

The purchase of young animals is carried out from private individuals or on poultry farms, and from private owners you can choose the desired breed. But you can buy sick chickens, but there is not much choice on farms, and the quality of the young is quite low due to mass production.

The best option for breeding turkeys for business is still specially organized enterprises or private companies focused on raising turkey chicks. This will make it possible to provide yourself with a quality certificate and a veterinary agreement, which will be required when selling products and starting a business.

Caring for young animals

Young turkeys are tougher than chicks of other birds and have a higher survival rate. The main thing in caring for them is to provide them with a dry and warm room with a temperature not lower than +36°C and constant lighting at first.

At the first stage, individuals are fed 8 times a day, and the diet includes dry small cereals mixed with crushed boiled eggs. Up to the age of one month, turkey poults continue to be given small grains with herbs or fed with special feed, which already contains vitamins and components for growth. The chicks are kept in the same cage with the hen for up to one and a half to two months, after which they are moved out and transferred to adult feeding.

Nutrition of adult turkeys

A successful breeding business depends to a large extent on choosing the right food. On private farms, turkeys are given sprouted grain in dry form, as well as mixtures of various consistencies. Starting in spring, individuals should graze in open areas, since their diet is based on greens. Feeding regimen during the ripening period is 4-5 times a day, the rest of the time 3 times is enough. To make the meat more tender, the amount of succulent feed is increased and the amount of dry grain is reduced.

Farm equipment is an important stage of business

To grow them, a standard set of equipment is purchased, which includes automatic drinkers, feeders, cages, incubators, heating devices and lighting, and thermometers. It is advisable to purchase fully mechanized equipment, however, it is very expensive, so not every farmer can allocate funds for it.

When drawing up a business plan, you should take into account not only the cost of equipment, but also include in losses the natural mortality of chicks, which can be up to 15% of the original number.

To maintain a farm and run a business with turkeys, the breeder needs to hire a livestock specialist, a sales specialist, a competent manager and a driver. To assess the profitability of an enterprise, an analysis of expenses and income should be carried out, which includes the price for renting premises and payments to utilities. The cost of equipment and its installation, as well as the cost of feed and medicine, the cost of paperwork.

The profitability of a turkey farming business is 60-80%, although some particularly successful entrepreneurs achieve 100%.

As can be seen from the experience of many turkey farm owners, poultry breeding as an enterprise is quite profitable, given that the market for the consumption of such meat is steadily growing.

It must be clearly understood that business attracts the close attention of various government agencies that are called upon to monitor the quality of food products. Its implementation requires appropriate documents from veterinary services, which will ensure that you sell your products without problems and have the opportunity to further develop your business.

From all of the above, we can conclude that raising and breeding birds for eggs, meat, or to produce young animals for sale is quite a profitable, but very troublesome business, requiring a lot of effort and some initial capital. In addition, there are certain risks beyond the control of the business owner. These include the possibility of mass disease in the livestock, which leads to huge losses. Therefore, you should purchase chicks only from trusted breeders who have no complaints or negative reviews, feed turkeys with high-quality food, and have an experienced veterinarian on staff.

If you want to create your own mini-farm from scratch and make a good profit in the future, then raising turkeys is the best option for stable income. Why?

1. Profitability. Farm birds grow faster than other animals. In particular, turkeys live without unnecessary stress, without wasting much energy like chickens.
2. Saving. By buying 3 kg of feed for one turkey, you can get 1 kg in return, while to get 1 kg of pork you need to purchase 7 kg of feed.
3. There are no additional difficulties. They eat almost all types of food, especially green types.
4. Multifunctionality. Turkeys produce a large amount of meat, fluff, feathers, and droppings for fertilizer.
5. Poultry can be raised both in rural areas and in the private sector.

Bronze broad-breasted turkey

Therefore, poultry farming today is one of the most profitable business categories. Turkey is very popular among meat lovers because it is similar to chicken. This meat is dietary, has high taste and beneficial properties. Read more about raising turkeys at home below.

Where to start raising turkeys at home from scratch?

Before planning to build a poultry farm, the farmer must select a variety of turkeys. It is important to know the environmental factors that will affect the viability and productivity of your poultry:

• light duration and saturation;
• air temperature and structure;
• type of food;
• area for housing;
• susceptibility to disease;
• a type of bird.

Which breed should you choose?

The rate of growth of production and profitability of the entire poultry complex depends on the correctly purchased variety of poultry. Some species gain mass in a short time, while others grow less intensively. The best option is to choose elite bird species, e.g. Big 6, because he increases the fastest in the weight category (males in 130 days about 19 kg, females - 11 kg).

Another successful species for fishing is bronze broad-chested bird. These are massive birds (females grow up to seven to nine kg, and males ten to fifteen kg).

• Minus: the turkey is not adapted to pasture feeding, as it was bred specifically for cages and poultry houses.
• Plus: fertility is up to one hundred and twenty eggs per year, and fertility is 80%, chicks - turkey poults - up to 75%.

Slaughter occurs in the twentieth or twenty-third week, when males reach 13-15 kg and females 7-8 kg.

North Caucasian Bronze Turkey has a well-developed adaptation to green nutrition. Males can gain weight up to fourteen kg, and females - seven kg. Oviposition - from nine months to six months (1st period - 80 eggs).

White broad-breasted turkey

White broad-breasted turkey has excellent meat characteristics, rapid adaptation to a variety of climatic factors. Egg production from nine months to a year (1 period up to 120 eggs). White broad-breasted turkey is divided into: heavy, medium and light. Males grow up to 25 kg, and females - up to 10 kg.

Cross BIG-6(heavy breed) has quality meat characteristics and has a short time period for growth. It is bought for meat (males weigh 25 kg, and females - 11 kg).

• Plus: the net weight of an adult is 80-85%.
• Disadvantage: to breed this species, it is necessary to perform artificial insemination of poultry.

Poultry farms create a special schedule for hatching turkey chicks, and farmers calculate the days to buy chicks. Since the transportation of chicks, eggs, feed and similar goods is carried out systematically, it will be more profitable for such purposes to buy your own transport. It is not cheap, but this business will very soon produce results that will pleasantly please you.

Where to buy turkeys?

You can buy poultry at a special farm. Try to choose turkeys that are not related, because the offspring may be weaker than when mating individuals that are not related. Before getting turkeys, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with the rules for choosing the young generation of rural birds.

Features of raising turkeys at home for meat

Turkeys can be raised in a variety of ways: extensive, semi-intensive, cage, floor. Also alternate these options, depending on the weather, age criteria, goals, variety. You can raise turkeys at home using both natural and broiler methods (eggs are placed in an incubator for a specific period of time at a specific temperature). If the goal of your business is to produce meat, then the broiler method is suitable for you, since turkeys quickly increase in size in a short period of time. The younger generation that was bred in an incubator is more susceptible to diseases than those that were raised naturally, so they need to be looked after more carefully.

Difficulties in breeding appear when turkey poults are 1 month old. An important advantage of the bird is its high hatchability rate (90%). Turkey poults breed well in incubators. If they grow in a natural environment, then it is worth considering that the turkey is a very caring mother and this can be used for raising any type of bird.

Newly born chicks should be given boiled water along with green tea and sugar (1 tbsp/1 liter of water), since the antiseptic properties of green tea help strengthen the immunity of the offspring. So they need to be fed for the first three days, and on the fourth you can give them regular water.

Immediately after birth, young offspring need constant light, which must be reduced step by step by thirty minutes. On day 20, fifteen hours of light are needed. Turkey poults can easily succumb to colds, so it is very important to maintain the recommended temperature.

Due to the rapid weight gain over the next three weeks, it is recommended to feed the bird during the first month with PK-5 feed with vitamin supplements, amino acids and minerals. At the start of the second offspring, they are fed an inexpensive mixture of food (crushed corn, barley and bran) with the necessary additions of cottage cheese, grated carrots or fish offal. The best vitamin for turkeys are B vitamins, therefore, according to the recommendations of experts, add dry yeast to the food.

Conditions of detention

You should not keep turkey poults in the same place with other birds (chickens, geese, ducks). As a last resort, make a small wire fence to prevent crowding between turkeys. In this limited area, the presence of various pits and grooves is not desirable.

You can raise turkeys in:

1. Special building. In order to properly equip the building, it is necessary to adhere to the temperature regime, the permissible air temperature (no more than +20C°). It is also worth observing the correct location and number of birds in one cage.
2. Open air, fenced area. This option is relevant if you live in a warm area. These birds are not afraid of cold weather, but only if the air temperature is not too low.

When raising poultry in an open area, you need to arrange it. To do this, fence off the required area with a net, and place drinking bowls and feeders for turkeys inside:

• Mesh diameter: 3.00-4.60 m for 240-450 individuals.
• Material: wire, height 40-50 cm.
• Heaters: 3.0-5.6 kW (take into account the fencing and number of individuals).
• Burner height– 70-90 cm.
• Temperature: 36-38 C°, decreasing to 27 C°.
• Drinking bowl. It is recommended to install a round one with an automatic machine or a vacuum one.
• Feeder. For 40-60 turkey poults - one feeder.
• Light. Maintain the required amount of light for a strong and healthy generation. To do this, use an incandescent lamp, with automatic or manual mode.

Turkey diet

Pay important attention to the nutrition of the bird, because it affects the rate of weight gain and readiness for slaughter for meat. The nutrition of elite turkeys includes many vitamin, protein, carbohydrate, and fat components, which are contained in vitamin mixtures sold at special points or at a veterinary pharmacy. Replenish the amount of food in the offspring as it decreases and do not store it in the feeder for more than 3 days. An adult male needs to be given 2.9 kg of feed per 1 kg. turkey weight, female - 2.6 kg. Do not forget that turkeys practically cannot see into the distance and it is worth making sure that other birds do not eat the turkeys. When raising turkeys for slaughter, females that live 105 days (10 kg) are recommended.

Drinkers need to be given special attention: they need to be rinsed a couple of times a day, and overheating of the water should be avoided. It needs to be replenished constantly and kept cool and clean. After a week and a half, it is recommended to start letting the bird out on its own.

Is it worth it, possible profit?

When breeding turkeys, you can make money by selling: meat, eggs and chicks. The cost of selling turkey meat ranges from 150 to 350 rubles per kilogram. If we take an average mass of 15 kg, we get that the meat of one bird can be sold for about 3,750 rubles.

Turkey eggs may be of interest to entrepreneurs who breed in incubators. The cost of one egg is 35 rubles.

The sale of one chick can bring from 250 to 500 rubles. The exact figure depends on the breed. The chicks are sold when they reach the age of three weeks.

And yet, the main incentive to raise turkeys is poultry meat. Compared to chicken offspring, they hatch a small number of chicks - 80-100 per year. Raising turkeys requires a lot of effort at the start, but later, due to the advantages of breeding this bird, the business becomes profitable. And if you have not yet determined for yourself: “Bringing turkeys as a business - is it profitable or not,” then the answer is obvious - “Yes.”

Turkey farming is becoming increasingly popular every year. Even on private farms, farmers strive to make their own business out of this. This type of poultry farming is advantageous due to its low costs, easy care for poultry, and the demand for dietary meat.

Organizing your business correctly is very important. The health of birds, and therefore their productivity and profitability of the business, directly depends on a reasonable approach.

Where to start business planning

Turkey breeding as a business begins with general ideas about the desired result and the way to achieve it. The future farmer must decide how he will make money: by selling meat, hatching eggs, young animals or adult breeding animals. From this, the necessary equipment and breed are selected. Next begins the study of specific hybrids and their compatibility with each other.

The farmer must choose what products he wants to sell.

Next, you will need to decide on the form of keeping, care, and the number of heads in the flock. Afterwards, prices are studied, a spending plan is drawn up, profitability is calculated, construction work and arrangement of premises are organized. Finally, the poultry house is disinfected, the livestock is purchased and settled, and the business is registered with government agencies.

Choosing a direction

Not every newly-minted farmer can figure out where to start choosing a content direction. First of all, the characteristics of a particular cross, its tendency to disease, the scale of the territory, and the climate of residence are taken into account.

Depending on these factors, the priority type of cultivation is determined:

Turkeys are usually kept outdoors.

1. Extensive– best suited for southern regions; in cold areas it causes difficulties. A warm poultry house and a pasture area with shelter from precipitation and heat are combined. From 2 months of age until slaughter, individuals spend most of their time walking. They have the opportunity to feed on grass and insects on their own, which reduces feed costs. The method is good for developing the livestock’s immunity to the disease and reducing the percentage of defects. At the same time, extensive maintenance is possible only seasonally, so the income is also not constant. Suitable for all breeds.
2. Cellular– multi-tiered cages are installed in the poultry house. Suitable for light to medium crosses only. The room is equipped with ventilation, lighting and heating. In such conditions, females for slaughter grow faster. In addition, it is more profitable to keep young stock for breeding sale and space is used more efficiently. The method is often combined with artificial insemination of turkeys to hatch hatching eggs. Long-term keeping of one flock in cages is not recommended in order to avoid frailty and sickness of birds. For quick slaughter or sale at a young age, this option is acceptable.
3. Floor– often chosen in cold regions for heavy turkeys, but is also suitable for other types of breeds. For such maintenance, a spacious room with heating, light, and ventilation without drafts is taken. The floor rises 25-30 cm above ground level, is insulated and covered with a bedding of hay and sawdust from soft trees. Slots can be made or nets installed to remove droppings, dirt, and moisture. It is better not to keep small turkey chicks on the floor so that they are not trampled and so that they do not choke on sawdust. Birds are divided into groups by breed, age, and family using high partitions. It is necessary to observe the population density per 1 sq.m - no more than 3-5 heads, depending on the size.

Only light and medium cross-breed turkeys can be kept in cages.

All types can be implemented at different scales.

Nuances of turkey breeding

Whether it will be profitable or not to raise turkeys depends on the comfort of the conditions created for them. With proper care and timely vaccinations, young animals get sick less often, are immune to infections, ripen faster, and the taste of meat improves.

Factors important for healthy chick growth include:

• ambient air temperature and composition;
• population density, size of habitat;
• food type;
• genetic purity;
• prevention of diseases to which there is a natural predisposition.

With proper care and maintenance, turkey poults do not get sick and grow well.

Before purchasing, it is worth studying the symptoms and treatment of these pathologies, finding out the vaccinations given and required by age.

Contagious diseases

Non-communicable diseases

In cases of improper feeding and congenital abnormalities, vitamin deficiencies and goiter most often occur. These pathologies are not dangerous for the flock, but they bring inconvenience to a particular baby.

Due to improper feeding, turkey poults may suffer from vitamin deficiency.

Minimum requirements for enclosures

Healthy livestock can only be raised in a warm enclosure. The temperature in the first days stays around 36-37C, and as it grows it gradually drops to 27C. For heating, 3-5 kW burners are installed at a height of 70-90 cm. For 50 heads there are 2 feeders and 2-3 drinkers.

Purchase of livestock

The farmer can purchase eggs for incubation, young or adult laying hens. It’s easiest to start with 30-day-old chicks - such turkey poults are extremely hardy, strong, capable of adapting to a new place, and eat regular food.

In the version with eggs, you will need an incubator, time for hatching, and special feeding of newborns. In addition, not all eggs will produce offspring, especially healthy ones. The condition of the young animals is immediately visible, and this method saves time and money.

It is better to buy turkey poults aged from one day to 30 days.

Breed selection

For beginners, light and medium crosses are better suited. Heavy species eat more and are more difficult to care for. Turkeys weighing up to 12 kg are less demanding and have higher survival rates. Heavyweights are the domain of experienced poultry farmers and can be acquired as the business grows.

Some of the best crosses for beginning breeders include:

• bronze broad-breasted - suitable for cage keeping, weight - 9-11 kg, egg production - 120 pieces;
• North Caucasian bronze - they are taken to pastures, weight - 7-12 kg, egg production - 80 pieces.

Beginning farmers are better off choosing a light or medium cross.

The popular breeds Hybrid Converter, Big 6, Universal, White Broad-breasted should be approached at least after 2 years of working with turkeys.

As noted earlier, success in the turkey business can only be achieved with proper management. Rearing during the first weeks can occur naturally or by incubation, but then it is necessary to transfer the birds to general conditions.

After 4-6 weeks (depending on the breed), individuals need about 20-22C heat. On colder days, turn on the heaters. No more than 5 animals are allowed per 1 sq.m. Young animals are never mixed with mature turkeys. It is necessary to have drinking bowls and feeders in the proportions of 2-3 pieces per 20 heads.

When grazing outside, make a fence at least 2.5 m high (turkeys fly), and fortify the ground against wild animals. Humidity above 25% is not allowed. For laying hens, nests are made on boards with thresholds 20 cm from the floor.

For 1 sq.m. no more than 5 heads of young animals are housed.

The best option is considered to be a combination of cages for young animals, an indoor enclosure for adults, a corner for laying hens and an outdoor walking pen.

Proper feeding of turkeys

The optimal turkey menu includes:

• In the morning – mixed feed PK-5 with herbs;
• For lunch - a wet mash of corn, barley, bran, fish offal, boiled carrots and herbs. Dry yeast, minerals, salt, and sometimes cottage cheese are added. When grazing, birds feed on pasture themselves;
• In the evening - dry grain with grass and berries. You can mix in mixed feed.

When feeding, it is better to give preference to ready-made complete feed.

Important. Corn and other starchy foods are given only after heat treatment.

At the beginning of life, young animals are fed boiled eggs, greens, cottage cheese, and mixed feed is gradually introduced. Grains and vegetables – from 3 weeks.

Enterprise planning

A business plan is an important part of any business. All expenses and income are entered into it to calculate profitability.

When breeding turkeys, planning includes taking into account factors:

• Buying eggs or individuals.
• Purchasing a plot (if there was none).
• Construction of the premises (if there was none).
• Arrangement of the internal space of the poultry house, equipment.
• Feed costs.

The business plan includes all costs associated with the purchase of poultry and equipment.

Assumptions are made about the sales market, and payback is calculated. Optimally, expenses should not exceed total income.

Expense, income, profitability

The minimum expenses of a turkey business with a common premises are about 40 thousand rubles:

• 3-6 thousand – cages or enclosures for young animals;
• 10-12 thousand – purchase of 4 adult laying hens and 1 turkey;
• About 4 thousand - feeding chicks up to 3 weeks;
• 15 thousand – food for six months for 30-40 adult heads.

If eggs are purchased, then the cost of 40 rubles per piece is taken into account. Young animals are sold on average for 300-500 rubles per individual.

The average cost of a hatching turkey egg is 40-60 rubles.

When selling eggs, the income is at least 3-5 thousand rubles from the quantity (some is left for cultivation). A kilo of meat costs from 200 to 400 rubles, depending on the breed and area (they sell the second annual litter, slaughtered at 6 months). Young animals are sent for sale from 3 weeks of life (first litter).

Thus, even minimal investments and sales will give a profit of at least 10 thousand in just 1 or 2 years if you independently maintain the farm.

Important. The slaughterhouse will increase the demand for processed poultry. Its presence brings profitability closer to 98%, regardless of the size of the farm.

What kind of staff is needed?

A business may require related personnel: veterinarians, drivers for transporting purchases and delivering goods to customers, bird care assistants.

For large livestock, a full-time veterinarian is required.

When expanding your business, spending in this column will cost at least 30 thousand rubles.

Capital investments

Capital investments are considered to be paperwork, purchase of livestock, arrangement of the main poultry house, incubator, and related equipment. Based on 100 birds, the investment will be at least 126 thousand rubles.

Monthly costs

Every month, expenses include purchases of feed, utilities, staff salaries and transportation costs. On average, 100 heads cost about 70 thousand rubles.

We invite you to watch a video that addresses the question: is it possible to benefit from raising turkeys and is it worth starting such a business?

Sales of products

Turkey meat can be sold by agreement in cafes, restaurants, and shops. Carcasses are also sold to individuals at meat markets or by advertisement. On a large scale, it is possible to establish the production and sale of minced meat, fillets and semi-finished products.

There are people who like to eat turkey eggs. Young animals and hatching eggs are sold in clubs, by advertisement, and by agreement with farms.

Turkey breeding as a business is in great demand today. Many farmers have heard that there is a business related to raising turkeys, and this type of income is becoming increasingly popular. The popularity of the business is based on the fact that caring for birds is not complicated; large expenses are not required, and there is also a great demand for dietary meat. But in order to understand whether such a business is profitable or not, you need to thoroughly calculate everything. Turkey breeding as a business must be properly organized. In addition, the better your knowledge, the healthier your students will be, and the productivity and profitability of your training also depends on this.

Benefits of raising turkeys

Turkeys as a business require careful selection of breeds for breeding. Not all varieties of poultry are suitable for meat production, for example. You also need to decide on the purpose of the business; perhaps you will raise individuals and sell them to breeders, then you need to choose the most beautiful and undemanding breeds. Some novice breeders purchase universal breeds that quickly gain weight and boast of their unpretentiousness. Before purchasing livestock, you should carefully read all the characteristics, watch photos and videos.

Business planning

Turkey business starts with an idea of ​​what kind of result you need and what paths you decide to take in order to achieve your goals. First, decide why you want to raise turkeys as a business and with what product do you want to make money? This can be meat, hatching eggs, young animals or adults. The choice of equipment and the actual breed of bird itself depends on this choice.

After the type of sale and breed of bird have been determined, you need to figure out what form you will keep your birds in, and in what quantity, and also study in more detail all the nuances of caring for turkeys.

To properly plan your business, you need to find out about current prices and how your costs may increase in, say, a year. It is necessary to draw up a cost plan, calculate profitability, organize construction work and arrange premises for turkeys. The last stage of creating a business is disinfection of the future habitat of birds, purchasing and settling turkeys. The final thing you must do is register your business with the relevant authorities.

How to choose a business direction?

The turkey business and its plan at home, as well as the choice of direction, first of all begins with the characteristics of a certain type of turkey (it’s hard for novice farmers to guess about this). Find out all the information about the type of turkeys you want to breed, read the information about what diseases they are prone to, what is the optimal size of the territory for their safe residence, what climate is necessary for them.

After the information is received and studied, the type of cultivation is determined. You can choose a combined type of business, when half of the animals are raised for meat, the other half for sale. You can also grow universal breeds and sell what the buyer currently needs. When you have firmly established your position in the market for selling turkey products, you will be able to raise the price and put forward your own conditions.

Purchase of livestock

For future business and earnings, a farmer can purchase eggs for an incubator, young individuals or adult laying hens. It is best to buy chicks that are 30 days old; it is at this age that birds are hardy, strong and easily adapt to new conditions and eat regular food. If you decide to buy eggs, then you need an incubator and time, since the chicks will not hatch right away, take care of special food for newborn turkeys.

It is worth noting that some eggs may be without chicks, and there is also a possibility of sick turkey poults being born. When purchasing young individuals, you immediately see their condition, which will obviously save your time and money. The best period to buy is February. Pay special attention to the chicks' parents, learn about vaccinations, and see what the turkey chick looks like. For better bird survival, it is recommended to buy young animals of different litters.

How to choose a breed?

Light breeds of turkeys are easier to handle

If you are new to this business, then it is best to buy light or medium breeds of turkeys. As for heavy crosses, they require different care and consume a lot of feed. Birds weighing less than 12 kg are easier to handle and have significantly higher survival rates.

There are several types of turkeys that are considered the best for beginners

• North Caucasian bronze. An excellent type of turkey for grazing, they weigh 7-12 kg and hatch 80 eggs.
• Bronze broad-chested. Turkey for growing in cages, its weight is 9-11 kg, and egg production reaches up to 120 pieces.
• In addition to these two breeds, there are also: Hybrid converter, Universal, Big 6, white broad-breasted, but it is better to start them after experience with turkeys, at least for 2 years.

Methods of raising turkeys

Cellular

For this type of cultivation, special tiered cages are placed indoors. This type of rearing is optimal for light and medium-sized turkeys at home. The poultry house must have ventilation, good lighting and heating. In properly equipped conditions in cages, individuals grow at an active pace. Also, in this way, young animals are well raised for breeding sale and the space is used wisely.

Often in such conditions, artificial insemination of turkeys is carried out in order to obtain hatching eggs. It is not recommended to keep one population of turkeys in cages for a long time, as the birds become more unstable to diseases, and their appearance requires the best. Birds raised in cages are well suited for quick slaughter or for sale at a young age.

Extensive

This type of raising turkeys at home is most suitable for farmers living in the southern regions; if you raise birds extensively in cold areas, difficulties may arise. Whether this is beneficial or not will ultimately depend on the specific breed. For this type of cultivation, a poultry house and an adjacent pasture area are required, which must be protected from precipitation and heat.

Birds that have reached 2 months of age begin to be released for walking almost constantly, and this continues until slaughter. Turkeys feed on grass and insects themselves, which has an excellent and positive effect on the farmer’s costs. The extensive method of raising birds has a positive effect on their immunity; such birds are less susceptible to diseases, and the percentage of defects is reduced to a minimum. But it is worth noting that this type of cultivation is suitable for those farmers who are ready to receive income only during the season. Any breed of turkey can be raised under these conditions.

Floor

The floor type of raising turkeys is recommended for all types of turkeys, and especially for heavyweight ones. In this case, you shouldn’t even think about whether it’s profitable or not, since the floor maintenance method requires the least cost. To raise birds using the floor method, it is necessary to prepare a large room with light, good ventilation and heating. The floor should be located 30 cm above the ground, it should be insulated and covered with hay and soft wood sawdust. You can seal the cracks in the floor or install nets so that all droppings, dirt and moisture do not linger on the floor surface.

You should not leave young turkeys on the bare floor, as small individuals can be trampled by older ones and there is also a chance that turkey poults will choke on sawdust scattered on the floor. When rearing using the floor method, turkeys must be divided by breed and age. Use high partitions to prevent turkeys from flying away. These birds have wings and can fly over a small fence or fence. Remember that birds need enough space, so make sure there are no more than 3-5 turkeys per square meter, depending on their size.

Features of turkey breeding

Carefully consider the conditions of detention

Whether a turkey farm will be profitable for you depends on how carefully you take care of the turkeys' living conditions. If you properly care for, vaccinate young birds and follow certain feeding rules, then the likelihood that the birds will get sick is reduced, and the taste of the meat of such turkeys is much better. It is best to make the room immediately with the possibility of heating. In regions with cold winters, turkeys may freeze in an unheated room. When crossing with different breeds, you need to take into account the possible consequences, especially if you are just a beginner breeder, it is recommended to start by breeding one breed.

In order for the chicks to grow healthy and strong, it is necessary to pay due attention to the following factors

• Temperature and air.
• Nutrition.
• Size of habitat, population density.
• Genetic purity.

Prevention against possible diseases of turkeys

Some breeds of turkeys are predisposed to various diseases, these are the ones you need to know about before purchasing turkeys. Learn about the symptoms of diseases and all treatment methods. In the initial stages of treatment, most diseases can be easily cured without much cost to you or harm to the bird. Even if nothing bothers the turkeys, they should be shown to a veterinarian for a preventive examination once every 6-12 months. From birth, do not skimp and get the necessary vaccinations. If various diseases occur in turkeys, they should be transferred to a separate pen until the disease is completely cured.

Contagious diseases of turkeys

• Tuberculosis
• Worms
• Histomoniasis
• Mycoplasmosis

Non-communicable diseases include

• Avitaminosis

Such diseases most often arise as a result of improper nutrition of birds, or based on a genetic predisposition. This type of disease is not dangerous for other birds.

Poultry house requirements

To raise healthy and strong livestock, proper conditions are necessary, and one of them is warmth. In the poultry house where the turkeys will be raised on the first day it should be 36-37 degrees Celsius, then the temperature is reduced to 27 degrees. To heat the aviary, use burners (3-5 kW) and install them at a height of 70-90 cm. The aviary must have several feeders and drinkers, for example, if there are 50 birds, then they need to have 2 feeders and 2-3 drinkers.

You can raise turkey poults naturally in the first weeks or with the help of an incubator, but after that, the birds must be transferred to general living conditions. After 4-6 weeks from birth, birds need 20-22 degrees of heat in the room. You can house 5 birds per 1 m2, no more. There is no need to house young individuals with mature ones. Availability of drinking bowls and feeders (20 birds - 2-3 pcs).

Business plan

It is important to create your business plan

Developing your own business plan is mandatory and important. This plan includes expenses and income, so you can calculate the profitability of your own business.

To breed turkeys you need to consider the following factors

• Purchase of birds (or eggs).
• Acquisition of area for breeding birds.
• Construction of a poultry house.
• Arrangement of space for birds.
• Food expenses.

Thanks to the fact that you have a plan, calculations are made of the return on investment of the business, and assumptions about the sales market are indicated. Approximate expenses, income and profitability of a business related to turkey breeding. The smallest amount that you can spend for this business, taking into account the fact that you have premises, is 40 thousand rubles.

This amount includes

• The cost of the equipment is 3,000 - 6,000 rubles.
• Purchase of 4 adult turkeys and 1 turkey - 10,000 - 12,000 rubles.
• Diet up to 20 days of age - approximately 4,000 rubles.
• Feed for 6 months for 30-40 adult birds - 15,000 rubles.

If you decide to purchase eggs, then you need to calculate 40 rubles for 1 egg, the cost of young individuals is 300 - 500 rubles. Selling eggs will bring you 3,000 - 5,000 rubles, depending on the number of eggs (they keep a few eggs for themselves to grow). 1 kg of meat - 200 - 400 rubles, depending on the breed and area. The second annual litter is suitable for sale; slaughter occurs when it reaches 6 months of age. Young animals can be sold from 3 weeks of age.

Possible costs

• Veterinarians.
• Drivers.
• Turkey care assistants.
• Purchase of feed.
• Communal payments.
• Salary for the staff working for you.
• Costs associated with transportation.

The average monthly cost is 70,000 rubles per 100 individuals.

How much does it cost to raise BIG-6 turkeys in rubles // REPORT // My farm

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Business from scratch in the village, raising turkeys BIC 6 Earning money from poultry Business Ideas Successful 2016

Sales of products

The main criterion is the sale of products. The fact is that at the initial stage, many farmers may have difficulties, since at first it is not easy to find a point of sale for finished products. You need to prove yourself, perhaps reduce prices, make them less than competitors. This is necessary in order to be noticed. To sell your products, you need to have connections with cafes, restaurants and shops. Carcasses can also be sold to individuals working in meat markets or sold by advertisement. For large-scale production, you can sell various semi-finished products, minced meat and fillets.