Whether you are doing it to supplement your income, looking to add variety to your menu or just doing it as a hobby, learning how to raise turkeys need not be a strenuous activity.
You need only follow the basic principles for you to get it right.
But make no mistake when learning how to raise turkeys you have to keep at it if you are to avoid falling prey to any of the issues that often plague newbie turkey owners.
Raising turkeys though not difficult, requires more attention than rearing other fowl such as chicken.
Turkeys have unique needs and require good care.
Other than their culinary purpose, turkeys around the home can serve as a natural form of pest control - turkeys eat common pests such as flies, ticks and mosquitoes.
The following are some of the things you must pay attention to in order to tend for your turkeys well.
Turkey breed - Determine which type of turkeys you want to raise.
There are two main turkey breeds: Heritage turkeys (takes longer to mature but tastes better) or Broad Breasted Bronze (takes a shorter time to mature and has more meat).
Usually, the breed you go for depends on your objectives for rearing turkey.
You can then wait for spring time to buy day old turkeys known as poults.
Brooding pen - Set up a pen for the turkeys.
The size of the pen is dependent on how many birds you intend to keep.
The pen must be fitted with heating lamps that will maintain the temperature in the pen at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
As the poults grow older, the lamps can be raised higher above the ground in order to reduce surface temperature.
The pen should be cleaned regularly to get rid of litter and also avoid the festering and spread of fatal diseases such as blackhead.
Food and water - The turkey pen should be fitted with one feeder and one water container for every 25 poults.
The turkey's diet can consist of oats, wheat or corn.
Learning how to raise turkeys in your home can be a very fun and rewarding experience when done right.