How To Raise Turkeys

After reading this, you will have more information on how to raise baby turkeys.

If you have a space to spare, it is a wise to raise baby turkeys indoors. Doing so with turkey housing will give you fewer problems with bad weather and predators. An ideal housing for turkeys would be about six square feet of floor space per turkey. A spare room in your barn or even a garage will be fine.

Another option is to let the turkeys roam free in a fenced-in yard after about the second month of age. Though this is a risky option since some turkeys may fly over the fence or some animals might break in and attack your turkeys.

You can order baby turkeys from an instate hatchery. The less distance and time involved during the baby turkeys' transport, the better their condition will be upon their arrival.

If you plan to raise 10 or more baby turkeys, you need to buy a 100-pound bag of turkey starter containing medication that prevents coccidiosis, which is a common intestinal disease. Turkeys would immediately develop immunity to coccidiosis while feeding on medicated starter feed.

They also need a warm temperature of 100°F; you can drop the temperature to 5° each week. It is best that you keep a thermometer for the first two to three weeks. They may need heat up to six weeks of age.

If you plan to raise baby turkeys, a red infrared heat lamp is ideal. You can mount it in a porcelain socket that is attached to an extension cord, and then hung by a chain. The bulb should be suspended at least 18" above.

You might need to set some time to spend with them for the first hour since you have to make sure that the young birds find the feed and the water. Make sure not to leave open pails or boxes on the floor. It is hard to raise baby turkeys because they tend to be very curious and might jump into such a container. There should only be the feed, water, and the heat in the room.

Baby turkeys are known to start picking on each other resulting to bleeding, even death. To prevent this, you can cut off one-half of their upper beak at 10 days of age.

When the turkeys are about six to eight weeks of age, start using turkey growing ration containing medication against blackhead disease.

One final note, you might want to consult local zoning and building ordinances before even beginning to operate any household livestock. You also have to consider its impact on your neighbors.

If you think you still need guidance on how to raise baby turkeys, 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://howtoraiseturkeys.com