Turkeys are intelligent creatures that are said to be easier to raise as compared to chickens. They have black and red feathers, and have long necks. They regularly move across the spaces they are in, and they also make good sources of meat and eggs. Learning how to raise turkeys can be beneficial for you if you plan on selling poultry other than chickens. Since having a variety to choose from is better than only owning one kind of species in a farm.
When starting out, it is helpful to note that raising turkeys are slightly easier than raising chickens. Since turkeys are said to be cleaner than chickens. This is because chickens dig through the bedding on where they sleep, making the dirt scatter around the penthouse. Turkeys are also bigger in size, meaning they have more meat once sold. Learning about turkeys and the benefits to raising them should be something you do before getting into the business of raising turkeys yourself.
1. What are the Benefits of raising turkeys?
Knowing the benefits of raising certain animals. Can help you know whether or not this type of business or activity is right for you. Through knowing what kind of profit or other benefits that you may recover from caring and raising animals like turkeys. You will be able to see whether the amount of effort you want to put into raising animals. Like turkeys is something you want to do in the long run. Raising animals is a long-term deal. Since it takes time to get them to grow to sizes that are worth selling or to a certain type of maturity that can allow them to reproduce. Raising animals has its benefits. Such as more income, better experiences, and a wider array of choices to choose from in terms of business.
As for turkeys, the benefits of raising turkeys include one of the most obvious ones. Which is the fact that turkeys are delicious when eaten. Mature turkeys have a lot of meat to spare, and more so compared to their counterparts, the chickens. Turkeys that are grown to have more flavorful meat are reported to have better tasting meat as compared to other birds like the chickens.
Turkeys are also gentle, wonderful creatures to take care of. They are said to have wonderful personalities as animals on the farm, since they do not act volatile nor are they predators to most animals. They also do not favor attacking humans, and are considered to be relatively calm unless, of course, they are provoked.
Read my other article on how to raise Guinea fowl.
2. Are turkeys hard to raise?
Another important take on determining whether or not raising turkeys is beneficial is the fact of whether raising turkeys are difficult. Are turkeys hard to raise? All animals come with their own sets of disadvantages. If raising animals was the easiest thing to do, then probably everyone would have already done it by now. But since raising animals can be tricky in its own right, not a lot of people have gotten into the business of raising animals for sale or for care. Learning how to raise animals properly requires constant reading and studying, and requires experience, growth and the capability to absorb any type of learning experience that might occur during the first few days of caring for animals.
Caring for turkeys has its own disadvantages, like most animals. Turkeys are definitely no exception to the rule, and it is important to know such disadvantages or cons before getting into the business of raising turkeys. For turkeys that are in their infant stages, they are considered fragile and need a lot of care. They are delicate, and are very sensitive to any change in the temperature, humidity, dampness, or general climate conditions. Thus, you need to make sure that whatever temperature they were born in must at most stay constant, and that they are comfortable especially during the first few months of infancy. Turkeys also need a lot of space, and consume a lot of food. Since turkeys are bigger than chickens, it is natural that they need more space to move around as compared to other birds. They also eat more feed than other birds to gain weight.
3. How to raise turkeys in your backyard
For those who are already set on raising their own turkeys without any farm or land to raise them on, you might be wondering how to raise turkeys in your backyard and whether that is possible. Raising turkeys in your own backyard is definitely possible. Don’t let limitations stop you if you’re really excited about getting into the business.
To raise turkeys in your own backyard, you have to make enough room for them to move around. Turkeys need the space to move and live, and it is vital for their health and maintenance. Having too many turkeys in one space is not healthy for any of them, since they would eventually compete for food, and disease would spread at a more rapid rate which might make it harder for you to control should all or most of them get sick. Thus, you need to consider whether you have enough resources to care for the turkeys that you plan to raise, and whether the number of turkeys you have in mind will fit the space and budget that you have planned for this venture.
Conclusion
Turkeys are a common delicacy and provide sufficient amounts of meat when sold. Thus, it can be interesting to learn how to raise turkeys, since having turkeys to sell and raise can turn out to be a pretty profitable business for those who want to sell poultry meat or eggs. Since turkeys are calm, and relatively nicer creatures to take care of, starting out will not be too difficult as compared to other larger animals.
Thus, knowing about the different and numerous advantages and disadvantages to raising turkeys can prove to be beneficial in the long run, since knowing these things helps prevent problems when you first start out with raising your own turkeys. These animals are a unique breed in their own right, and can be an interesting venture if you have never tried raising animals even from your own backyard. Turkeys are a good option to choose to raise, as with many other animals that provide a lot of meat for eating.
Check my other post about raising Quails.
