Turkey farming can be a very lucrative business in Nigeria. This is because there is a huge demand for poultry meat in the country. Based on recent findings, the demand and supply chain for poultry meat has thrown off. This means that the current supply of poultry is mostly insufficient for demand. This is why Nigerians have taken to buying legal and illegal frozen meat imported from the Benin Republic. Imagine being able to meet at least a bit of this demand? It will lead to a high ROI (Return On Investment) for you. Starting a turkey farm involves little to no hassle, and the good thing is the capital is affordable and flexible. You can start a turkey farm with anything from five to a hundred turkeys. You can profit from the turkey's meat, eggs, droppings (used for organic manure), and feathers.
Steps to start a turkey farm
In this article, we will be breaking down the steps to starting your turkey farm. The good thing about turkey farming is you can start small. Your backyard will be enough to create a turkey coop. Here are the necessary steps to take to start a turkey farm :
1. Educate yourself
Knowledge is king. When you arm yourself with knowledge, you can succeed in everything you do. The best thing about this topic is you don't have to go to school or sign up for training. The internet will educate you on everything you need to know. So do a bit of research and prepare yourself for every aspect of turkey farming. This article will tell you how to start a turkey farm, yes, but it's more like a crash course. There's still a lot you need to learn. You also have to read up on Turkeys, their behavioral patterns, their growth rate, gestational period, diseases they're susceptible to, how to protect them, etc. Here are some terminologies to take note of:
Tom: Matured male turkey
Hen: Matured female turkey
Poult: a young turkey
Snood or Dew bill: a kind of fleshy lump close to the beak
Caruncles: a kind of Fleshy lump on the turkey's head or neck, usually red or pink colored.
Dewlap: a kind of sizeable flappy skin immediately below the chin
Beard: a little bit of hair in the upper chest region
Strut: a male turkey's mating behavior
Debeaking. The reduction of the beak's length to prevent cannibalism and feather plucking.
Desnooding. The removal of the snood to prevent head injury while fighting or picking.
Detoeing or toe clipping. The removal of the toenail, usually done when the turkey is a day old.
2. Decide what breed you want to rear
There are three significant types of turkey breeds. Some turkeys are suitable for meat, while some are good for laying eggs. There's also the hybrid breed that can do the two. However, it is essential to note that rearing hybrid turkeys is very intensive and expensive.
3. Clear up some space
Turkeys get very large over time; they can take up about one square meter. Turkey coops need to be spacious enough so the turkeys can walk around without hurting each other and also so they can grow without getting cramped. You can use sawdust and wood shavings to cover the floor of the coop.
4. Get supplies
The next step is to get all the necessary supplies you'll need for Turkey farming. You'll need a cage, feeder, water trough, turkey feed, supplementary diet, the turkeys (4 weeks old), and vaccines. Turkeys mostly eat grains, so buy things like soybeans, rice, millet, corn, etc. for feed.
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