How To Brood Poults
Turkey chicks (younger turkeys) are referred to as POULTS, from day old till the first four to six weeks of their life depending on the turkey breed. The THREE major breeds of turkey are Large White, Broad Breasted Bronze and Small White. Large White and Broad Breasted Bronze are large birds, they can reach 11 kg in 24 weeks. Small White can only reach 6.5 kg in 16 weeks. In brooding the Poults, the procedures can be divided into two categories i.e Before The Poults Arrival and After The Poults Arrival. Below are the steps to be taken in both categories:
A.) Before Arrival Of The Poults
1. You need to decide early on the breed of turkey you want; large or small breed, foreign or local breed?
2. Clean and disinfect housing facilities using detergent and disinfectant. The walls, ceiling, floor and all equipment should be thoroughly washed and dried. Equipment like feeders, feeding tray, waterers, bowls and buckets may be soaked in a solution of appropriate disinfectant to kill germs.
3. Provide the appropriate floor, feeder and waterer space to accommodate the number of booked birds. This practice will prevent pecking and cannibalism which can cause serious injuries and death.
4. Get your heat source ready and preheat the poultry house 24 hours before your birds arrival to maintain temperature around 37 degree Celsius.
5. You should book your poults from a reliable and certified hatchery that guarantee good quality and healthy birds.
B. After Arrival Of The Poults
1. Provide enough clean, cool water at all times.
2. Provide adequate lighting so poults can find feed and water.
3. Round off all corners of the pen with wire netting. This will prevent piling.
4. Feed them right. Use medicated starter and grower feed contain coccidiostat to prevent turkey coccidiosis. Grower feed can contain antiviral to prevent blackhead. Medicated feed should be replaced with non-medicated feed five to seven days before slaughter.
5. Provide air flow. It is as important to have good ventilation without drafts for good air quality as this will keep the brooder warm.
6. Keep young poults warm. They are very sensitive to cold. Maintain a temperature of 35 to 37 degree Celsius for the first two weeks. Avoid overheating to prevent Heat Stress. Decrease their housing temperature each week until it reaches 21 degrees Celsius and maintain this level until extra heat is no longer required, usually around 4 to 6 weeks of age depending on weather condition and breed of the poults.
7. Turkeys peck and fight a lot which make Beaks and Claws Trimming necessary around 2 to 4 weeks of age. This procedure is not recommended for novices. So, consult an expert, someone who has done it or your local county Extension office for assistance.
8. Watch for any unusual signs such as cuddling, panting, not eating or drinking, ruffed and droopy feathers. These may signal a disease problem. Read more about Poultry Disease Symptoms.
9. Finally, maintain good biosecurity throughout turkey rearing period. Read more about Poultry Biosecurity.
Once the brooding period is completed, normally between 4 to 6 weeks, turkeys can be kept in intensive or free range system with shelters provided that weather conditions allow that. In commercial turkey farming, intensive housing system is only necessary during the severe cold or raining months. Irrespective of how you brood your poults, know that the first few days and weeks of brooding are critical to produce a healthy and prosperous flock.
You may also like to read more about:
* Introduction To Organic Poultry Farming - The Use Of Spices
* Noiler - The Hybrid Of Broiler And Cockerel
* How To Diagnose Infections From Poultry Droppings
For quick updates and comments, follow us on our social media connects; FacebookPage, TwitterHandle and Instagram. You can also subscribe and watch videos on our YouTube channel. At Artib Farm, we materialize your satisfaction!
Cited Works
1. Turkey brooding and management - https://extension.umaine.edu/
2. Brooding turkey successfully - https://thepoultrysite.com/
3. Poultry Disease Control, How To Trim Chicken's Beak And Claws, Poultry Disease Symptoms - https://artibfarm.blogspot.com
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| Fig 1: A poult (Day Old turkey) |
A.) Before Arrival Of The Poults
1. You need to decide early on the breed of turkey you want; large or small breed, foreign or local breed?
2. Clean and disinfect housing facilities using detergent and disinfectant. The walls, ceiling, floor and all equipment should be thoroughly washed and dried. Equipment like feeders, feeding tray, waterers, bowls and buckets may be soaked in a solution of appropriate disinfectant to kill germs.
3. Provide the appropriate floor, feeder and waterer space to accommodate the number of booked birds. This practice will prevent pecking and cannibalism which can cause serious injuries and death.
4. Get your heat source ready and preheat the poultry house 24 hours before your birds arrival to maintain temperature around 37 degree Celsius.
5. You should book your poults from a reliable and certified hatchery that guarantee good quality and healthy birds.
B. After Arrival Of The Poults
1. Provide enough clean, cool water at all times.
2. Provide adequate lighting so poults can find feed and water.
3. Round off all corners of the pen with wire netting. This will prevent piling.
4. Feed them right. Use medicated starter and grower feed contain coccidiostat to prevent turkey coccidiosis. Grower feed can contain antiviral to prevent blackhead. Medicated feed should be replaced with non-medicated feed five to seven days before slaughter.
5. Provide air flow. It is as important to have good ventilation without drafts for good air quality as this will keep the brooder warm.
6. Keep young poults warm. They are very sensitive to cold. Maintain a temperature of 35 to 37 degree Celsius for the first two weeks. Avoid overheating to prevent Heat Stress. Decrease their housing temperature each week until it reaches 21 degrees Celsius and maintain this level until extra heat is no longer required, usually around 4 to 6 weeks of age depending on weather condition and breed of the poults.
7. Turkeys peck and fight a lot which make Beaks and Claws Trimming necessary around 2 to 4 weeks of age. This procedure is not recommended for novices. So, consult an expert, someone who has done it or your local county Extension office for assistance.
8. Watch for any unusual signs such as cuddling, panting, not eating or drinking, ruffed and droopy feathers. These may signal a disease problem. Read more about Poultry Disease Symptoms.
9. Finally, maintain good biosecurity throughout turkey rearing period. Read more about Poultry Biosecurity.
Once the brooding period is completed, normally between 4 to 6 weeks, turkeys can be kept in intensive or free range system with shelters provided that weather conditions allow that. In commercial turkey farming, intensive housing system is only necessary during the severe cold or raining months. Irrespective of how you brood your poults, know that the first few days and weeks of brooding are critical to produce a healthy and prosperous flock.
You may also like to read more about:
* Introduction To Organic Poultry Farming - The Use Of Spices
* Noiler - The Hybrid Of Broiler And Cockerel
* How To Diagnose Infections From Poultry Droppings
For quick updates and comments, follow us on our social media connects; FacebookPage, TwitterHandle and Instagram. You can also subscribe and watch videos on our YouTube channel. At Artib Farm, we materialize your satisfaction!
Cited Works
1. Turkey brooding and management - https://extension.umaine.edu/
2. Brooding turkey successfully - https://thepoultrysite.com/
3. Poultry Disease Control, How To Trim Chicken's Beak And Claws, Poultry Disease Symptoms - https://artibfarm.blogspot.com
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