Hello!

This year my husband and I decided to buy broiler turkey chicks for the first time. We heard a lot about the fact that they have not only very healthy, but also remarkably tasty meat. Of course, we bought both fillets and minced meat in stores several times, but somehow the taste of meat was not particularly impressive. We decided that this was due to the fact that the meat was grown industrially … We must try it ourselves!

And so, on June 2, a car with day-old turkey poults arrived from the poultry farm. We took 5 pieces of white hybrid converter crosses (they cost us 320 rubles) and 5 turkey poults of the French breed bronze breed (the price is 280 rubles per turkey).

They were very much like chickens, but more conscious, more attentive. They even had a different look, not as empty as chickens.

The turkeys ate expensive Vega food from the Iskitim factory, with 24% crude protein. In our village, a bag of such food (40 kg) cost 2,000 rubles. I looked at the manufacturer’s website — 1600 rubles. But across the sea, a heifer is a half, but a ruble is transported …

Here the turkey poults are probably 8-10 days old. Photo of the author. Here the turkey poults are probably 8-10 days old. Photo of the author.

The first month they lived in a large box on a warm closed veranda, on disposable infant diapers.

After the first month of keeping, I did not see any difficulties and tricks in growing, and decided that we were more frightened by the fact that this is a very capricious bird.

Difficulties began when we transferred the monthly turkey poults to the barn, and then allowed them to go out into the enclosure.

Our birds were meat breeds, and at a high rate of weight gain, their immunity suffers: turkeys are very susceptible to infections. At some point, half of my turkeys got ruffled, sad and began to eat worse. I sounded the alarm, called a woman I know who has been raising turkeys for many years. She told me that the chicks should be immediately drunk with metronidazole, at the rate of 5 tablets per liter of water. They should not have ordinary clean water — only a solution of metronidazole. And so — 5 days!

On the Internet, I met completely different recommendations — 1 tablet per liter. But an experienced poultry keeper told me that such a dosage does not work. I, stupid, was afraid to give a large dose, I did as “knowledgeable” people wrote on the network.

As a result, a day later one bird (white hybrid) died. And all the remaining 9 poults have already become sad. Then I was alarmed, diluted metronidazole, as was said, 5 tablets per liter, and for 5 days in a row I watered the birds with such water.

Thank God, my birds recovered and survived. Out of 10 birds, we lost only one. Since then, as I was recommended, I have given turkey poults a 5-day metronidazole course twice a month.

I really liked the birds for their sociability. Such talkers, they answer so funny when you start talking to them. And by the way, not aggressive at all. I have never been hurt by a peck. Their curiosity pulled at the lock on the jacket, pecked at the buttons, the ring on the finger. But this is curiosity. But there was no aggression.

There was a case, we had a teenage chicken out of nowhere in our yard. Neighbors did not confess whose. I planted it with my chickens — they offend. And the turkeys accepted, despite the fact that he was half their size.

Somehow the chickens pecked at their sister until she bled. Removed the wounded from the chicken territory so that they would not be beaten to death. Poured with green, identified to the turkeys. The turkeys were already large, 3 months old. Didn’t touch! So meat turkeys are very sociable and peaceful birds.

Birds are 4 months old. Photo of the author. Birds are 4 months old. Photo of the author.

I named the largest boy Uncle Fedya. So, Fedor was very fond of pouting and showing himself in all its glory. But — it will show off — and it will be blown away, no fights …

Fedor flaunts in front of the camera. Photo of the author. Fedor flaunts in front of the camera. Photo of the author.

But turkeys loved to fly! 2 meters is not an obstacle for them. Having escaped from the aviary to the garden or vegetable garden, they simply walked, did not dirty, did not peck vegetables. They collected something from the ground, pecked at the grass and talked…

Here in this video our turkey poults are two and a half months old. look how smart!

Why don’t we take more turkeys?

The first and main reason is that the birds are so smart and friendly, you become attached to them so quickly that the thought that they will soon, well … you yourself understand … is simply depressing. I just can’t imagine how my husband managed to gather his will into a fist to execute our handsome men … By the way, keeping them is another trick, the birds are very strong … But I won’t talk about sad things …

The second reason is that meat is obtained at a very high cost. With feed prices this year, it turns out something like 350-380 rubles per kilogram. Apart from care!

The third reason is that the meat, of course, is tasty, but the quality is not much superior to homemade chicken (I mean the meat of 2-month-old broiler chickens), but it turns out to be almost twice as expensive.