Turkey is one of the largest birds domesticated by man. Heavier and bigger is just an ostrich. You will learn from the article how to grow large turkeys in the household and which breeds are champions in weight.

What weight depends on

The poultry farmer, who plans to grow turkeys for business, probably wonders if it will be profitable. It is important to calculate what the meat yield will be and what the costs of keeping these poultry will be. Males always weigh 1.5–2 times more than females. The average body weight of turkeys is 6.5–35 kg, turkeys are 4.5–11 kg.

Did you know? In 1998, the Tyson turkey from the UK was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, becoming the weight champion among his relatives in the world. His body weight was 39.09 kg.

What kind of weight will be in your acquired birds depends on several factors:

• breeds;
• gender;
• diet feeding;
• conditions of detention;
• health conditions;
• age.

Slaughter weight of turkeys is 85% - this is the highest rate among all domesticated birds.

General growth rates by month

It is important for the breeder to know how normal weight gain occurs as birds grow older. It is worth noting that throughout life birds do not gain it evenly. The largest growth peaks occur in the first 3-4 months of life, in the 5th month a gradual slowdown begins. By 7-8 months, the mass gain is practically stopped.

Information on the monthly increase in males and females of medium breeds can be obtained from the table:

The indicators for broiler breeds will be slightly different:

Each breed has its own growth rate, and when growing turkeys, they should be checked on a monthly basis. Thus, it is possible to correct the diet in a timely manner and improve the conditions of detention in order to achieve the numbers declared by the breeder.

Did you know? Such a characteristic sound made by turkeys as kuldykany is inherent only to males. With its help, they declare claims on their territory and attract the attention of females. But females do not know how to cheat.

How much does an adult turkey weigh

Birds belonging to different breeds have significant differences in weight indicators. The breeds are conventionally divided into 3 groups: large, medium and small. Males of the smallest breeds reach a mass of 6.5-7 cm, females - 4 kg. These include, for example, Verginskaya, Tikhoretskaya Black.

Experienced poultry farmers are advised to start a business by breeding medium-sized breeds with average weights of males of 8-17 kg, turkeys - 5-6.5 kg. Examples of medium breeds are Moscow White, Bronze, North Caucasian White, and North Caucasian Silver.

To grow large birds, experience is required; they need good conditions, a certain feeding regime and diet. In addition, they require more costs. The following is an overview of the most popular breeds that are easy to grow for beginners in the household.

White broad-chested

The breed is white broad-breasted bred in the USA. Depending on body weight it is divided into 3 types: heavy, medium and light. Heavy turkeys reach a mass of 26 kg, turkeys - 10 kg. For males from the middle group, weight indicators of 17 kg are characteristic, for women - 7 kg. Light males have a mass of 9 kg, females - 7 kg.

White Moscow

These turkeys are the product of Russian breeders. They are distinguished by an early onset of carnage, good acclimatization, and high productivity. The average mass of white Moscow males is 13 kg, females - 7 kg.

Bronze Standard

Another breed of American breeding. It is characterized by large size, good adaptability to various living conditions, high productivity indicators and good health. Females of the standard bronze breed reach a mass of 6 kg, turkeys - 16 kg.

Uzbek fawn

As the name implies, the breed was bred in Uzbekistan. Local breeding lines were selected for selection, therefore turkeys are adapted to living conditions in Central Asia. These birds grow slowly. Weight indicators of turkeys usually do not exceed 12 kg, turkeys - 7 kg.

Black Tikhoretskaya

Breeding was carried out in Russia. Local turkeys and representatives of bronze and broad-chested breeds were involved in it. Black Tikhorets turkeys are characterized by an average body weight of 6 kg, turkeys - 12 kg.

What are the largest turkeys

Representatives of large male breeds have a mass of 20 kg or more, females gain 10-15 kg. These are most often bred in poultry farms. List of breeds that are champions by weight:

Important! Birds of most large breeds are propagated only by artificial means, since there is a big difference in the weight of males and females - about 9-10 kg. Mating is not allowed, as this threatens to injure females.

How to determine the weight

The weight of agricultural birds is determined by weighing. To do this, use boxes, bags and other devices. Electronic suspension scales are best suited. Commercially available special platform scales that are equipped with a cage are very convenient.

With a large herd, 3-5 individuals are weighed, and then average values ​​are calculated. The calculation example is as follows: 7 kg (weight of one bird) + 7.5 kg (weight of the second bird) + 8 kg (weight of the third bird) / 3 (number of birds) = 7.5 kg (average weight).

Why turkeys don't gain weight

Often, poultry farmers may face a problem: birds gain weight poorly.

There may be several reasons for this situation:

1. Disease. Symptoms such as refusal of food, depressed state, passive behavior, deterioration in the appearance of feathers may indicate that the birds are sick. If at least one of these symptoms is present, you should contact your veterinarian who will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
2. Wrong diet. You need to look for information about which products and in what quantity should be fed to the birds of your breed at a certain age. Then you need to adjust the diet. If you can’t do it yourself, you can consult a competent veterinarian or an experienced poultry breeder.
3. Poor conditions. It is necessary to observe sanitary and hygienic standards, regularly clean and disinfect drinking bowls, feeders, rooms, and not to violate the norms of placement in the house. Be sure to keep young and adult individuals in separate rooms.

How to feed turkey poultry so that they grow well and gain weight

Feeding newly born babies should be given special attention. The diet can be made in accordance with the recommendations:

Important! When planning broiler breeding, one should focus on the indicators of feed consumption. So, for 1 individual per month it will be necessary to use about 29–34 kg of feed.

So, keeping turkeys is a pretty lucrative business, because this bird is capable of gaining a lot of weight in a short time, its meat is characterized by dietary properties and is very much appreciated. The weight gain of birds depends on many factors. First of all, they need comfortable conditions in the house and the right balanced diet.