Turkeys are the largest poultry. They are valued for dietary healthy and very tasty meat. To provide themselves with this product, many owners breed this bird on their site. The best type for growing at home is considered a hybrid converter.
Origin and features
The best scientists from Canada worked on the development of the hybrid converter. They sought to create a heavy cross with a high rate of productivity in a variety of conditions of existence. The turkey broiler hybrid, which was obtained as a result of labor, has good egg production, as well as meat mass.
The hybrid is based on a bronze broad-chested, as well as a white Dutch turkey. Due to the features of these ancestors, the hybrid is characterized by unpretentiousness, vitality and endurance. Broiler has become more popular and in demand compared to local turkeys. At first, the converter was used for breeding on an industrial scale, and later they began to sell it to private individuals.
In Russia, broiler turkeys are considered quite valuable. Their sale and breeding is growing every day. For its external description, the bird received the name “Indoostrich”, which is quite justified. Hybrid turkeys have white plumage all over their bodies and are characterized by a broad chest. Their beak is quite powerful, it has a bright red formation, very similar to an earring.
The head is small but well-shaped. Well-formed muscles are hidden under the feathers. The limbs of the cross are stable and strong. The male’s tail is fluffy, looks like a fluffy ball. While moving, the bird shows agility, it can fly up to 200 centimeters and run at a speed of 45 km per hour. They are classified as early maturing.
Turkeys easily adapt to new living conditions. They also quickly develop strong immunity to many ailments.
The character of the bird is contradictory: when individuals communicate with each other, aggression rarely occurs, but in relation to other inhabitants of the poultry yard, broiler birds behave defiantly and wary, get along poorly with their neighbors.
Size and weight
Heavyweight crosses are among the best for meat production. Broiler turkeys can reach a weight of 22 kg or more as early as 5,6 months. A turkey at 4,6 months grows up to 12 kg. Qualitative growth and weight gain occurs due to proper diet and care.
Weight gain chart for a male hybrid
Hybrid turkey weight gain table
Productivity
Heavy crosses have high productivity, the hybrid is no exception in this regard. During the slaughter of a turkey, the meat yield is about 85%. The third part of this volume falls on the breast of the bird. An adult feathered bird gains its body weight in 150 days; after this time, its flesh is filled with vitamins and macroelements. There are no allergic components in turkey meat products, they have little fat, but high juiciness.
In relation to eggs, the productivity of the female is approximately 80 pieces per year. With intensive nutrition, egg production can increase to 150 pieces. The average weight of one egg is 80 grams, they are characterized by the correct shape, density and smoothness of the shell. The taste of this product is excellent, they can be consumed both raw and after heat treatment. The survival rate of chicks reaches at least 85%.
Advantages and disadvantages
A converter hybrid can often be found in a small private household, on farms. They are in demand because of the numerous benefits.
- Large adult weight. It was recorded that the turkey reached a weight of 30 kg, but at the same time had a fatty layer.
- Rapid weight gain. The weight required for slaughter in a bird is reached by the 150th day of existence, however, it is recommended to slaughter crosses at 4 months.
- Unpretentiousness. A turkey can eat both dry and succulent feed.
- A high level of disease resistance, but only if properly maintained.
- Excellent tender taste of broiler meat.
- Decent quality down, which can be an alternative to goose down.
- Attractive trade appearance of the carcass.
The disadvantages of broiler turkeys can be called low egg production. It has also been observed that when the bird is independently bred, the offspring rarely retain the qualities of their parents.
Comparison with other species
Cross hybrid – heavyweight turkeys, which are grown not only in Russia, but also in other countries. If we compare it with the big-6 cross – white broad-chested, then the latter is inferior in carcass weight, which in the male does not exceed 16,5 kg. Also, unlike the big-6, the broiler hybrid has a better meat yield during slaughter, which cannot be said about other birds.
Cross wagon turkeys were bred in the Russian Federation, they are distinguished by their ability to adapt to different climatic conditions of the territory. If we compare these turkeys with a hybrid converter, then the former are inferior to the latter in many characteristics. At 17 weeks, a male station wagon can weigh no more than 6,5 kg.
However, the offspring survive well and adapt to new conditions, so these birds are often raised in Russia.
Conditions of detention and care
As you know, hybrid turkeys can be grown at home without much effort, but you should know some of the nuances of growing and be able to properly care for the bird. In the spring and summer seasons, as well as in autumn, you can keep a broiler outdoors. For this purpose, it is worth using a special site. A low-lying area with a lot of groundwater is considered an unsuitable option, since the bird reacts poorly to dampness.
The area that is pre-selected for keeping turkeys should be sown with grass of a fast-growing species. – it can be alfalfa, vetch, clover, it will also become a source of green fodder in the future. Birds normally tolerate winters, so they can be walked in the cold season, but not more than 2 hours.
If the frosts are too strong, then you should refrain from walking. To avoid frostbite on the limbs of the hybrid, the snow layer in the aviary should be cleaned.
The basic rules that are not recommended to be violated when growing turkeys include the following.
- Turkeys should be kept separately from chicks, as well as other inhabitants of the poultry yard.
- This bird needs a tray filled with sand or ash. With this device, broilers clean their feathers.
- When choosing drinkers, you should give preference to nipple and not too deep. If the feathers of the chicks get wet, then this can cause illness and even death of pets.
In winter, crosses should be identified in a turkey house, where males and females should live separately. For 1 sq. m should live no more than 2 individuals. The hybrid is able to tolerate low temperatures well, but it cannot exist in constant cold. The optimum temperature in the house is from 17 to 20 degrees Celsius, it must also be provided with high-quality ventilation. Cross does not tolerate drafts, but the smell of ammonia is also contraindicated for him, so the house must be systematically ventilated.
The floors in the room should be made of wood. As a bedding, it is better to give preference to sawdust, straw. In this case, the layer of material must be dense so that the birds do not get cold limbs. Bedding material is changed once a week.
If it was noticed that the straw or sawdust got wet, then they should be immediately replaced with dry ones. In winter, the litter is changed more often than in the warm season. The corral equipment should be made using wooden perches, while the distance from the ground should be at least 0 meters. Also in the house you should put a tray with ash or sand, the contents of which must be changed periodically.
The poultry house should be equipped with both natural and artificial lighting. The length of daylight hours for turkeys is 14 hours. Lighting should be characterized by uniformity, except for nesting places, which are fixed in the shade.
The nest should be made large, it can be two-story. Feeders should be given preference to bunkers, in which case the bird will be able to consume as much food as it needs.
Also, do not forget about the installation of containers filled with shell rock or chalk.
Diseases and their prevention
The hybrid cross can be said to be resistant to most bird diseases, but like any other living creature, it can get sick. The most dangerous diseases for turkeys include the following.
- Colibacillosis. The causative agent of the disease is Escherichia coli. The bird can become infected when eating feed, as well as from dirty water into which droppings have fallen. To avoid this situation, the owner should carefully monitor the sanitary cleanliness in places where birds are kept. Antibacterial drugs will help get rid of colibacillosis.
- Coccidosis is caused by protozoan parasites that are characteristic of every bird. Often this disease attacks turkeys from 2 to 6 weeks. To eliminate the disease, it is necessary to use drugs that can suppress the vital activity of the pathogen.
- Pets can become infected with histomonosis through water and food. Most often he attacks turkey poults. The disease is treated with “Aminitrizole”, “Tinidazole”, “Metronidazole”.
- Mycoplasmosis. This disease can be transmitted from sick birds to healthy birds through litter or feed. Sick birds should be isolated immediately and treated with antibiotics. At the same time, do not forget about the disinfection of poultry houses.
In order for crosses not to suffer from the above diseases, the following rules must be observed:
- feed birds with food that contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals;
- keep the house clean at all times by regularly changing bedding, adjusting dryness, airing, and cleaning feeders and drinkers;
- when feeding, it is worth using only fresh and high-quality food;
- food remains should be eliminated;
- constantly make sure that the water is fresh and clean;
- during the walking of turkeys, the premises should be disinfected, for this, the walls are whitewashed in the room, the floors, feeders, fences are disinfected;
- do not forget about the daily examination of the birds and identifying the sick and weak.
Feeding
The basis of the summer diet of hybrid turkeys should be cereal products, greens, as well as compound feed for birds. Adult crosses favor wheat, corn, oats, barley, clover, wheat bran, dandelion leaves, green onions, and young nettles. Grass can be added to the food container during walking. You can cook wet porridge from grain or make a dry mixture.
In autumn, it is advisable to add chestnut, acorn, ground needles, boiled or raw root vegetables to ordinary porridge. The grass is served dried and ground, as in winter. On a regular basis, crosses need to add chalk, eggshell or meat and bone meal to their food. As a source of protein, cottage cheese, waste of meat and fish products are served to birds. Food can be added a little.
Broiler turkeys need to be fed three times a day. To replenish iron stores in the body of young animals, it is recommended to feed them with buckwheat, as well as porridge steamed in milk. Turkey poults are fed 7 times a day until the age of 20 days, after which the number of meals should be reduced to 4 times.
According to experienced farmers, the food of small birds should consist of boiled eggs, cottage cheese, corn grits, buckwheat and wheat.
Breeding
Hybrid turkey poults are obtained by crossing 2 different species. These crosses are propagated in the conditions of special farms. In these organizations, you can buy eggs or chicks of this broiler. Egg incubation is carried out with medium-sized material, which does not have bumps, sagging on the shell.
Before putting the eggs in the incubator, they are viewed in the ovoscope. In high-quality material, the yolk is located in the center, and when the egg is turned over, it slowly moves to the outskirts.
Before laying the eggs are stored for no more than 10 days. The incubation mode occurs according to a certain scheme and includes several steps.
- Heating the material to a temperature of + 18-20 degrees. After that, it is worth marking up, which will help not to make a mistake when turning the eggs.
- Laying eggs in an incubator. In the case of manual turning, lay the material in a horizontal position, in case of automatic turning – vertically.
- Setting the optimum humidity and temperature. The first days it is necessary to maintain an indicator of + 37,5-38 degrees, humidity – at the level of 60%. Starting from the 9th to the 14th day, the temperature should be + 37,6-38,1 degrees above zero, and the humidity should be reduced to 45-50%. From the 15th to the 25th day, the temperature regime should not be less than +37,5 degrees, and the humidity – 65%.
After hatching small turkeys, they should allocate a separate pen. The chicks are kept separately until the turkeys mature. If the babies were hatched by a turkey, then it is placed along with the cubs. When the hatching time is over and the chicks are born, a high air temperature should be maintained in their room. The first 3 days the indicator should be +37 degrees.
For this purpose, an infrared lamp must be placed in the room. Further, it is required to gradually reduce the temperature indicator so that by the age of one month the turkey poults can withstand 18-20 degrees of heat. The bedding for small crosses should always be in a dry state, if it gets wet, then an urgent replacement is needed.
One section of 5 square meters should accommodate no more than 20 poults. There should always be drinkers with clean water in the pens. It is better not to install the vacuum standard version, since the chick can wet the plumage and die.
Despite the strong immunity of young hybrids, representatives must be vaccinated against the most serious diseases.
Reviews
The hybrid converter is considered one of the most highly productive crosses. Its demand is justified by the ease of care, maintenance, feeding, as well as obtaining tasty and healthy meat. According to feedback from poultry farmers, these turkeys grow up to be large heavyweights, survive well in frost and adapt to any environmental conditions. People who breed these birds advise growing this turkey at home.
Compared to other inhabitants of the poultry yard, the hybrid is characterized by precocity, high weight, unpretentiousness and productivity.
However, every poultry farmer should remember that in order to obtain a positive result when keeping crosses, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for them, care and provide quality nutrition.
About hybrid converter turkeys, see the video below.
