Basic Husbandry for Turkeys

Agdex#:	453
Publication Date:	02/93
Order#:	93-039
Last Reviewed:	06/00
History:	Original Factsheet
Written by:	Diane Spratt - Poultry Specialist/OMAFRA

Table of Contents

1. Handy Hints

Criteria	Norms During Growth	Norms After Maturity	Trouble Shooting Checklist
Temperature (At birds height)	Under Brooders Day Old - 1 week: 35°C 1-2: 32°C 2-3: 29°C 3-4: 27°C 4-5: 21-24°C	Room Temperature 21-22°C (Bird's comfort)	Too High: pasty cloacas, spreading and flapping, crowding away from heat source Too Low: feather ruffling, huddling and piling near heat source
Ammonia (P.P.M.)	Maximum: 25 ppm (see next page)	Maximum: 25 ppm	Too High: eye burns, higher incidence of breast blisters - leg problems
Air Movement	0.11 m3 per minute per kg live bird or 2.75-3.0 cfm per kg live bird	0.11 m3 per minute per kg live bird or 2.75-3.0 cfm per Kg live bird	Poor: high ammonia levels, wet, caked litter, Respiratory problems, increased foot problems, poor growth because of wet litter (see next page)
Lighting	First 5 Days: 50 lux After 1 week: adequate light for feeding and activity	Daylight Interval Intensity must be 10 X greater than DARK interval to ensure good production levels	Too High: cannibalism, flighty, nervous behaviour Too Low: poor intakes, poor growth and feed conversion
Feeder Space (per bird) - ad lib Water Trough (per bird)	0.4 wks. - 3.5 cm 4-12 wks. - 8.0 cm	12 weeks - mature Feed - 10-12 cm Water - 10-12 cm	Too Small: poor intakes, poor growth and starveouts
Density - Floor or Cage Space (per bird)	Hens 0-4 weeks: 0.5 m2 4-8 weeks: 0.22 m2 8-12 weeks: 0.3 m2 Toms 0-4 weeks: 0.5 m2 4-8 weeks: 0.25 m2 8-12 weeks: 0.30 m2	Hens 12-16 weeks 16-20 weeks at least 0.3 m2/bird Toms 12-16 weeks 16-20 weeks at least 0.4 m2/bird	Too Dense: feather picking, cannibalism, more injuries, more health problems, poorer carcasses or lower feed efficiency, wet litter - leg problems

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Handy Hints

Humans can detect the smell of ammonia at 7 p.p.m.

When human eyes are affected (watering/burning), ammonia levels are at least 20 p.p.m.

Figure 1. Guideline: Lamping Requirements for Poultry
Chart Shows Number of Square Feet per 60 Watt Bulb
by Peter Nicholas, Energy Advisor - Agriculture, Ontario Hydro

Text Equivalent of Figure 1

Example (Real Barn):

A maintained light level of 20 lux may be achieved by using one standard 60W/120V incandescent bulb for every 200 square feet of floor space, or by using one long-life 60W/130V incandescent bulb for every 120 square feet of floor space in a dark barn.

Example (Research Lab):

A white clean room will have 40 lux with about one lamp per 280 square feet, or about 20 lux if one bulb per 560 square feet is used.



Save Energy: Use 9 Watt to 11 Watt compact fluorescent lamps instead of 60 Watt/130 Volt incandescent bulbs

Save Energy: Use 13 Watt to 15 Watt compact fluorescent lamps instead of 60 Watt/120 Volt incandescent bulbs

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