Even a beginner poultry breeder can build a turkey poultry independently. But it is important to know the features of the structure of the house: the place of construction, rules, tools, technologies. This article discusses the necessary materials for construction and step-by-step instructions for the construction of turkey poultry.
Turkey requirements
A room for turkey poultry can be distinguished from existing sheds if the breeding of birds is at the initial stage. In the future, with a growing number of birds, an increase in the area for turkeys will be required. Therefore, it is better to build a new turkey poultry for this, satisfying the needs of birds and convenient for the host to conduct economic events.
In a room prepared for turkeys, the following requirements must be met:
- Optimal area.For one adult bird, at least 1 square meter is required. m square. Poultry require 0.25 square meters. m per individual.
- Microclimate preservation.On the coldest winter days, the temperature in the house should not drop below zero degrees. When you are in regions with a harsh climate, you need to consider additional heating of the room. In summer, it is optimal to maintain 25 ° C. Keep the humidity level at 65-75%.
- Lack of drafts.Eliminate all cracks and holes in the building. Drafts are fatal to turkeys.
- Lighting. Additional lighting will make it possible to extend daylight hours when necessary.
- Ventilation. On large areas, a forced gas exchange device will be required.
- Compartment for adults. Prevents conflicts between generations and males.
- The room for the chicks.Optimizes the survival and maturation of young animals.
- Corral for walks.Choose a quiet place for the site, preferably adjacent to the main content room.
In the video below, the breeder shows a DIY turkey poultry house and talks about fulfilling all the requirements for keeping a bird:
Seat selection
Not only the comfort of finding turkeys, but also the operational capabilities of the room depend on the place where in the future the house will be built. Therefore, choose a flat area or located on a small hill. Give preference to a sunny place, or partial shade.
The area of the site should be enough to build a turkey poultry with a walking range for birds. It is desirable that they are located away from roads, gathering places and people.
Tools and materials
The best solution for the house will be the type of construction made of wood. This is because wood is an environmentally friendly material that is widely available. Wooden buildings retain heat better than cinder block or brick dwellings.
For the construction of turkey poultry, the following tools and materials will be required:
- screenings or river sand;
- cement;
- metal fittings with a diameter of 12 mm;
- knitting wire;
- waterproofing material;
- wood and lumber;
- fasteners;
- slate or metal profile;
- insulation;
- vapor barrier material;
- roulette and level or regular level;
- drill;
- power saw and jigsaw;
- Angle grinder ("grinder");
- a hammer;
- shovel and other ordinary construction tools.
All tools and materials can be purchased on the building materials market.
The second option is the purchase of a finished building, and its installation in the chosen place. It will be necessary to arrange a pen for walking on your own. The approximate price of a summer turkey poo intended for 5-10 individuals ranges from 53,000 rubles.
Design and drawing
In order to calculate the amount of necessary material, they are engaged in designing and drawing up a drawing. On paper is a diagram of a turkey with all its compartments and a range. They have door and window openings.
It is advisable to include a vestibule corridor in the construction so that it does not penetrate the birds each time the front door is opened. This room can be used to store equipment, bedding, feed, etc.
Plan turkey poultry, considering that the number of birds will increase. Provide a separate room for hens and babies.
Poultry house
Since the conditions of detention of adults and offspring are different, it is necessary to equip a separate room for turkey poults. The smallest chicks must be identified in a brooder - a box where it is constantly light and warm. Drinkers and a feeder are also installed there.
Poultry up to the age of 3 days need an elevated temperature, so a heater or a powerful incandescent lamp is installed in the brooder. Gradual accustoming to colder air will be more convenient with the use of a thermostat.
Adult turkey house
The main criterion for the construction is the adequacy of the place. Turkeys do not really like perches, but they need to be built. Consider the location of feeders and drinking bowls, a box filled with sand or ash for bathing birds, equip nests. From the common room, organize an exit to the pen for walking.
Often practiced keeping females separate from males.
Stages of building the premises
Having finished with the project and the drawing, having purchased the necessary materials and choosing a place for construction, you can begin construction work.
Foundation
The foundation of the tape type is poured from concrete using a reinforcing cage. A layer of waterproofing material is necessarily laid on top of it.
An alternative is the columnar foundation. It is built on a gravel cushion by digging pillars into the ground at a distance of no more than 1-1.5 meters from each other.
Floor
Three types of flooring are possible:
- Earthy.It is characterized by low cost, but quickly turns into a mess of earth, residues of feed and water and feces. Microorganisms breed and endanger bird health. In winter, this floor is very cold, so you need to cover it with straw or sawdust. Cleaning is complicated, disinfection is almost impossible.
- Concrete. It does not deoxidize, does not absorb moisture, provides convenience when cleaning and treating premises, and protects against the penetration of moles and rodents. In winter, bedding should be used.
- Wooden.An even, warm board coating is comfortable for birds. Easy to handle and does not complicate cleaning. But over time, it rots under the influence of moisture that occurs during the life of birds.
Walls
Capital buildings involve the use of cinder blocks and bricks. But the tree retains better heat indoors, the work takes less time and does not require special skills. The wooden house is insulated with mineral wool, polystyrene foam or other similar material.
Roof
A gable roof with an attic is being erected on capital buildings. For a wooden turkey poultry installation of a single-pitched slate roof is possible. The ceiling must be insulated using vapor barrier and expanded clay, or a clay-straw mixture.
Windows and doors
The number of windows depends on the size of the house. They are installed at least 1 m from the floor. The size of the window openings of 0.5 m by 0.5 m is considered optimal.
With the correct arrangement of the windows, all the corners of the turkey turkey are lit by sunlight.
Under the windows, place the manhole, focusing on the maximum size of the turkeys. Doors, windows and manholes are recommended to be double. To eliminate all cracks and gaps.
Inside work in turkey poultry
Internal work is aimed at fulfilling the conditions necessary for keeping and breeding turkeys. They provide a comfortable existence, maintain an internal microclimate.
Lighting
The ideal daylight for turkeys lasts at least 13 hours. In winter and in inclement weather, when there is not enough sunlight, the situation will be corrected by artificial lighting, which is turned on at 7 in the morning until full dawn and at sunset until 19 in the evening. It is enough to install incandescent lamps with a power of 60 W or equivalent energy-saving ones.
Artificially increased daylight hours in spring increases the quantitative laying of eggs in females.
The number of lamps is calculated based on the fact that per 1 square. m. area accounts for 7 watts of light. In sunny weather, do not turn on artificial lighting.
Ventilation
Thanks to ventilation, the smell of ammonia disappears and the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the room is maintained.
Supply and exhaust ventilation is mounted from plastic pipes with a diameter of 200 mm. To do this, place the hood under the ceiling and in the far corner of the room above the floor.
Installation of forced ventilation is possible. The main thing is that the noise level during its operation is minimal.
In summer, instead of using ventilation systems, airing is carried out by opening windows and doors.
Heating
In winter, a mandatory moment in bird care is the presence of a heating system. It can be both fan heaters, electric and infrared heaters, and a heating system using a boiler. The choice depends on the size of the turkey poultry and the possibilities of the breeder.
To prevent heat loss through the floor, it is covered with any bedding material with a layer of at least 10 cm.
Perching
Perched birds spend the night and rest. Mount them with a pyramidal view of wood in the warmest place along the wall. The height of the lower pole is 80 cm from the floor, and the top is 0.8 m from the ceiling.
Make sure that there are no gaps or splinters on the perches, in order to avoid the possibility of birds getting hurt.
What should be the volume of the roost? Count, knowing that each individual takes about half a meter of the pole.
Nest arrangement
Turkey nests are built from plywood, or use wooden crates and wicker baskets made of branches or vines. Pour a bed of straw or hay into them. The female should be comfortable and free.
Nest boxes can be attached to the wall multi-story. Then install a ladder to them.
Feeding troughs and drinking bowls
In the arrangement of turkey poultry, the presence of drinking bowls and feeders is mandatory. They are sold in special stores, but you can build them from improvised tools yourself.
Wash all containers used under water and food thoroughly twice a day.
Place a jar upside down in a plate or pan with a small side. This is the most popular type of feeding trough, suitable for chicks and young animals. Check that the birds do not overturn or break containers.
For adult turkeys, simple troughs are suitable for use. It is better to hang them at a level not lower than 40 cm from the floor so that the birds do not scatter and do not trample the food. For dry nutrition and mixtures of mineral content there should be a separate trough.
Water containers are covered with coarse mesh and suspended at the level of the neck of birds.
Features of the arrangement of premises for turkey poults
Brooders are created and equipped with some conditions:
- Crates for chicks are recommended to be crafted from wood. It can be either thin boards, or plywood, or OSB panels.
- The design must have fine mesh inserts to ensure gas exchange.
- Brooders are set to a height of 15 cm from the floor covered with bedding material.
- Inside the box, the temperature in the first 14 days from the birth of chickens is regulated at 34 degrees.
- For nestlings, round drinking bowls and feeders are installed, which saves space in the brooder.
Creating an Aviary for Walking
The enclosure for walking should be safe and spacious. Turkeys are quite winter-resistant birds, so they can walk in the aviary even in winter.
Having decided on the size of the necessary corral, dig a bar along the corners of the perimeter. On them, using horizontal fasteners, install horizontal logs in three levels: above the ground, in the middle and at the upper level. Obtain the resulting frame with a galvanized wire netting.
The enclosure should be high enough, at least 2 m, because turkeys fly well. It is recommended that the ceiling also be made of mesh. This will protect against the penetration of other birds and predators.
The floor in the enclosure is cleaned of vegetation and covered with sand and sawdust. When mounting, make doors to enter the aviary for cleaning and other household chores.
Additional recommendations
When building and equipping turkey poultry, it is advisable to use the following tips:
- Treat all wooden materials with antifungal impregnations and moisture repellents. This will extend the operational life of the building.
- It is advisable to polish the tree to protect the birds from splinters and chips.
- With a large suburban area, it is possible to produce turkeys to graze not in the pen, but in freedom. In the evening they will return for the night.
- Close the cracks in the wooden floor at the construction stage with silicone so that moisture does not penetrate and does not accumulate inside.
- Do not make the ceiling in turkey poultry without a heating system more than 3 m. In winter, birds will freeze, because all the heat will accumulate at the top.
The construction of a room for keeping turkeys is a serious but feasible business. Consult with specialists if in doubt. Better to do it once well than to redo it several times. With a responsible approach to construction, birds will live and develop in comfortable conditions.