{"id":19620,"date":"2026-10-05T02:02:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T00:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novital.it\/how-to-raise-turkeys-10-things-to-know-about-these-animals\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T09:58:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T07:58:03","slug":"how-to-raise-turkeys-10-things-to-know-about-these-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novital.it\/en\/how-to-raise-turkeys-10-things-to-know-about-these-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"How to raise turkeys: 10 things to know about these animals"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Raising turkeys is a pleasant and exciting activity. They are social, curious animals capable of establishing a positive relationship with their breeder. They are also excellent grazers and can prove to be perfect guests for a rural farm or a small breeding operation.<\/p>\n\n

Be careful, however: turkeys can also be quite delicate animals and require specific care.<\/p>\n\n

So, how do you raise turkeys, and what are the most important things to know before starting?<\/strong> Let’s look at them together.<\/p>\n\n

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1. Turkeys: characteristics and history<\/h2>\n\n

The domestic turkey (<\/strong>Meleagris gallopavo<\/em>)<\/strong> is the largest of the living galliforms. In the wild, it is widespread across a very vast area of the American continent, from Mexico to Canada, and is present with several subspecies.<\/p>\n\n

It was likely Mesoamerican populations who first began breeding turkeys. It arrived in Europe with the Spaniards, and by the 16th century, it could already be found on farms in numerous European countries.<\/p>\n\n

In Italy, too, the turkey has an ancient history. The Serenissima Republic of Venice, for example, issued an edict in 1577 encouraging its breeding, even going so far as to prohibit its killing to favor its spread throughout the territory.<\/p>\n\n

The scientific name Meleagris<\/em> is linked to a curious historical error by the Bolognese naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi, who believed the turkey could be identified with the meleagrids of Greco-Roman mythology, which were actually guinea fowl.<\/p>\n\n

But let’s leave history behind and come to what most interests those who want to raise turkeys<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

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A turkey in an 18th-century illustration<\/p>\n\n

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2. How much space is needed to raise turkeys?<\/h2>\n\n

If you are thinking of raising turkeys, take one thing into account from the start: these animals need space<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Calculate at least 25 square meters of pasture for each turkey<\/strong> and about 1 square meter of night shelter for every 2 birds<\/strong>. Thanks to their long legs, turkeys are particularly suited to utilizing meadows and pastures, even steep ones, including those in hills and mountains.<\/p>\n\n

The night shelter must be sufficiently spacious and equipped with perches suitable for the weight of the animals and the size of their feet. Let’s remember that a turkey can weigh more than 10 kg! Heavier meat breeds might not even be able to climb onto the perches. <\/p>\n\n

How many turkeys should be raised together?<\/h3>\n\n

The turkey is a social animal and naturally lives in groups. For this reason, it is<\/strong> generally not a good idea to raise only a pair<\/strong>. The minimum reproductive unit can consist of one male and two females, but it is preferable to organize a small harem composed of one male and 5-6 females<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Also, pay attention to fencing: some light breeds are excellent flyers and might surprise you!<\/p>\n

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Group of turkeys at pasture<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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3. Turkey behavior<\/h2>\n\n

In raising turkeys, you will soon discover that these birds have extremely interesting behaviors.<\/p>\n\n

Males, especially during the breeding season, perform spectacular courtship displays: they fan their tails, lower their wings, and puff up the prominent caruncles and wattles on their heads. Then they begin to gobble<\/strong>, more or less softly, while circling the females waiting for a response.<\/p>\n\n

The female ready for mating crouches on the ground in front of the male, who then proceeds to mate.<\/p>\n\n

Watch out for male turkeys<\/h3>\n\n

Females are not naturally available for every mating attempt. A particularly insistent male may therefore turn his attention to other poultry as well.<\/p>\n\n

It is for this very reason that the correct ratio between males and females is fundamental in turkey breeding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

An adult male can also be very heavy compared to a hen and can seriously injure her during a mating attempt.<\/p>\n\n

For this reason, it is better to avoid leaving a male turkey alone with hens or other poultry of much smaller size.<\/p>\n\n

Another curiosity: females can also perform behaviors reminiscent of the classic male tail-fanning. In young specimens, this can make sex identification not always immediate.<\/p>\n

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Pair of turkeys<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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4. How do turkeys reproduce?<\/h2>\n\n

After mating, the turkey hen generally looks for a secluded place to build her nest.<\/p>\n\n

Eggs are laid on average one every two days<\/strong> and are significantly larger than chicken eggs, with a cream-colored shell generally speckled with brick-red.<\/p>\n\n

After laying about a dozen eggs, the female can begin brooding.<\/p>\n\n

If, however, you regularly collect the eggs for the incubator, the hen can continue to lay.<\/p>\n\n

How long does turkey egg incubation last?<\/h3>\n\n

Turkey eggs take about 28 days to hatch<\/strong>, both when incubated artificially and when brooded by the hen.<\/p>\n\n

If you leave the female to brood, remember to check that she gets up regularly from the nest to drink, eat, and defecate. Some hens are so diligent in brooding that they completely neglect their own needs. In these cases, they may soil the eggs with feces or stay on the nest too long.<\/p>\n

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Turkeys hatched in the Novital Covatutto 16L incubator, photo by Alessandro Capacci<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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5. How to raise turkey poults<\/h2>\n\n

Raising turkeys in the first weeks of life requires a bit more attention.<\/p>\n\n

Turkey poults, let’s face it, don’t exactly shine for their wit and initiative!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

When raised with the mother, she normally takes care of teaching them where to find water and food.<\/p>\n\n

If, on the other hand, the poults were hatched in an incubator, it may be necessary to intervene directly. It may be enough to bring the little one close to the waterer and gently dip its beak in the water, or show it where the feed is located. If they do not learn to drink and eat quickly, they can face dehydration and debilitation very rapidly.<\/p>\n\n

How to prepare the brooder for turkey poults<\/h3>\n\n

In the first few days, it is preferable to use only a hygienic layer of absorbent paper on the bottom of the brooder, to be replaced frequently.<\/p>\n\n

This reduces the risk of the little ones mistaking the bedding for feed and ingesting it.<\/p>\n\n

The initial temperature of the brooder can be maintained around 37 \u00b0C<\/strong>, reducing it progressively until reaching about 20-22 \u00b0C around 20 days of age<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

If the young are raised with the mother, at least during the first month, it is appropriate to set up a protected environment of about 200 \u00d7 100 \u00d7 50 cm<\/strong>, placed outside but at least partially protected from the elements.<\/p>\n\n

As they grow, naturally, their space requirements also increase.<\/p>\n\n

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6. How to feed turkeys<\/h2>\n\n

The feeding of turkeys<\/strong> is one of the most important aspects of breeding.<\/p>\n\n

In nature, these animals are great grazers and feed on insects, small reptiles, grasses, seeds, and fruit.<\/p>\n\n

Their nutritional needs, particularly important during the first weeks of life, must also be taken into account in domestic breeding.<\/p>\n\n

It is primarily the protein component of the diet that deserves attention.<\/p>\n\n

What do turkeys eat in the first few weeks?<\/h3>\n\n

For light and medium-heavy breeds, we can roughly follow this scheme:<\/p>\n\n