Caring for Turkeys Video

http://www.virtualfarmtours.ca
A Canadian turkey farmer explains how he cares for his birds as they grow.

Transcript:

(Brent) We buy day old poults from a hatchery and we raise them to maturity. Toms are mature at 17 weeks and hens mature in about 14 weeks. When the birds arrive here the temperature in the barn is about 33 degrees Celsius which is about the same as the hatchery. As the birds grow older they don't need as much heat so we gradually reduce the temperature. I walk through the barn every couple of hours to make sure that the poults are spread out and that they're getting water and feed. We put extra water and feed in the barn so the young birds can get a good start.

Canadian turkey farmers don't feed their birds growth hormones. Hormones are illegal in Canada. We treat our birds with a great deal of respect. The main ingredients in turkey feed are corn and soybeans. Minerals and protein are added to give the birds a healthy diet. Turkey feed is prepared by a poultry nutritionist to make sure our birds are getting a balanced diet and are as healthy as possible.

I routinely monitor temperatures in the barns. I walk through the barns to make sure that the feeders are working and the birds are getting water. I also check the chlorine levels in the water to keep it free of bacteria. I always make sure that the birds are healthy and active and that the barn smells good.

When I'm sure that all the birds are healthy and content, I go out to the fields to check the crops and make sure they're doing well. We grow corn, wheat, soybeans and white beans on our farm. If some field work needs to be done, I do that last.

If anything goes wrong in the barns the alarm system will call our cell phones. They're on all the time.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• OFAC
• turkeys
• Canadian
• turkey
• farm
• animal
• welfare
• Ontario
• Agriculture

[mattsk89]

why cant we have decent conditions like this in the uk

[bobb22ful]

I wish that the USDA would outlaw hormones here too.that's one reason for the obesity problem here in the USA.we never used hormones on our animals back on the farm.straight grain,corn,hay but not this artificial crap they use now days.I buy alot of Canadan meats rather than U.S. because of this crap!as a kid we had an old tom turkey that we named tubby,he weighed 70 pounds and would attack you when you were not looking,,,lol,,,brought back fond memories of the good ol'days,thanx!

[poultryguy11]

thanks keep making more

[thebluebunny1]

its imortant to let those bird get outside for fresh air and a stretch like anything else they need excirsie with outdoor air

[Anna46271]

i am doing a project for my agriculture class, and its on turkeys. I was wondering if you could send this to me via email so i can download it and put it in my powerpoint. If you note me, i'll send you my email. If you could get back to me as soon as possible, that would be great. (Its due on the 16th)

SJW

[myso2008]

farming floor looks clean :O