How to Breed Turkeys

Turkeys are one of the most popular game birds. They provide meat that is prized for its tenderness, low fat and high protein. The turkey can either be artificially inseminated, or allowed to breed naturally on a turkey farm. Turkeys do not breed with the same mate for any length of time, so the number of males and females does not have to match when breeding numerous turkeys.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. House the turkeys together through the winter months to allow them to develop their own pecking orders. In February and March, the birds will fight for dominance to determine which turkeys will attract the hens.

2. Watch for the gobble and strut behaviors used by males to attract females. When the males engage in this behavior, the females become attracted and ready to mate. This behavior in males also attracts other males, who will fight for the right to gobble and strut for the females.

3. Expect some degree of fighting during this time until the males who emerge as the dominant birds have been allowed to breed. If there the number of males and females are nearly equal, expect every adult female to mate. Males will mate with as many females as they can.

4. Anticipate the eggs being laid once a day or every other day over several days. The female turkey will incubate the eggs in her nest until they hatch. The eggs can be placed into an incubator that is made to house turkey eggs. They will hatch after about 4 weeks.

5. Allow the mother turkey to take care of her young. The mother will feed and protect her chicks until they are large enough to find their own food. The male turkey takes no part in the raising of chicks.