In general, turkey takes about 14 to 20 weeks from hatching to harvesting for meat purposes. However, some heritage breeds of Turkey can even take 25 to 30 weeks from hatching to harvesting. They are popular to raise for Thanksgiving dinner and a great addition to the barnyard.
Domesticated turkeys (Meleagaris galloparo) can live up to 10 years, and are native to the eastern and southwestern states and parts of Mexico. Around 2000 years ago, the Mayans of southern Mexico started domesticating turkey. Thereafter, they were taken to Europe by the Spanish.
Just like chickens, turkey birds are also broilers and layers. Broiler turkey breeds are raised for meat purposes. Some of the most popular broilers turkey breeds in the world are Big-6 cross, Canadian Shirokogrudaya, Moscow Bronze, Belaya Shirokogrudaya, etc.
Layers are egg-laying breeds of turkey and the most popular egg-laying breed of turkey in the world is Beltsville Whites. Layer turkey breeds take 24 to 28 weeks from hatching to start producing eggs. Good poultry practices such as breeding, housing, feeding, vaccination, sanitization, marketing, etc. are necessary to get optimum yield and maximum profits from a turkey farm.
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