Midget White turkey farming is pretty popular, especially in it’s native area. It is very easy to raise and care for the Midget White turkey, because it is the smallest standard variety of turkey. And today it is a rare heritage turkey breed.
The Midget White turkey breed was developed from United States. And the breed is named for it’s white plumage and small stature. Dr. J. Robert Smyth created this breed at the University of Massachusetts in the early 1960s.
The Midget White turkey breed was actually developed for meeting an anticipated demand for a small version of the Broad Breasted turkey. But the Midget White turkey breed never become widely popular, as the market didn’t develop as predicted.
The Midget White turkey is a result of cross of Broad Breasted White and Royal Palm turkey. And it is relatively a new heritage breed. Currently the breed is classified as ‘Critical’ by The Livestock Conservancy.
And it is also included in the Ark of Taste which is a catalog of food in danger of extinction. Recently in the year of 2014, the BBC reported that these birds were thought to be extinct until about 90 of them were found in Alabama.
How to Start Midget White Turkey Farming
Starting Midget White turkey farming is relatively easy, because it is a smaller sized breed. Like many other domestic turkey breeds, they are extremely strong and hardy birds. So starting commercial Midget White turkey farming will be very easy and simple.
Here we are trying to describe more information about starting and operating a successful Midget White turkey farming business from purchasing birds to caring and marketing.
Purchase Birds
First of all, you have to purchase very good quality, healthy and active birds for starting your Midget White turkey farming business. Purchasing very good quality birds is important. Because good quality and active birds always ensure good production and maximum profits.
For starting your Midget White turkey farming business, you can purchase either mature birds or day old poults depending on the availability in your area. The mature birds are generally sold at very high prices in the market, while the day old poults are much cheaper. So, we recommend starting with day old poults.
You can purchase the day old poults from any of your nearest turkey breeding centers, turkey poult suppliers or any existing Midget White turkey farms. You can also consider searching your local online classified websites. Just ensure that the poults are very strong, hardy, active and disease free.
Housing
Arranging a very good, comfortable and secure housing system is very important for commercial Midget White turkey farming business. Because a good house not only help the birds to stay healthy, but also helps them to stay free from all types of predators and adverse weather conditions.
Depending on your budget and availability of materials, the type of of the house can be any. It can be of full concrete setup, or you can build the house with low cost and easily available materials. Just ensure that the house is secure, comfortable and safe for your birds.
Like many other domestic turkey breeds, the Midget White turkeys also require a clean environment and comfortable housing system. So, ensure all the required facilities are available inside the house.
You will need to provide the birds with a good roosting area with a roof. And the roosting area of the birds must have to have good protection against predators.
Allowing the birds to access fresh pasture will be good. And the birds also require a good place to dust bathe and a roosting place for flying up into at night.
The Midget White turkeys are classed as a small sized breed. So on average, a mature Midget White turkey will require around or up to 10 square feet of housing space.
Feeding
Feeding the birds with very good quality, healthy and nutritious food is the most important part of Midget White turkey farming business. Because good quality and healthy food not only helps the birds to grow better, but also helps them to stay healthy and produce more.
You can feed your turkeys either with commercial poultry feeds or turkey feeds depending on the availability in your area. The turkey birds generally require more protein in their diet than chickens and other domestic birds. So, ensure availability of adequate amount of protein in their diet.
The starter feed of the poults should contain at least 28 percent protein. And the mature bird’s food should contain at least 20 percent protein. You can also feed your birds with gamebird starter or chick starter for their first 6 weeks. And then gradually switch to a grower feed.
The Midget White turkeys are good for raising in both confinement and free range system. But they generally do very well in free range system. And allowing them to roam freely in the pasture will help you to reduce feeding costs. And at the same time, the free range birds will produce better quality products.
Never feed your birds with contaminated feeds. And always try to provide them with enough clean and fresh water as per their demand.
Breeding
Like many other domestic turkey breeds, the Midget White turkey are also naturally very good breeders. They will breed easily and produce fertile eggs for hatching if you keep good ratio of hens and toms in your flock.
Generally one mature and healthy tom is enough for breeding around or up to 8-10 hens.
Caring
The Midget White turkeys are extremely strong and hardy birds. So they generally require less caring and other management. Although taking additional caring will help the birds to grow better and produce more. So, always try to take good care of your birds.
Monitor your bird’s health on a regular basis for any signs of diseases or illness. And take necessary steps as soon as possible if you notice anything uncommon. Vaccinate them timely and always try to keep good contact with a vet in your area.
Marketing
Marketing turkey products is not a problem. Because turkey meat has very good demand and value in the market. So, you will probably be able to easily sell your products in the local market. Although, you should set your marketing strategies before starting this business.
These are the common steps and ways for starting and operating a successful Midget White turkey farming business. Raising Midget White turkeys is very easy and simple, even the beginners can also raise them. Hope this guide has helped you! Good luck & may God bless you!
