Turkey Farming in Nigeria: Guide on How to Start (2024)

Turkey Farming in Nigeria is a poultry business that is lucrative, easy to rear, manage and control. This article will serve as a turkey rearing guide to those who wish to establish a turkey farm here in Nigeria.

One might ask, How profitable is turkey farming business in Nigeria? I would say, very profitable as you can make a whole lot of money from establishing a Turkey farm in Nigeria. There was a certain time when Turkey like other agricultural products were imported into Nigeria in large quantities on a daily basis, thereby reducing sales for poultry farmers in Nigeria who rear turkeys. The ban on importation of turkeys into Nigeria by the Federal Government has made the market for turkey farming in Nigeria open to local poultry farmers in Nigeria who wish to venture into such business.

To start the process of running a profitable turkey farming business in Nigeria, you must first know the basics and probably a turkey farming business plan as it is with other kinds of lucrative farming businesses in Nigeria

An Overview on Turkey Farming

As earlier said, Turkey is a poultry bird or a domestic fowl that is easy to rear. Most people in Nigeria prefer to eat Turkey meat to other kinds of meat like goat meat, cow meat, e.t.c because of its soft and delicious nature. Apart from being the most demanded meat in the Nigerian market, it is also the fastest growing poultry fowl you could rear.

Although, turkey rearing in Nigeria might seem easy, adequate care must be given to these domestic birds because of their frail nature. On thing about turkeys is that its feathers, fertilized eggs and droppings can all be sold. Turkey are best preserved frozen in a freezer as seen in most frozen food stores in Nigeria.

Required Facilities to start a Turkey Farm in Nigeria

Below are the important facilities required to establish a turkey farm in Nigeria

1. Poultry Farm

The poultry farm should be constructed professionally as this will serve as the area where the turkeys will raised. Ventilation and Temperature should also be taken into consideration as the material used in creating a poultry farm should be able to adjust to weather conditions that will suit the turkey birds. Also make space for turkey feeds and their drinking water trunk.

2. Poultry Feeds

This is the most essential aspect of Turkey farming that would require spending on the part of the poultry farmer if he want a healthy fertile poultry farm of turkeys. Poultry farmers are advised to feed turkeys with mostly fats and carbohydrates as these are known to help increase the energy and size of the fowl, in as much as the right balanced ration of feeds are used. It also aids in the production of eggs.

Turkeys are also known to eat a lot and are seen as the highest water drinkers in a Nigerian poultry farm.

3. Knowledge of poultry farming

If you need first-hand practical turkey farming experience, you could attach to a nearby poultry farm. You could also read relevant materials like this one, make in-depth research and start-up your business. The former option is better if you have access to a poultry farm.

Turkey Farming: Feasibility Study on Turkey Farming Business

Although, this is just a rough estimate on the amount of money you can use to run a turkey business in Nigeria because of the economic instability at the moment, Turkey farming is not that expensive as you can start a turkey farm with 5 turkeys at N100, 000 (N20,000 each for 2 females and three males).

One thing i know that makes turkey farming look expensive in Nigeria is the feeds, periodic treatment of turkeys, Poultry construction, e.t.c which might be up to N200,000. All these are just rough estimates but will pay off in the long run

Turkey Farming Disadvantages and Risks Involved

The risks involved in starting a turkey farm includes:

• Rodents like bush rats, insects like soldier ants and even snakes can be an expensive threat to your turkey farming business as they might eat up the eggs and fowls if not curbed.
• The emergence of turkey related diseases like bird flu due to Unhygienic poultry could lead to infections which spread faster to turkeys than other poultry animals.

Turkey Farming Advantages in Nigeria

• Turkey farming business is not that capital intensive as other animal husbandry businesses in Nigeria.
• Turkeys are easy to rear and manage provided that the right equipment and facilities are in place.
• The market for selling turkeys are everywhere as the demand for turkey in Nigeria is high.
• The risk involved in turkey rearing is also low when compared to other poultry farming business in Nigeria