Virtual Turkey Tour - Brooders

Soon after the poults hatch they are taken from the hatchery to the individual turkey grower's farm. Here he places the new poults in temperature-controlled facilities called "brooders". Here they are protected from the elements and from predators during the critical first days of their lives. The brooders are carefully sanitized and furnished with fresh wood shavings to keep the young poults clean and warm.

The new poults always have fresh water and nutritious feed readily available.

Poults stay in the brooders until they are large and strong enough to be transferred to "growout" facilities, which generally occurs at about six weeks of age.

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