Turkeys are raised in special climate-controlled barns that protect the birds from harsh weather, disease and predators. The turkeys roam free in the barn on a floor that is covered with a soft bed of straw or wood chips. The birds move freely throughout the barn and eat and drink at will. Farmers take special care to make sure the equipment in their barns is working to control the temperature, humidity, light and ventilation at correct levels for their birds. Most turkey farms have automated feeding systems that supply the birds with their food and water.
Turkeys eat a mixture of corn, wheat and soybeans that are ground up to look like granola.
Birds grow quickly so farmers spend a lot of time calculating and changing feeding rations to reach the required weight. Water is always provided throughout the barns so they may drink freely. Turkeys drink 2 litres of water for every kilogram of feed they eat, or about a litre per day at 10 weeks of age and 1 litre per day at 20 weeks of age. Each type of feed includes protein, fibre, fat and other elements such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and vitamins. When birds are ready for market they are loaded into special shipping crates and transported to the processing plant in specially equipped trucks, which ensure swift and humane transportation.