BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Phill98]

[COLOR=444444]The Narragansett turkey is named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, where the variety was developed. It descends from a cross between native Eastern Wild turkeys and the domestic turkeys (probably Norfolk Blacks) brought to America by English and European colonists beginning in the 1600’s. Improved and standardized for production qualities, the Narragansett became the foundation of the turkey industry in New England. [/COLOR] I can tell you from my experience with them, they are a hardier breed than some of the other Heritage Breeds.They are also very sweet tempered.

Thanks for the info! Even thought I said I'll google them- I haven't yet. But this sums up great! My grandma used to keep turkeys and I actually miss them. I loved to watch how they keep in flock all the time.

 

[Phill98]

This is NOT what I expected to see when I went out to gather eggs: This is Kismet, one of my best egg layers, second generation BR. I don't know what spooked her enough to get caught between the wall of our shed and the mesh from one of the runs, but she was REALLY stuck. I had to cut (and then patch) the mesh to get her out, and I'm honestly not sure she'll survive the stress. Right now she's just laying in an isolation pen. She won't stand...and I'm not even sure if she can. She may have injured her leg, though I couldn't detect any breaks or anything...just a small cut on one of her toes. I was supposed to go into work this afternoon, but I informed my husband that I'm staying here to monitor her, and possibly butcher her. As much as I hate to lose a good bird, I also hate to lose out on the meat.

I can imagine how weird you felt walking in to see this.

 

[TinyBirds]

My husband was shocked at how fast our baby ducks grew too. They are just bantam ducks, black indie, but at 3 weeks old they are about 4 times the size of our chickens we got at the same time. I had to separate them after just a few days since the ducks were growing so much faster. Hopefully they really are bantams and not cayuga, but either way, we like them. We don't plan to eat them, just pets, but it's good to see how easy it is to grow ducks if the need to eat them ever should present itself. They'd make a good survival animal since they don't seem to get cocci like chickens either, at least as far as I know, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[NanaKat]

Set another tray of eggs in the cabinet incubator that included 8 duck eggs from my trio.

Hail damaged my cabbage and lettuce so I had to buy some plants to set out. Usually start all mine from seed...ouch on plant prices now!

 

[dan26552]

Set another tray of eggs in the cabinet incubator that included 8 duck eggs from my trio.

Hail damaged my cabbage and lettuce so I had to buy some plants to set out. Usually start all mine from seed...ouch on plant prices now!

Good luck! Ducks are so much fun.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Set another tray of eggs in the cabinet incubator that included 8 duck eggs from my trio.

Hail damaged my cabbage and lettuce so I had to buy some plants to set out. Usually start all mine from seed...ouch on plant prices now!I hear

I hear ya on the lettuce prices, I have some started in pots. I used to pay 2.99 for a large bag of kale with about 3-4 bunches in it, now the same bag is 4.99. I use kale for all my birds and for us in salad. I also have a small parrot and I need it for him too. For whatever reason here I have had bad luck trying to grow kale here in FL, and even with my lettuce I have to grow in pots on the front porch and make sure it doesn't scorch.

Good luck with the eggs!!

 

[DesertChic]

*Chuckling* I took out my incubator yesterday for inspection while my son was home. He looked positively mortified. "How many chickens do you already have?" he asked. As if that matters.

I actually hadn't planned on hatching anything this spring if I could avoid it, but with our daytime temps already tickling the 90*F mark, I need to breed my three meaties while I still can. My biggest boy, Tubbs, pretty much lived in a cool muddy spot all day yesterday and was still panting heavily and holding his wings well away from his body. I was hoping this heat wave would be short-lived, but it looks like it could stick around for a couple weeks. Gotta shoot the bear when the bear is there, right?

Tubbs:

 

[Gorman Farm]

*Chuckling* I took out my incubator yesterday for inspection while my son was home. He looked positively mortified. "How many chickens do you already have?" he asked. As if that matters.

I actually hadn't planned on hatching anything this spring if I could avoid it, but with our daytime temps already tickling the 90*F mark, I need to breed my three meaties while I still can. My biggest boy, Tubbs, pretty much lived in a cool muddy spot all day yesterday and was still panting heavily and holding his wings well away from his body. I was hoping this heat wave would be short-lived, but it looks like it could stick around for a couple weeks. Gotta shoot the bear when the bear is there, right?

Tubbs:

Right!!
It has been in the mid 80's here last several days..It is so dry this year compared to other years, My silly hens lay in the sun...

 

[bnjrob]

I hear ya on the lettuce prices, I have some started in pots. I used to pay 2.99 for a large bag of kale with about 3-4 bunches in it, now the same bag is 4.99. I use kale for all my birds and for us in salad. I also have a small parrot and I need it for him too. For whatever reason here I have had bad luck trying to grow kale here in FL, and even with my lettuce I have to grow in pots on the front porch and make sure it doesn't scorch.

Good luck with the eggs!!

Shade cloth is your answer. Here in North Texas I'd have nothing but a garden of dead brush if I didn't use shade cloth. I have PVC hoops over the beds and during the most of the year they have shade cloth while during winter I can pop on plastic over the hoops for winter gardening. I get mine from Greenhouse Megastore. They have shade cloth with varying degrees of light transmittance so you can buy what is good for your garden area. Got mine years ago and it's still in good shape.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Shade cloth is your answer. Here in North Texas I'd have nothing but a garden of dead brush if I didn't use shade cloth. I have PVC hoops over the beds and during the most of the year they have shade cloth while during winter I can pop on plastic over the hoops for winter gardening. I get mine from Greenhouse Megastore. They have shade cloth with varying degrees of light transmittance so you can buy what is good for your garden area. Got mine years ago and it's still in good shape.

Good idea, I think we are going to buy a little greenhouse and I will use some shade cloth over it, keeps the deers and bunnies out of the garden.
I have been wanting to expand my garden space, we tried a 8x8 ft garden on the side of the house but as soon as anything came up the deers ate it.
So I made a makeshift garden up on my deck but the plant space is limited.