BREEDING NARRAGANSETTS

[ivan3]

TOP KNOT wrote: Does this breed fly over fences? One of my 4 week old chicks ( while I was sitting in the grass) jumped onto my head with ease!! My husband laughed!

All heritage hens (and `mutts') will fly high, if that is what they are allowed. Month old poults can clear 6ft.fencing. However, if offered an alternative (and a little friendly persuasion) they'll recognize `home' and pretty much stay put (a hen intent on unauthorized nesting will require a bit more attention - over the fence and into the woods to be eaten by preds). We destroy the nest and move the eggs into the prepared nest in the corner of their shed (never required more than two such relocation's with a hen before she got the idea). Good hen: Wayward hens: If they are free ranged within range of your vehicles, you might consider some old carpeting, etc. on hoods/roofs - some members have had some `finish' issues on their paint jobs owing to unauthorized roosting. As Arielle mentioned, toms usually stay put if penned. If the hens do fly out, they tend to stay close to their `imprisoned' flock mates.

 

[Kambrie]

I bred Narragansetts for 2 years. I had one hen and a tom. In my chicken coop (where they were housed) I put extra straw down in the corner and she made that into a nest herself after we put some wooden eggs in it. She hatched 2 clutches by herself. If you do that in your shed, I'm sure she will nest there. I'd have to disagree with Frank though. I let my turkeys free range all day. What I found was that my hens (I had lots of different kinds of turkeys) all made a community nest. They never really moved nests much. When I was incubating the eggs, I "memorized" in a sense, what the eggs of each breed looked like. I would mark them and put them in my incubator. They do like to roost though, just make sure they have places to perch.

 

[TOP KNOT]

All heritage hens (and `mutts') will fly high, if that is what they are allowed. Month old poults can clear 6ft.fencing. However, if offered an alternative (and a little friendly persuasion) they'll recognize `home' and pretty much stay put (a hen intent on unauthorized nesting will require a bit more attention - over the fence and into the woods to be eaten by preds). We destroy the nest and move the eggs into the prepared nest in the corner of their shed (never required more than two such relocation's with a hen before she got the idea).

Good hen:


Wayward hens:


If they are free ranged within range of your vehicles, you might consider some old carpeting, etc. on hoods/roofs - some members have had some `finish' issues on their paint jobs owing to unauthorized roosting.

As Arielle mentioned, toms usually stay put if penned. If the hens do fly out, they tend to stay close to their `imprisoned' flock mates.

Thanks for the info. I sure hope they stay off of the vehicles!! I will get killed by my husband!!! Does your inclosure have a wire top?

 

[TOP KNOT]

I bred Narragansetts for 2 years. I had one hen and a tom. In my chicken coop (where they were housed) I put extra straw down in the corner and she made that into a nest herself after we put some wooden eggs in it. She hatched 2 clutches by herself. If you do that in your shed, I'm sure she will nest there. I'd have to disagree with Frank though. I let my turkeys free range all day. What I found was that my hens (I had lots of different kinds of turkeys) all made a community nest. They never really moved nests much. When I was incubating the eggs, I "memorized" in a sense, what the eggs of each breed looked like. I would mark them and put them in my incubator. They do like to roost though, just make sure they have places to perch.

Sounds good! I guess once I get the hang of turkeys it will be a no brainer like the chickens. This is my first batch and are doing very well! At $7 each at Big R or rural king... I would like to raise them here myself!! Do the turkeys bother your chickens?

 

[Kambrie]

Sounds good! I guess once I get the hang of turkeys it will be a no brainer like the chickens. This is my first batch and are doing very well! At $7 each at Big R or rural king... I would like to raise them here myself!! Do the turkeys bother your chickens?

Nope! They actually enjoy them and even share nest boxes! The only thing you have to watch out for really is black head disease. If you have young turkey poults around your adult chickens ( may be carriers of this disease, but are not effected) Your poults are susceptible to getting this disease. This is not fun, and there is really no treatment for it. We had to put 4 turkey poults down when we first started because of it.

 

[TOP KNOT]

Nope! They actually enjoy them and even share nest boxes! The only thing you have to watch out for really is black head disease. If you have young turkey poults around your adult chickens ( may be carriers of this disease, but are not effected) Your poults are susceptible to getting this disease. This is not fun, and there is really no treatment for it. We had to put 4 turkey poults down when we first started because of it.

I have read about that. Right now have them in their own house. I started them in the brooder then transferred them to the leanto on our shed. Its a big space with electric but I have to walk further. I just hope they will stay in the horse pasture during day and their house at night when they get older. We will see

 

[Kambrie]

They most likely will Mine would go clear over to my neighbors house, which is around a mile away, and still would come back every night. These ones were my wild turkeys. My narragansetts stayed pretty close but still roamed a little.

 

[ivan3]

TOP KNOT wrote: Does your enclosure have a wire top?

No. Simply not an option (Shag bark Hickories in runs/leaf/branch falls). However, our first turks were hand raised and trained (not much more difficult than training dogs) to return to run and roost in shed. Only `escapes' have been by hormonal jennies off to nest in the woods (never far as we are in the woods-very limited clearings). These girls are easy to find and relocate to the back corners of the shed. Older hens know where to nest. The first generation pretty much took care of bringing the next up to speed without too much intervention from us. Would like to let them roost out of shed on roosts in corners of run, but way too many preds (keep three live traps and a couple of dog proof coon traps set at all times). Being `schooled' Graduates: