Some of my laying hens insist in walking away to lay an egg in April

[peacockfarmer]

Hello, I have raised Royal Palm and wild/hybrid turkeys free range for 13 years now but I don't think I am doing this right. Every April some of my Royal Palm laying hens insist on walking off 100 acres into an uninhabited 300 acres in Pueblo CO to lay an egg and they get themselves killed if they spend the night out. Some hens stay close but others insist on walking away. I have lost 2 good Royal Palm hens in the first half of April already. Usually this happens in the morning and if I catch them doing this I can herd them back home but they go do it 2 days later and eventually they get killed. I have more trouble with Royal Palms doing this than the wild turkeys? HELP

 

[R2elk]

Hello, I have raised Royal Palm and wild/hybrid turkeys free range for 13 years now but I don't think I am doing this right. Every April some of my Royal Palm laying hens insist on walking off 100 acres into an uninhabited 300 acres in Pueblo CO to lay an egg and they get themselves killed if they spend the night out. Some hens stay close but others insist on walking away. I have lost 2 good Royal Palm hens in the first half of April already. Usually this happens in the morning and if I catch them doing this I can herd them back home but they go do it 2 days later and eventually they get killed. I have more trouble with Royal Palms doing this than the wild turkeys? HELP

If you don't want to lose your hens on their hidden nests, do like others of us do. We keep the hens penned up during laying season.

 

[peacockfarmer]

I need to do that, but these hens can fly so well I need a pen with roof wire or netting and I don't have that right now just the barn they sleep in.

 

[camocutey]

I live in Peyton, CO. I wanted to know if you sell pullets of the Royal Palms? Or even fertilized eggs? It is nice to see someone close to where I am raising them. We are looking to get 3 hens and have had a hard time finding them.