The Narragansett turkey farm is popular for meat production. And the breed is also bred as decorative birds. They are very beautiful, strong and hardy birds. And they are usually grown for meat, but some people also grow them for ornamental purposes or as a hobby.
The Narragansett is actually a Meleagris Gallopavo breed bred in the United States. It was bred from a cross between an eastern wild turkey and a domestic turkey. It is a unique “historic variety” in North America and the breed is named after Narragansett Bay.
The Narragansett turkey breed was never as popular as the bronze-colored turkey, but it was still valued for commercial breeding in the United States.
The Narragansett turkey became the backbone of the New England turkey industry and was especially important in Rhode Island and Connecticut. It was also popular in the mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states. The breed was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1874.
The popularity of the bronze turkey increased further in the early 20th century. And the Narragansett turkey quickly became a rarity. And it was not grown commercially for many decades until the start of the 21st century.
Today, the Narragansett turkey is raised primarily for meat production. So, commercial turkey farming in Narragansett can be a good business if you manage everything perfectly.
How to Start Turkey Farming in Narragansett
Starting a commercial turkey farm in Narragansett is like starting a turkey farm with any other breed of turkey. Narragansett turkeys are very strong and hardy birds.
Here we try to outline more information about starting and running a successful Narragansett turkey farming business, from buying birds to caring for and marketing them.
Buy birds
First of all, you need to acquire very high quality, healthy and active poultry to start your Narragansett turkey business. Buying good quality poultry is very important because good quality poultry will always ensure good production and maximum profit.
You can purchase day old chicks and adult birds depending on price and availability in your area. Day-old birds are less expensive, but adult birds tend to fetch very high prices in the market. We therefore recommend that you start with day-old chicks.
Narragansett turkeys are common and available in many parts of the world. You can purchase chickens from any of the nearby Poultry Centers, Turkey Suppliers, or any existing Narragansett Turkey Farm (if available in your area).
You can also search your local online classified sites. Just make sure the birds are strong, active and disease free.
Houses
Providing good living conditions is very important to the Narragansett turkey business. Because a good home not only helps birds stay healthy, but also keeps them away from all kinds of wild predators and adverse weather conditions. So make sure your birds are kept in good conditions.
The type of house can be anything depending on the availability of materials as well as your overall budget. The house can be made entirely of concrete or you can build a house from inexpensive and readily available materials like bamboo or wood. Just make sure the house is comfortable and safe.
Like many other breeds of turkeys, Narragansett turkeys also need a clean environment and a comfortable housing system. So make sure the house has all the necessary amenities. You will also need to provide the birds with a good place to roost with a roof. A place to spend the night should be well protected from predators.
It will be better if you let the birds go to fresh pasture. Turkey birds also need a place to bathe in dust and a place to roost that they can fly to at night. Narragansett turkeys are medium to large sized birds and each adult bird will need around 10 to 12 square feet of living space.
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Feeding the birds very high quality, safe and nutritious food is the most important part of Narragansett’s turkey business. Because good nutrition not only helps birds grow better, but also stay healthy and produce more.
You can feed your birds commercial poultry or turkey food, depending on availability in your area. Turkeys generally need more protein than chickens. So make sure they have enough protein in their diet.
Starter feeds for turkeys typically contain around 28% protein, while feeds for adult poultry should contain at least 20% protein. You can use waterfowl starter food or chick starter food to feed your chicks for the first 6 weeks. And then after 6 weeks, gradually move to growth.
Typically, turkeys reach marketable size at six months of age (depending on the variety). On average, a chicken needs about 6 pounds of food and a cat about 60 pounds of food to reach market size in 100 months.
Narragansett turkeys can be bred both in captivity and free range. But in general, they do very well in the free range system. Allowing the bird to roam freely will help you reduce feed costs and at the same time the bird will produce higher quality produce.
Always try to provide your participants with enough clean and fresh drinking water according to their needs. And never give them contaminated food or contaminated water.
reproduction
Like many other breeds of domestic turkeys, Narragansett turkeys are naturally very good breeders. They will reproduce easily and produce fertile eggs to hatch if your flock has a good male to hen ratio.
Typically, one healthy, mature cat is enough to raise about 8-10 hens.
Care
Narragansett turkeys are very strong and hardy birds. They have an excellent temperament and a calm disposition. They are known for their early maturation and the hens have very good maternal abilities. They are excellent foragers and can be grown with little nutrition.
Thus, they generally require less care and different management. Although the extra care will help the birds grow better and produce more.
Monitor their condition regularly for any signs of illness or ailment, and take action as soon as possible if you notice anything unusual. Get them vaccinated in a timely manner and always try to maintain good contact with the veterinarian in your area.
Marketing
Selling turkey products is not a problem. Because turkey meat is in high demand and has a high market value. But if you are looking to sell ornamental birds, identify the market demand before starting this business.
Here are the general steps and ways to successfully start and run a turkey farming business in Narragansett. I hope this guide has helped you! Good luck and God bless you!
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