Does anyone have any *GOOD* experiences with Dixie Rainbows??!!!

[amelia123]

Hi Everyone!

I was REALLY excited about my new flock of Dixie Rainbow chicks (Aka Pioneers). However, I have read ( https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...irds-the-good-the-bad-and-the-very-very-uglya ) couple of "things," you could say, on them and now i'm FREAKING OUT COMPLETELY!!!!

....And NOT in a good way!!!!!!!! Apparently, they're HUGE cannibals and are really stupid and need to be checked on every couple of hours!!!!!

I really can't go out every 3 hours to check on my birds! They're only 1 week old know but it won't be long before they're outside. It sounds like they're VERY HIGH maintenance birds...My family has been wanting chickens FOREVER and know that we finally got them, i'm afraid we picked the wrong breed!!!

I can't stop worrying!!! I'm am not sure what to do!!!! I did do some research before i purchased them from T.S.C. but i didn't find anything that said they weren't good for first-time chicken owners with kids!!!!!!!! Please help me!!!!!!

WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hi Everyone!

I was REALLY excited about my new flock of Dixie Rainbow chicks (Aka Pioneers). However, I have read ( https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...irds-the-good-the-bad-and-the-very-very-uglya ) couple of "things," you could say, on them and now i'm FREAKING OUT COMPLETELY!!!!

....And NOT in a good way!!!!!!!! Apparently, they're HUGE cannibals and are really stupid and need to be checked on every couple of hours!!!!!

I really can't go out every 3 hours to check on my birds! They're only 1 week old know but it won't be long before they're outside. It sounds like they're VERY HIGH maintenance birds...My family has been wanting chickens FOREVER and know that we finally got them, i'm afraid we picked the wrong breed!!!

I can't stop worrying!!! I'm am not sure what to do!!!! I did do some research before i purchased them from T.S.C. but i didn't find anything that said they weren't good for first-time chicken owners with kids!!!!!!!! Please help me!!!!!!

WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????

Pioneers are no better and no worst than most broiler chickens. Remember that chickens but especially broiler chickens are not bred to be rocket scientists.

At any rate after 3 months old (at the most) it will be time to put them in the freezer, and your problems are solved.


One other thing with broilers is the closer watch over your flock that you need to maintain so that rapid weight gain doesn't cripple the birds.

I disagree with calling a pioneer chicken a duel purpose breed. In my book they are just red CX chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

Not so, George. Have you ever raised them? They have a slower grow out time, and are NOT red, at least mine weren't. Most of the females were buff colored, and the males were all barred with varying shades of buff to very light red. I do believe that they were definitely a cross of some kind. But, they were free fed, no restriction on feed, and there were no orthopedic or cardiac problems. While the CXR grow out at 6 - 8 weeks, the Pioneers IMO were at prime processing age at 12 weeks.

Amelia, let me set your mind at ease: I grew Pioneers myself last year. There was no cannibalism. They were very well behaved birds, until the hormones kicked in with the roos. Then, it was time to process, anyways. I raised the chicks with my layer chicks, and while they were more fond of the feed dish than the layers, they all did well together. The Pioneers ranged very well with the rest of the flock. I was so impressed with the pullets that I kept the smallest one. She is buff colored, a bit darker than a BO, has some black tail feathers and a bit of black in her wings. She is very well behaved, was the first of last year's pullets to lay. And I can say that she's my best layer right now. She lays an extra large dark brown egg with freckles.

 

[amelia123]

Thanks Lazy Gardener....You did make me feel a LOT better!!!!!!!!

I am literally breathing a sigh of relief right know!!

 

[song of joy]

I just picked up 8 chicks at TSC in central PA on Sunday. They said they were Red Rangers from a hatchery in Iowa, but they didn't seem sure of what they had. There's quite a bit of variability in feather colors - buff, reddish, brown - so I wonder if these are Pioneers rather than Red Rangers. Does anyone know what types of broilers TSC is getting in central PA?

 

[amelia123]

Are Pioneers OK for first time chicken owners? I know that they are mainly meat birds, however, I am going to be keeping them for egg laying... Oh, are they REALLY that messy/stupid like GardengirlID said? There is a link in my question. The good the bad and the very, very ugly. The bad list is WAY WAY longer than the good list though.

Thanks!!

 

[lazy gardener]

IF you can get PULLETS, I'd say go for it. But, if all you can get is straight run, I wouldn't bother. IMO, the roos have ATTITUDE! They were horrid to each other, but not people mean.

 

[amelia123]

Okay...Thanks Lazy Gardener!!!!!! Oh and I did get Pullets by the way...They're growing like weeds!!!!!! I have them in a cardboard box and i've seen one of the determined (aka sneaky) chicks, Diamond, trying to jump from the top of the water feeder to the top of the box!!!!!!

Here'a a picture of her:

 

[Lookin for chicks]

Ok so is a pioneer that same as a dixie?
I'm looking for a hatchery that carries dishes anyone know of a good one?

 

[feedman77]

Hoover hatchery out if Iowa used to carry dixie rainbows.