Dixie Rainbows Thread

[myfivegirls]

I ordered some "assorted layers" females from Purely Poultry & got these chicks that appeared to be meat chickens due to their growth rate.
I went back on Purely Poultry & looked through the breeds it might have been & came across the "Madison" chickens, and that's what they look like!

Now I just have decide what to do with them, as they're growing & eating like meat chickens (seem to be similar yet slightly different in feather pattern from the Freedom Rangers I've raised.).
I had ordered them for egg layers, which according to this thread, they do, but not sure if that's what these people wanted.

The other chicks are all black, so they could be the black broilers, Asian blacks, probably not Austrlorps as they'd be much smaller at this age.
What do you think? Are these "Madison", aka Dixie Rainbows?
Oh, they were hatched September 23rd, so they're 11 weeks old & almost as big as the adult Partridge Chantecler (not a big hen) that has raised them.
They weren't on broiler feed, just 20% chick starter - now on their 6th bag & 1/2 way through that one!


I've never seen a hen with this pattern, other than ones that I've hatched myself.
This pattern is similar to what I've seen some of the photos of the Dixies look like.



Size comparison of the adult hen (in the middle) vs the black ones,
which aren't as large as the lighter brown chicks.


Dixie Rainbows? aka Purely Poultry's Madisons?

Very stocky build, wide shoulders, big feet, deep chest, etc

 

[Lookin4GoodLife]

Anyone else have problems with these birds in the heat? Just browsing through the thread I saw someone in Louisiana and someone in the high desert, I believe CA (sorry I don't remember y'alls names) that had trouble with the Dixie Rainbows in the heat. I'm in west central Georgia and it does get hot here. I am wanting to get started with my first egg chickens and was looking at these at TS today. After researching them, they looked perfect for what I wanted to get started with, but then I came across the heat issues and that is a concern for me. Thanks.

 

[Teresa3612]

I just bought 6 of these today at TSC. These are my first chickens and I am happy to read that most folks say they have a good personality.

 

[StephWind]

One last post from me, and then I will quit following this thread. I gave away the last 2 Dixie hens that I had, as they are approaching their 3rd birthdates and I am concentrating on other breeds. They continue to be mild mannered, friendly birds who lay very large eggs. Sadly, several of mine died for no apparent reason over the last 6 months or so. After their fall molt, the girls came back and continued to lay well, but have slacked off again in their new home, north of me in Nebraska. I assured my friend they would likely start up again as the weather cleared, and she should be able to collect and hatch some eggs from them for super-nice barnyard mixes that will be good for both meat and eggs (her roo is a Salmon Faverolle).

 

[Carolinn 333]

Hay just got a Rainbow Dixie . Would she cualify as a show bird . I'm new to BYC and I am in 4-H and have 5 chicken

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hay just got a Rainbow Dixie . Would she cualify as a show bird . I'm new to BYC and I am in 4-H and have 5 chicken

In case you haven't figured out the answer to your question yet....

You'll need to check your 4H exhibitor rules and regulations for the 4H poultry program in your state which is usually found under the Animal Science Rules or such, typically the poultry and pigeons section.

Your fair book or animal science qualifications should be linked on your state's 4H Extenstion office website, or call the 4H Extension office, and someone will help you get a flyer or book. They will also have other material to help you prepare your poultry project over the weeks leading to fair.

Once you get the fair book, look through the poultry sections and see what is allowed.


In Oregon, we have a Cross Breeds section in which a Rainbow might qualify, but check your state and talk with someone before you commit the time and money to a project only to find out it doesn't qualify.

Also be sure to note the deadlines for fair entry. I am writing this in early May, and for us, fair entry deadline is typically the first week in June for late July fair. That fair entry deadline is often several months before the fair date. (I've swabbed the tears of more than one 4H student who missed that all important deadline or misread the rules and did not qualify for entry.)

Good luck in your endeavors. 4H is a great program to learn about animals and improve your husbandry skills as well as develop good communication and showmanship...."making our best better."

LofMc

 

[nposluszny]

Hello looking for a bit of assistance.....I am not sure if I have Dixie Rainbows (what I supposedly bought) and am wondering if anyone has any thoughts. All the photos I have seen of them depict birds with all sorts of colors, and my 3 "Dixies" are white/off white (very uniform) with yellow legs. I have the suspicion that they were from a mislabeled bin but I'm a novice. Any thoughts would be great. They all look like pullets and the photo shows the 3 white birds in with some ISA Browns and RIRs. Not that I mind the idea of having a different breed, I'm just wondering if I'm crazy of if they are imposters. I'm getting a better photo now, this was 1.5 weeks ago,

 

[nposluszny]

A better photo, the one I intended.

 

[Lookin4GoodLife]

Those look real similar to my chickens which are Golden Sex Links. The guy at my feed store said the chickens they get from their "distributor" are guaranteed "all female and all brown egg layers". I think all these sex link type Frankenchickens are pretty much all the same and there are a wide variety of names depending on what hatchery they come from. Mine are about a month old in this picture. I don't know if a GSL is the same as a DR, but they're probably pretty much the same chicken.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

A better photo, the one I intended.

You are talking about the plain white ones? Or the Red white ones?
Regardless yes i do not think they are dixies.

This is my Dixie at 4weeks old. Your Red and white could be Red Rangers, another meat bird, very similar, just different coloring