Black Rangers? New To Me

[GAchickennewbie]

I was at a gentleman's house today picking up a few laying pullets and he also had black rangers. Said they're a new strain of meat bird.

Has anyone ever heard of them? Experiences, thoughts, and opinions welcome

 

[justplainbatty]

I was at a gentleman's house today picking up a few laying pullets and he also had black rangers. Said they're a new strain of meat bird.

Has anyone ever heard of them? Experiences, thoughts, and opinions welcome

Meyer Hatchery offers these as their latest strain. Said to grow a little slower, be more active and finish at 13 weeks. So I guess they are a new thing, similar to red rangers. I 've never had meat birds, I just googled it since you were asking.

 

[bobbi-j]

I got red rangers and black rangers last year from Freedom Ranger Hatchery. This was my first time raising Freedom Rangers, so I am by no means an expert. My experience with the black ones was not good. They were shipped together and housed together, so they were under the same conditions. I lost 8 of 25 within the first week, plus 2 DOA. The only red ones that died were when our 6-month old puppy was left unsupervised for a few hours. The black ones took longer to mature - I think we processed them at 13 or 14 weeks. They were noticeably smaller than the reds that we had processed two weeks before, and I don't think the carcasses looked as nice. The pinfeathers were also harder to get out. The black rangers from the hatchery you're looking at may be totally different. I'm just sharing my one-time experience. I know that for myself, I will not be getting the blacks again.

 

[GAchickennewbie]

Meyer Hatchery offers these as their latest strain. Said to grow a little slower, be more active and finish at 13 weeks. So I guess they are a new thing, similar to red rangers. I 've never had meat birds, I just googled it since you were asking.

Thank you It was hard for me to find them at first on Google

I got red rangers and black rangers last year from Freedom Ranger Hatchery. This was my first time raising Freedom Rangers, so I am by no means an expert. My experience with the black ones was not good. They were shipped together and housed together, so they were under the same conditions. I lost 8 of 25 within the first week, plus 2 DOA. The only red ones that died were when our 6-month old puppy was left unsupervised for a few hours. The black ones took longer to mature - I think we processed them at 13 or 14 weeks. They were noticeably smaller than the reds that we had processed two weeks before, and I don't think the carcasses looked as nice. The pinfeathers were also harder to get out. The black rangers from the hatchery you're looking at may be totally different. I'm just sharing my one-time experience. I know that for myself, I will not be getting the blacks again.

Interesting. Thank you. His were right at 4 weeks old. Was the meat good?

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you It was hard for me to find them at first on Google

Interesting. Thank you. His were right at 4 weeks old. Was the meat good?

It tasted like chicken...

 

[Kev]

I have freedoms and blacks from Freedom hatchery.

All chicks, both reds and blacks were the same as for surviving shipping and chick-hood- no DOA and all thrived and grew very fast their first couple months.

The freedoms did grow faster and heavier but it was also obvious there was something "very heavy"- I'm guessing Cornish- in their ancestry. A few roosters did get so big they went down and couldn't get up and had to be culled. The remaining roo is with standard size hens but so far eggs are infertile... not exactly surprised as he has a very hard time just getting on and staying on a hen during breeding. He has zero agility... I have not put him over the freedom hens so, cannot comment on whether if he is able to breed naturally at all. (the freedom hens are BIG- probably easier for him to get and stay on long enough to complete breeding motions)

The blacks are much more like a faster growing, slightly bigger than the typical dual purpose breed. They do remind me of black sex-links in physical appearence although there is no barring on any of the males. None of them went down, and none have mobility problems(a few of the freedom hens waddle). I understand they are primarily for the immigrant /Asian market favoring darker chickens.

During their first few months, they were extremely active.. would guess great for a free range set up. Mine weren't allowed free range at all.. they got annoying at times by getting into everything.. knocked over feed and water very frequently etc. On the other hand, they are naturally fearless, would make good pets or a tamer flock for utilitarian purposes.

 

[GAchickennewbie]

I'm looking at them as potential meat birds. It's important to me that any meat birds I raise get to live a good life before processing.

 

[bobbi-j]

Mine were very active, too, and loved to free range. Maybe it was just a fluke that it was all the black ones that died right away, I don't know. But I did like the size of the reds better.

 

[Kev]

Yeah I agree the size of the reds are better for meat. Do you still have any of either reds or blacks?

 

[Kev]

I'm looking at them as potential meat birds. It's important to me that any meat birds I raise get to live a good life before processing.

It's my first time with the rangers also.. I would guess on average, most of the rangers(reds, dixie, rainbows, freedoms etc) will do fine if your goal is to process all of them at the suggested ages. The freedoms do show a lot more of their meat ancestry as they mature past their butcher ages- some are waddling, want to sit down a lot more etc.