Colored Rangers @ 12 Weeks (pictures)

[TimG]

I've got 3 12-week-old colored rangers, two males and one female. I am planning on keeping one male and one female to see what they will produce for offspring. (I originally meant to keep more females, but had a little incident with a family of foxes.)

These are big birds, but it seems to me that their growth has slowed considerably over the last 2-3 weeks (which happens to coincide with increased access to the yard).

I think I'll probably end up keeping the first male (who has been crowing since about 6 weeks). He seems a bit more agile, active, and generally chicken-like than the second who prefers to lounge around.

I think the female is an attractive bird.

Even though these three are bigger than the older hens they roam with, they're still on the bottom of the pecking order.

I've seen lots of pictures of groups of these birds, but not many of individuals, so I thought I'd post.

 

[Puck-Puck]

Very attractive birds; thanks for posting. If I could find a hatchery around here that had them, I'd be interested in giving them a try.

 

[Judy]

They are only sold by JM Hatchery, in the US; they have a patent, or whatever. However, I believe there is a similar bird available in Canada.

 

[bearfretworks]

Good pictures! I agree the hens are nice looking birds as well.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think they are also sold as Dixie Rangers, Freedom Rangers and Redbro. Redbro may be the bird you say is available in Canada, but they are also available from an outfit in Connecticut, Yankee Chicks/Hall Brothers (they have no website as far as I know).

 

[OSUman]

Dixie Rainbows are a seperate breed that S&G Created

 

[jaku]

Wow, those are such pretty birds, it's almost a shame that they're broilers!

 

[TimG]

I have a 19 week old Delaware cockerel that mounted the 12 week old Colored ranger a couple of days ago. The pullet cooperated even though she has shown no signs of being ready to start laying.

I caught one of the 12 week old Colored Ranger cockerels on top of one of my year old hens, he was not doing it quite right. He's a clumsy bird, I'm really hoping that he gets the hang of it.

 

[UncleHoot]

Quote:
Not actually a patent.

In a nutshell, Hubbard controls the breeding stock for these birds. In other words, you can't produce the Rangers without the parent breeding stock, which is only available through Hubbard (or from someone else who bought from Hubbard, as was the case with JM buying the former "Freedom Ranger" breeding stock).

By selling only the males of one breed, and the females of another, which then produce the hybrid Rangers in the photo, Hubbard "controls" the genetics. In other words, the females of one breed, and the males of the other are not available for purchase, otherwise you could breed your own breeding stock and put Hubbard out of business.