Pioneer roosters

[white oak creek]

I was wandering if they would be to large to use over a standard size hen?

 

[blucoondawg]

The ones I have wouldn't be but they're only 12-13 weeks right now, I can't speak as to how large they would get with age

 

[white oak creek]

I've never seen one older than 14 weeks I held a red ranger back one year but he was just to big for my hens they hid from him! I have a few pioneers that I was thinking about trying just not sure how big they get

 

[blucoondawg]

I've got a pretty large variance in sizes in my flock there are some smaller and my biggest pioneers aren't as large as my biggest rangers, I thought about keeping a couple hens that are running small to see how they lay but I don't want to keep a rooster I get overrun with those darn things to easily as it is with all my chicks

 

[blucoondawg]

Butchered 12 roosters today ranged from little over 4 to 6lbs dressed at little over 12 weeks old. Some rangers some pioneers from hoovers hatchery. The rangers seemed to average slightly larger with a little more breast to them but the pioneers plucked better.

 

[white oak creek]

It looks to me as if the lighter colored pioneer roosters are growing out the best

 

[KlopKlop]

I have a 18 week old Dixie rainbow rooster which is supposedly the same as a pioneer and he is successfully breeding my hens. Yes he is large but he is also very docile and gentle with the girls. I haven't weighed him but I would guess he is well over 10lbs.

Here he is next to a small white leghorn hen

 

[eleaserek]

I have a 18 week old Dixie rainbow rooster which is supposedly the same as a pioneer and he is successfully breeding my hens. Yes he is large but he is also very docile and gentle with the girls. I haven't weighed him but I would guess he is well over 10lbs.

Here he is next to a small white leghorn hen

A friend of mine had a dixie rainbow rooster as well. He was the same way, huge, but very docile and friendly. She did have to re-home him though because she has a silkie that was going to get hurt because of his size. Otherwise the standard hens tolerated him very well

 

[white oak creek]

Sounds good! That's what got me thinking about there color and personality!

 

[white oak creek]

I have a 18 week old Dixie rainbow rooster which is supposedly the same as a pioneer and he is successfully breeding my hens. Yes he is large but he is also very docile and gentle with the girls. I haven't weighed him but I would guess he is well over 10lbs.

Here he is next to a small white leghorn hen

Nice looking rooster! I have one in that color pattern was wondering what he would look like mature