Rainbow Ranger Project

[Mwhit]

Flavor was noticeably better than store bought. Rich and moist without brining.

I’d do it again, but do a few things differently. I’d want a larger coop for them to stay in at night because moving the tractor was a pain. And I’d free range them once they were feathered rather than at week 6 or 7.

Meyer hatchery seemed like really quality birds and had good service, but it was pricey. Might try freedom ranger hatchery next.

 

[gooseapplefarms]

The growout stats look similar in terms of feed/weight/time for the rainbows and freedoms. I'd be interested to hear how they compare.
A lot of 'how to guides' seem to want to put birds out way too late IMO. Sometimes just a week before slaughter. I'm sure this is fine advice if you're growing birds in very harsh conditions, but for milder climates and temps, I think putting birds out earlier during the day is no problem.

 

[Mwhit]

Update:
I kept 2 pullets and cockerel from the RR batch. They’re super heavy but still very active at 5 months old. They all fly to the top rack of our roosting bar so they must be healthy enough. Laying about 3 eggs per bird a week. Hopefully throw some on the incubator next month to see what happens.

I’ve gotten pretty chicken crazy. 3 weeks ago I received 30 cx and 20 New Hampshire reds from freedom ranger hatchery. They had a horrible time shipping. Got stuck in the mail for 4 days total.

Lost 26 of the 30 cx. If it’s any testament to keeping heritage dual purpose, we only lost 3 of the 20 New Hampshire’s. The rest of the birds are thriving. I highly recommend FR hatchery though. Great customer service and refunded our loss.

The FR New Hampshire’s are ridiculous. They are near the same size as the CX and are very active. I hope to be able to keep a few for breeders.

 

[Mwhit]

Forgot to add weights. 10.6 for the rooster and 7 for the hens. My Rhode Island rooster only weighs 6.8 so I might keep him away from the breeders.

 

[Molpet]

Thanks for the update

 

[chanceosunshine]

Freedom Ranger Hatchery is great! I just ordered 50 Kosher Kings to come in July. The two KK layers I kept are just like yours, healthy, they fly up to the roosts no problem and are laying a few eggs a week.
I highly recommend Freedom Ranger Hatchery.
I look forward to seeing what you hatch.

 

[imacowgirl2]

The FR New Hampshire’s are ridiculous. They are near the same size as the CX and are very active. I hope to be able to keep a few for breeders.

I LOVE my FR New Hampshires! I’m getting ready to set eggs in a few weeks from my Roos and hens I held back from my August batch. They free range great, and are personable, easy going birds. Mine have no trouble getting up and down from the roost (though I do wish they would use the ramp instead of flying down!!).

They were huge…I processed at 13.5 weeks and they were 8-10 lb live weight, and that was with feeding just regular all flock their entire life (I was a newbie and didn’t think about meat bird feed lol). Meat was really good too.

 

[Mwhit]

I LOVE my FR New Hampshires! I’m getting ready to set eggs in a few weeks from my Roos and hens I held back from my August batch. They free range great, and are personable, easy going birds. Mine have no trouble getting up and down from the roost (though I do wish they would use the ramp instead of flying down!!).

They were huge…I processed at 13.5 weeks and they were 8-10 lb live weight, and that was with feeding just regular all flock their entire life (I was a newbie and didn’t think about meat bird feed lol). Meat was really good too.

That’s awesome. I’m curious how they handle heat and humidity. I’m a little concerned with how the rangers will do since they’ve gotten so large. Did you restrict feed or just let them eat all day?

 

[imacowgirl2]

That’s awesome. I’m curious how they handle heat and humidity. I’m a little concerned with how the rangers will do since they’ve gotten so large. Did you restrict feed or just let them eat all day?

With my NH, I haven’t limited feed at all because they live alongside the layer breeds in the hen coop and bachelor pad. We free range our hens, and the NH spend most of their day out free ranging…they do come back to the coop to eat more frequently than the layer breeds, but with all their movement they’re staying a manageable weight. That being said our bachelor pad occupants do not free range, and my NH roo doesn’t sit in front of the feeder either…he spends most of his time roaming around the run picking and scratching like the layer breed roosters.

Mine weren’t full size during our summer last year, they were hatched at end of August, but we did have some pretty good heat in September and October last year and they did fine in that heat at their young age. I will be interested to see how they do this summer.