The Dixie Rainbow is a dual-purpose hatchery bird sold by Hoover's Hatchery, and its name is its plumage: every bird comes out a different mix of colours, so no two in a flock look alike. Hens lay around 250 medium brown eggs a year and mature at 7 to 8 lb, heavy enough that surplus cockerels are worth raising for the table. They are docile, calm and social, and go broody only occasionally. It is a hatchery line rather than a standardised breed, and the cross behind it is not published. It is not the same bird as the Rainbow Ranger, which is a separate ranger-type meat broiler.
Good with kids
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Egg colorBrown
Egg production200–250 / year
TemperamentDocile
BroodinessOccasional
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeEggs, Meat
Weight
Hen7 lb
Rooster8 lb
How to spot it
Look for
Mixed plumage that differs from bird to bird, on a heavy dual-purpose frame. No single colour pattern identifies it
