Rainbow Rooster Chicken Breed Information and management

Rainbow rooster is a dual purpose, low input, multicolored chicken from India. It was bred by Indbro Research and Breeding Farms in Southern India as part of a food program by the state.

Rainbow Roosters have been distributed to Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan through Partnerships with Indbro Research. This chicken breed has also been exported to Nepal and the middle east

According to Indbro, rainbow roosters are able to sustain free-range and backyard rearing conditions

Rainbow rooster background information

As part of the governments National Livelihood Mission Project in India, Indbro research bred the birds and supplied them to the state government, who in turn distributed the rainbow rooster chicks to low-income families. The main purpose of the project is to provide income for low-income families while providing nutrition to rural communities through rainbow rooster eggs and meat

Indbro research was registered in 1956. In 2000, the company started research into pure line chicken breeds that could tolerate hot and humid temperatures that have low-density diets and could tolerate low-level infections.

Where to buy rainbow roosters in Kenya

Rainbow roosters in Kenya are bred and distributed by Kukuchic Limited, based in Eldoret. They have about 20,000 rainbow roosters parent stock, with the ability to produce 240,000 chics every month. They have 3 breeder farms and one hatchery

Kenbro chicken Breed Profile

Breed Name: Rainbow Rooster.

Scientific Name: Gallus domesticus.

Other Names: None.

Temperament: Medium feeder. Scavenges well.

Purpose: Meat and Eggs.

Body Size: Large.

Broodiness: Never sits on eggs / Does not brood.

Climate: Most Climates, can tolerate heat and cold.

Comb: Single.

Eggs Productivity: Medium.

Size of Eggs: Medium.

Colour of eggs: Brown.

Colour: Multicoloured.

Rainbow roosters mature between 4 to 6 months. The rainbow roosters mortality rate is low (Less than 2%).

When managed as a layer, with commercial feeds, rainbow roosters will lay 160-180 eggs in 72 weeks (16 months). The layers start laying at 160 days (5 months). At the end of lay the birds weight about 3kgs. The average egg weight is 60 grams. Rainbow roosters will start laying at 5 months and lay continuously for 10 months.

When managed as meat birds, the rainbow rooster will attain the average weight of 2kgs in 8 weeks under commercial feeds. At 8 weeks, rainbow roosters meat birds will have consumed 4.9 kgs of feed. Under scavenging conditions, the rainbow roosters growth rate is a bit slower, with the bird attaining the weight of 1.3kgs in 9 weeks. The average meat production for rainbow roosters is 3kgs for male rainbow roosters and 1.9 to 2.2 kgs for hens

Advantages of Rainbow Roosters

- Rainbow roosters have a high resistance to diseases.

- Rainbow roosters are suitable for the free-range systems, hence consumes less feed.

- Due to high resistance to poultry diseases and the free-range nature of rainbow roosters, rainbow rooster farming can be carried out with a low investment.

Rainbow Rooster Feeding Program.

The rainbow rooster is a dual-purpose chicken and the feeding program depends on your objectives. You may want to raise the rainbow rooster as a broiler, where it gains weight as fast as possible and is sold for meat. Another objective is to raise the rainbow rooster as a layer, for long term laying of eggs. The demand for organic meat and eggs is growing and you may also want to raise the rainbow rooster organically where you let it forage for its feed. 

Feeding Guide for Rainbow Roosters (Raised as Broilers)

When raising the rainbow rooster as a broiler, exclusively for meat, you will need to feed it with broiler feed. According to Indbros’ rainbow rooster performance chart, the rainbow rooster males will weight 1.4 kgs and the rainbow rooster hens will weigh 1.1 kgs at 6 weeks when raised of broiler feed. At 8 weeks, the hens will weigh 1.9 kgs and the males 2.2 kgs. 

Feeding Guide for Rainbow Roosters (Raised as Layers)

When raised as layers, on layer feed,  the rainbow roosters will weigh 1.6kgs for males and 1.2 kgs for females at 8 weeks. The birds will start laying at around 5 months. 

Feeding Guide for Rainbow Roosters (Raised as Free Range)

When left to forage for its own feed, the rainbow rooster will weigh 1.5 kgs for makes and 1.5kgs for females at 8 weeks. 

We will be updating this article to include:-

- Disadvantages of rainbow roosters

- How to manage rainbow roosters

- Housing and hygiene for rainbow roosters

- Rainbow roosters vaccination and deworming schedule

- Where to buy rainbow rooster chicken in Kenya.