Jersey giants.

[Rileys roost farms]

I show poultry, I show dark brahmas and jersey giants. But I just went to a show and I was getting my jersey giants ready to be judged and I looked at my competitors and their jersey giants we 4 times bigger than mine and they were younger. So if anyone could tell me what I could be doing wrong with them not being the size they are to their breed. I fed them at first 30% protein game bird starter. And then rolled off later into layer. Thanks to whoever replies.

 

[Jjynx]

It could have to do with their genetics, their lines may have been bred to be even larger. How big are your birds, are they abnormally small for the breed? And how big were their birds? That may help you get a better answer.

 

[Debbie09011970]

Did you get hatchery birds? That could be why because they are always smaller. It's not your feed. You are going to have to find a really good bloodline. What I was told to do is buy a bunch of hatchery pullets and then find a super nice rooster somewhere because he can mate a lot of girls and it'll be cheaper to get a rooster than a hand. Once you start getting offspring from them, keep the nice ones and breed those.

 

[Rileys roost farms]

Did you get hatchery birds? That could be why because they are always smaller. It's not your feed. You are going to have to find a really good bloodline. What I was told to do is buy a bunch of hatchery pullets and then find a super nice rooster somewhere because he can mate a lot of girls and it'll be cheaper to get a rooster than a hand. Once you start getting offspring from them, keep the nice ones and breed those.

Yes they are hatchery birds and I realized that’s probably why they are so small. I decided to not keep my chain of jerseys going since I don’t have a roo and don’t really like jerseys much anymore. But I do have dark Brahmas that came from a hatchery that are having the same problem. The one roo I have bred with my biggest hen (she’s still small for the standard) and they hatched 3, 2 males - they are already bigger than his father so I think that if I just breed out a little more they will be ok however his daughter is relatively small but she lives with a big flock unlike her brothers. Thank you for the response, sorry for the long reply.