Hi there! You may have noticed me a couple times bouncing around the threads. I show my poultry, it's all about showing, and making money back for the $18.00 (for 1 bag of 50lbs feed). My poultry experience is so wide it's probably going to take several pages, so I started writing one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jgfolk-jersey-giants-experiences-and-happy-times Anyways, on with the subject:
*THIS IS FOR JERSEY GIANTS*
Finding the chick who has a good chance at having a show career:
After the chick hatches, an easy way to tell if it's a Jersey is the feet. The bottom of a true Jersey Giant's feet are yellow. Any pink feet are a DQ or the chick is a different breed (Java or Australorp) The key for a good breeding bird is immune to disease.. just had to throw that it!
After about a week chicks will start developing more visible comb, and feathers. When a Jersey Giant chick has hatched it has a white breast, fluff and part of it's face, examples of what to look for:
Disqualifications:
Then we have symptoms that mean your chick is sick:
Common Symptoms of Sickness:
Here's another list on healthy symptoms:
Good healthy chicks look (and act!) like this:
When the chicks are around 5-6 months you'll notice who goes and who stays:
Soon your chick could turn out to be a champion!
(c)JerseyGiantfolk 2012 "Twinkle and her ribbons" (She's molting, so that's why she looks ratty)
~JerseyGiantfolk
*THIS IS FOR JERSEY GIANTS*
Finding the chick who has a good chance at having a show career:
After the chick hatches, an easy way to tell if it's a Jersey is the feet. The bottom of a true Jersey Giant's feet are yellow. Any pink feet are a DQ or the chick is a different breed (Java or Australorp) The key for a good breeding bird is immune to disease.. just had to throw that it!
After about a week chicks will start developing more visible comb, and feathers. When a Jersey Giant chick has hatched it has a white breast, fluff and part of it's face, examples of what to look for:
Disqualifications:
- Side sprigs (stubs at the back of the comb)
- Crossbeak (crossed beak)
- Broken wing (Chicks are very delicate, one mess up on the wing can be permanent)
- Splayed legs (Can happen if not enough shavings, slippery surface, accident trying to roost)
Then we have symptoms that mean your chick is sick:
Common Symptoms of Sickness:
- Runny manure
- Lethargic
- Dragging legs
- Eye discharge
Here's another list on healthy symptoms:
Good healthy chicks look (and act!) like this:
- Eating and drinking well
- Soft manure (Not hard)
- Bright eyes, no discharge
- Moving around well
When the chicks are around 5-6 months you'll notice who goes and who stays:
- No more than an inch of white on the feathers
- A good tail angle: Female: 30 degree, Male: 45 degree
- A good pose: A nice broad bird is good
- And of course, a good personality!
Soon your chick could turn out to be a champion!
(c)JerseyGiantfolk 2012 "Twinkle and her ribbons" (She's molting, so that's why she looks ratty)
~JerseyGiantfolk
