Jersey Giant

I never raised hens before and was given 4 Jersey Giant pullets (no rooster). Even for a novice like me, these hens were easy to raise. For 3 years each bird gave an average of 5 eggs per week. I let them free range every day, all day. At dusk, they'd head to the coop by themselves and I would lock them in for the night. They foraged in the yard and the woods. We have fox, hawks, owls, coyotes, dogs, cats, raccoons and possum. I never lost a single hen to predator or health issues. As a previous poster noted, their size may deter predators. I also have two large, stupid dogs who wander too much to qualify as guard dogs, but their general presence might have contributed to keeping away predators. After 3 year of good production, they all abruptly stopped laying so I gave them away. They probably would be good meat birds, but I didn't have it in me to butcher my own hens, especially after 3 years of good service. Good overall hens; no downside.

I am wondering whether my australorp rooster would be able to mate with such large hens. Does anybody have any experience with larger hens+relatively smaller rosters?

I don't have very nice things to say about this breed either, outside of their stunning black color sheen

Wikepedia said the Black JGs were about a pound heavier than White JGs but your review stated that your JGs were only the size of an ARAUCANA which means your birds never got to 5 lbs - is that correct? Ameraucanas and EEs get to about 5.5 to 6 lbs and American ARAUCANAS get to only about 4.5 lbs. Are you certain your White JGs were indeed JGs? A Black JG hen should be about 8 lbs which means a White JG should be roughly 7 lbs - still a sizeable bird at maturity. Just checking with JG owners because I'm researching this interesting breed.

I had recently, about a week ago, adopted a JG roo. He was awesome in size, and had about 9 ladies that came with him. The gal who gave her flock to us said he came all the way from TN and she had him for about 2 years now and he was probably about a year old or so when she got him. So that made him 3 or a little over since I had him.

Well sad to say he passed away last night, cant seem to figure out why though, as he was just fine. We had removed his spurs as they were ginormous, and he was starting to dysplay some aggression towards us and our 2 young daughters and until we could earn his trust, we didn't want any accidents. I put some Quik Stop powder on them to help with the clotting and seperated him in a large collapsable kennel with straw and provided him with water and food of course. I then transitioned him yesterday morning into the large enclosure back with his girls, while in the collapsable wire kennel to reintroduce him, as we have another rooster and other hens as well, to acclimate him to the rest of the flock, and he was getting along fine. I went to work, left about 1 pm, my nanny checked his water and food for me periodically as we had a heat wave come in at 99 degrees. He was good according to her, then after dinner and showers when she did the final egg check about 745 pm she said she saw him laying down, and shook his cage and he didn't move...... So she noted the water level was adequate, food was still present, and wasn't sure what had happened. I still do not know! She removed the kennel from the enclosure, and covered him until I arrived home at 1030 pm! I suspect fowl play of sorts as perhaps maybe she didn't really check his water, or maybe he was too hot? But none the less, he was beautiful, and was wondering if it is possible that JG are predisposed to any sort of heart conditions because of size, and that maybe the excessive stress of all the movement of relocation from old home to new home, then the removal of spurs and seperation for 2-3 days from his ladies, then the transfer to the enclosure with his ladies again and new ladies and roo? Maybe just too much too fast? Plus Heat? I don't know. But I think in the mix of his ladies is also a JG Hen, so if so, then I am going to try and hatch a few of her eggs, hopefully someone goes broody soon

With the heat and the move, having the spurs removed at this time (although fully understandable, with your children about) might have been the final straw.

I do remove spurs if I keep a cock for a long period but I don't let them get too long before doing it the first time and there are wrong ways and correct ways to remove the spurs.

Sorry you lost the cock but another younger one is just around the corner...

I'm at it again. I have never seen so many 'chicken owners' fail to equip themselves with working knowledge of giant breeds BEFORE acquiring them. They are not difficult to feed and care for but require patience and dedication. The BJG is one of the toughest breeds.....if given a good start and fall into the hands of folks who aren't going to expect too much from them when they are still youngsters. Information on proper care is out there...look it up and follow the correct information...Don't fall for the 'Witchcraft' nonsense so many folks spread across the net.

Check out Joel Salatin at Polyface farms. They raise a lot of birds and do especially well with this breed. E-mail him or give him a call. He's an easy man to talk to and willing to help.

Good luck to all who go for it again. The brain has to be engaged when breeding/raising any chickens but the giants sorta' have "special needs" in their first 6 months...after that, they are very, very tough.

I am thinking on purchasing a few Giants in the Spring. I have 4 Barred Rocks pullets now with 2 roos. I wonder what one would get if they crossed a Rock with a Giant roo. Do you know of anyone who has done this? And if so - what did they look like?

I am thinking on purchasing a few Giants in the Spring. I have 4 Barred Rocks pullets now with 2 roos. I wonder what one would get if they crossed a Rock with a Giant roo. Do you know of anyone who has done this? And if so - what did they look like?

I am thinking on purchasing a few Giants in the Spring. I have 4 Barred Rocks pullets now with 2 roos. I wonder what one would get if they crossed a Rock with a Giant roo. Do you know of anyone who has done this? And if so - what did they look like?

I have 3 Jersey Giants but they segregate themselves from the other hens. I raised them all by hand but they have always been flighty and pick on the RIR.

I only had good experiences with mine. Good layers and mothers. Blended well with the flock.

So far, mine haven't become broody. I picked one of them up the other day and she went crazy on me. I was afraid she would stroke out on me so I put her down.

Jersey giants are nice birds; I have a well bred blue male and a commerically bred (from a commericial hatchery) black female. The female, one of a few I bought several years ago, is very small for a giant, actually all the commericial birds were. I am not sure why that is but the chickens I have bought from commerical hatcheries are really undersized for their breeds. The giants, however smaller than thier standard suggests, are really nice birds. I would buy them again, but from an exhibition breeder or a hatchery that raises show stock.

I bought mine from a farm store along with some RIR's. I have a beautiful rooster that is half JG and was hoping they could make a nice flock but no one will sit long enough.

I have had New Hampshires, wyandottes and silver grey dorkings sit. I also had a buff rock who was a good broody hen. It seems to depend on the breed and on the individual chicken as to whether or not she sits. My best broody hen to date was a black wyandotte. My friend had a brown leghorn that was a great mother and leghorns rarely go broody.

I wish they would sit still for a hatching. I don't really want to deal with an incubator and I'm not sure how long my rooster will be around, he is at least 5 yrs old but I would really like to have some of his offspring.