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Jersey Giant

The Jersey Giant is the largest chicken variety (roosters average 13 lbs., hens average 11 lbs.)....

General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Seldom
Climate Tolerance
Cold
Egg Productivity
Medium
Egg Size
Large
Egg Color
Light Brown
Breed Temperament
Friendly,Easily handled,Calm,Docile
Breed Colors/Varieties
Black, White, Blue, Splash
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
American
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The well named Jersey Giant chicken is the largest purebred breed of chicken. It was the result of a breeding program started around 1870 by John and Thomas Black in New Jersey, with the original objective of the breed being a replacement for the turkey. The resulting adult birds are massive in size with mature roosters weighing in at 13 lbs, hens 10 lbs, and capons capable of reaching 20 lbs.

The Jersey Giant is known as a calm and docile breed with an even temperament. Adults are very poor flyers so are relatively easy to keep confined, they are fine foragers and are sometimes used as a slow growing meat bird on pasture. The hens are fair to good layers of large brown eggs and are known as very good winter layers. They will occasionally go broody. The roosters are said to have exceptionally good temperaments. They are single combed, clean legged, and recognized in three colors, black, white, and blue. The breeds used in the development of the Jersey Giant included Javas, Orpingtons, Langshans, and Brahmas.

The breed was recognized by the APA in 1922 and is on The Livestock Conservancy's Watch list.

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Jersey Giant chicks

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Jersey Giant juvenile

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Jersey Giant hen

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Jersey Giant rooster

For information about this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-jersey-giant.1007948/

Latest reviews

Beauties
Pros: Very calm, quiet and sweet
Cons: Very shy
I have recently purchased 3 Black Jersey Giants. I have with them 3 Barred Rocks and 6 Gold Lace Wyandottes. These girls are sweet and laid back. One of them, Annie loves to be on my lap or arm for pets and snuggles, and she doesn’t appreciate when I pay attention to others. My other 2 girls Betty & Pearl are shy. They don’t want pets or to be picked up but they come for treats and eat out of your hand and they come close to just “hang out” by you. I don’t mind if they take a bit longer to mature. I love them
Egg size
Pros: medium to large 8 months old
Cons: small eggs, smaller than red chickens
I felt and was told these Jersey Giants from McMurray Hatchery would lay larger brown eggs than any other breed. Now, after 8 months the eggs are small eggs like bantie eggs. Some are not dark brown at all. I am at a loss on this even with the best feeds and care. I have over 275 dollars in these 15 giants 13 hens, 2 roosters.
Purchase Price
90 dollars, 15 birds
Purchase Date
8 months ago
Impressed with out Black Jersey Giants
Pros: Hardy, Large, Docile, Nice Roosters
Cons: None!
We are 1 year into owning a flock of 30 JGs. We raised a straight run and butchered our excess roosters for meat. We have a large family (7) and one of these birds is plenty for us. We experimented with processing ages and found the roos had filled out adequately around 7-8 months (5 lb skinned carcass) Meat was fantastic! We had a bachelor pasture of electric poultry fence to keep out predators and they didn't eat much, we fed them high protein feed along with all our table scraps and garden excess.
Now for eggs, we have been very pleased. We must have got a good strain because we've gotten more eggs than I expected and sooner... all the hens were laying between 6-7 months, very regularly. And thru the winter they have been fantastic. Remember they must have access to water 24/7 to keep laying, so if their water is freezing that's going to be a factor. We have 28 laying hens and have gotten 33 eggs in the last two days! I am thrilled as it's only February. We think we found our favorite dual purpose breed! PS. Nice roosters are so appreciated when you want to keep a breeding flock!

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B
Big Egg 1090
May i ask the weight and size of your giant eggs? Mine are very small after 8 months and good care.

Comments

Chickens can live a lot more than five years..don't worry about that. I, too, totally prefer a broody hen to an incubator. The hens take such great care of the chicks too.
 
It should stop after pecking order is established but I would remove her from the coop for a week or so to make sure she stays at bottom of order
 
Tough lesson to learn, I went through the same experience. If you are interested in breeder quality I can provide you with good sources.
 
My Jerseys are some of the best birds I have ever had only fault is they tend to waste alot of food but if I miss a feeding they quickly clean up their mess. I have a Big Blue Rooster and a Big Black one. The Black is the ladies man sleeps with 3 hens close to him. while the old Blue tends to sllep by himself in one of the nest boxes. Chicks are moving to the big brooder today once it stops raining
 
Actually, she was not done laying...she jrecently hatched a beautiful bright silver chick for us who looks exactly like her except for the coloring. Hopefully baby will have her personality, though it is a mix breed. Flossie has been an excellent momma, very attentive and patient with her baby.
 
HAVE R.I.R and THE JERSEYS ARE BY FAR SO MUCH SWEETER...THEY HAVE PERSONALITY!!!

I have a mix of the RIR and Jersey Giants and the Giants are so much friendlier...easy to handle...come when I'm around the coop...let me treat them when they need treated...My first time with chickens...I'm sold on this breed...no contest...
 
My last flock I had, we couldn't step outside without some form of protection because he was very mean. However, we got another JG rooster this new flock, although he's timid and does not approach, he doesn't show any aggressive traits
 
My last flock I had, we couldn't step outside without some form of protection because he was very mean. However, we got another JG rooster this new flock, although he's timid and does not approach, he doesn't show any aggressive traits
If he is bad to the point that he is rushing to you every chance he gets, I recommend that when he attacks you, scoop him up and hold him against your side, clamped under your arm, no matter how much he squawks and flops. You can continue to do whatever really, just hold him until he’s calm, afterwards, set him down. If he squawks or kicks as you release him, pick him up again and repeat the cycle until he walks away peacefully when you set him down.
 
I have had hundreds of Jersey Giants for several years and have found the usual information about them false. First myth to clear up, they don't need a bigger nest box than normal chickens. I have had them lay in a 6 inch wall cavity so a 12 inch standard nest box would be spacious. They don't eat more than other chickens. I have had them in small groups for breeding and they eat at the same rate as every other breed I raise. About 15 breeds all together. I had a 22lbs rooster that was a beast. Very gentle but huge. I have a video of him and a normal sized buff orpington could almost walk under him. He was almost 30 inches tall. They are slow to grow and it seems that is the secret to large size, they don't stop growing like most breeds at about 6 months. My largest bird kept growing and reached his peak at about 18 months. Some of them stopped growing a little sooner. My average was about 16 lbs for the roosters. I didn't weigh the hens. They lay well in the winter without artificial light. I didn't notice any drop off in egg production in colder months. My hens during breeding laid on average 5.7 eggs per week or almost 300 eggs a year. That was more than they are supposed to lay. I have had some of my prized hens lay well for 3 years.
 
I have had hundreds of Jersey Giants for several years and have found the usual information about them false. First myth to clear up, they don't need a bigger nest box than normal chickens. I have had them lay in a 6 inch wall cavity so a 12 inch standard nest box would be spacious. They don't eat more than other chickens. I have had them in small groups for breeding and they eat at the same rate as every other breed I raise. About 15 breeds all together. I had a 22lbs rooster that was a beast. Very gentle but huge. I have a video of him and a normal sized buff orpington could almost walk under him. He was almost 30 inches tall. They are slow to grow and it seems that is the secret to large size, they don't stop growing like most breeds at about 6 months. My largest bird kept growing and reached his peak at about 18 months. Some of them stopped growing a little sooner. My average was about 16 lbs for the roosters. I didn't weigh the hens. They lay well in the winter without artificial light. I didn't notice any drop off in egg production in colder months. My hens during breeding laid on average 5.7 eggs per week or almost 300 eggs a year. That was more than they are supposed to lay. I have had some of my prized hens lay well for 3 years.
Greetings from Greece. I bought my first black giant pullet about 2 weeks before. She is so beautiful!
Are they hardy and robust?
 
After 7 years of chicken keeping, I would say this is one of the hardiest breeds I've had the pleasure to keep! Texas heat and drought, they beat it. Crazy cold freezes in the winter. No problem. Easy to introduce to an established flock. They are not aggressive, but they aren't easily pushed around either! I'm so glad I have them! I hope to add more someday!
 
I have 33 chickens in a mixed flock of Buckeye, Midnight majesty Marans, Speckled Sussex, Black jersey Giants, White Jersey Giants, Calico princess, Dominique, easter Eggers, Buckey, lavender Orpington, and buff orpingtons. My friendliest chicken is a Black Jersey Giant Pullet, she wants to be held all the time if I ignore her she yanks on my clothing until I pick her up. She stands be me when I am out with the chickens and has nothing to do with the other chickens antics while I am around. It's like she is saying what am I doing out here I'm not a chicken! ;) I love my little girl!
 
Hello I am in search of jersey giant chicks or hatching eggs. I am in southeast Texas and would like to pick up if possible. But I will ship if necessary. I am interested in size and rate of lay over show quality. So the bigger the better!!! Thanks in advance
 

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Category
Chicken Breeds
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