Giant Sized Chickens

[DonnaBelle]

I went to a poultry show in Shawnee, Ok. A breeder there had absoutely humongous chickens, about 2=3 times the normal sized chicken.

Does anyone here raise those giant chickens, and if so, how did you get them so big?? The ones I saw were buff orpingtons.

DonnaBelle

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

Well they just look bigger because they have light feathers.

My roo is taller than my 2 year old daughter.

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

And if they were overweight, thats not healthy either.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

It's because the birds are show quality. Show quality birds are known for being MUCH larger than hatchery quality birds. Hatchery quality birds are bred for production. The more eggs they lay, the more the company makes. Breeders of show quality birds breed towards a breed standard, so egg production is not the most important aspect they breed for.

I breed Langshans, but as for the Orpingtons, I can't remember who in our area has them other than Superior Farms in Yukon, OK. Thing is, Superior Farms is not selling eggs/chicks at this time. They are replenishing their breeder birds.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I didn't know that!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Yep, Rodriguez beat me to saying it

If you think SQ orpingtons are large--check out a SQ brahma

 

[americana-chick]

Ya BOs can be bigger but they look so big because of their feathers

 

[Chris09]

SQ birds are a lot bigger that the typical hatchery bird..

Rhode Island Reds - 9 lbs
Plymouth Rocks - 10 lbs
Orpington - 10 lbs
Cochin - 11 lbs
Brahma - 12 lbs
Jersey Giant -13 lbs

Chris

 

[osukrazykate]

I was at that same show. There were many breeds where the chickens were huge. They weren't fat, just very big chickens. I too want to get some myself. Even the Barred Rocks were really large.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
My JG's were from a hatchery and they are not as big as I had expected. Oh well.