Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[alohachickens]

If you still have that picture, please share! I've always wondered what it would be like to "meet" a Jersey Giant in person.

Hi, Aloha! It's funny you mention this - a few months ago, someone contacted me looking for a splash Giant cock bird. I have one that I'm not super keen on (though the longer I have him, the more he's growing on me), so I told him I "may" have one that I'd be willing to sell. He asked me to send him pictures taken with the bird standing next to a milk crate, which worked out fabulous for me, since that's what I use to put their drinkers/waterers on in the warm weather. So, I totally get what you mean - it's great to have a frame of reference so as to see the height/width of them!

 

[Wynette]

aloha, I sure don't. I took it with my cell phone and I ended up deciding not to sell him. But I most definitely need to get some current pics of my Giants, and HOPEFULLY I can do that this coming weekend - most definitely I'll post them!

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Are any of you "peeps" in the National Jersey Giant Club?

 

[Soaring Chicks]

There are a few of us.
Wynette, kathy, and I am. There are a hew I know I'm missing just can't think of their byc names.
:/ sorry for the ones I missed guess they will or someone else will say they are.
Wynette -
All have yellow feet. The rooster has a lighter shade of yellow.
The u shape girl was the one I really was not sure on sometimes she looks good then the rest like re picture. The rooster is like this alot but not all the time. He was scared of the flash.
The splash girls starts ducking her head and doing anything but stand right as soon as she sees the camera. I will keep trying. The pullets look a mess now with 3 roosters trying to balance while breeding. The poor tail feathers are just in bad shape now.
So looks like I may be down to 7 pullets by time spring is over.
Thanks for helping me as you know I see them everyday and it starts to get normal seeing them with faults you know you saw at one time but not so much now.
Helps keep me seeing straight and work toward getting my flock to hopefully sq birds one day.
Thanks again!!!

 

[Wynette]

Soaring, for sure, I know where you're coming from. I had a blue boy that I was absolutely enamored with. He looked fantastic....up until about 40 weeks, when he decided it was time to stop growing. Sigh. I'm sure he didn't LITERALLY stop, but the one I had in mind for the back-up kept right on, growing at a nice, steady rate, and has surpassed the one I thought was my very best prospect.

This breed, for SURE, is not one for folks in a hurry! It's best to wait it out, let them grow, and make decisions as late as possible.

 

[Billjr]

Hey Wynette, here are my two JG hens at two years old they molted last fall, late. Let me know what the look like as far as S.O.P. I think the tails may be at a.little high of an angle, but the backs are long and flat and the have a pretty good bowl shape on their lower bodies. I got the eggs they came from from a place in Vineland NJ.They had an auction on ebay. Thanks.

 

[Billjr]

Here is a mixed Rooster I need to get rid of. He and his sister were supposed to be pure JG but he has grey bottoms of the feet and his sister has pink. He is as wide across the chest as a basket ball.The above hen's have yellow foot bottoms.

 

[Wynette]

Hey Wynette, here are my two JG hens at two years old they molted last fall, late. Let me know what the look like as far as S.O.P. I think the tails may be at a.little high of an angle, but the backs are long and flat and the have a pretty good bowl shape on their lower bodies. I got the eggs they came from from a place in Vineland NJ.They had an auction on ebay. Thanks.

Hiya, Bill!

I was reminded very recently by my Giant mentor that I need to remember that it is difficult, if not almost impossible, to judge a bird by one photo. There should be 6-12 of each bird. Males will most always look like they have an incorrect back angle (too upright) because they are often on alert when someone is in their pen, near their hens. So, for males, one needs to really watch them walking around to make an assessment of their back angle. My apologies if I offended earlier!!

As you mingle with your flock, for both sexes, view them directly from above. You are looking for a very rectangular shape from the front to back; any TRIANGULAR shaped birds, do not use for breeding. This is VERY difficult to get back out if you do use them. You want to see that broadness from the front to the back.

So all this being said, Bill, I see a much nicer length of back on your blue than on the splash. Both have nice underlines, though the splash actually looks a big deeper in the keel from the picture - again, it's tough to know for sure. I'm personally not keen on the splashe's tail; I like the blue's tail better. They also both appear to be a bit downhill, but clearly, they are walking, so it might not be so in person. Their backs should be exactly horizontal to the ground. I love their wing carriage, and the lacing on the blue is very nice.

Check for the rectangular body shape I mentioned; also check to be sure they have yellow on the bottoms of their feet. Do you have weights on these hens, Bill? My guess would be they are a bit too light, but again, that's really tough to know from a pic!! They are both lovely.

Whoops - I was typing as you posted the pic of your cock bird, Bill. Sorry. Yes, he needs to go. Good on you for the decision to not use him. Goodness, that tail look like a Leghorn! Oh, and I see your gals above DO have yellow on their foot bottoms - Great!

 

[Billjr]

Any body wants him come and take him. He is however very protective of the hens. Strangers get jumped on. He is big and gorgeous but full of testosterone.

 

[Billjr]

I have'nt weighed the hens. I would guess 8-9lbs. I'll try to weigh them.