Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[mrchicks]

As the 14 chicks always kicking up a fuss in the brooder can't possibly be enough, I just put 10 JG eggs into lockdown in the incubator this evening.

 

[Spoiled Birds]

Thanks for sharing.
I was taking pictures my chicks tonight and got 'Streaky' out to look her over.
I think some feathers on her back are TRYING to come back.

They are barely sticking out of the Calamus (The short, hollow, tubular,
unpigmented end of the mature feather inserted into the feather follicle
and thus present below the skin level).
I don't mind if she's small, I just hope she gets her feathers and stays healthy.

Streaky Pecker & Streaky
(Pecker got his name from pecking everyone's feathers, he was living alone
until Streaky started getting picked on and I realized she was stunted. He
doesn't pick on her, I know cause I sat and just observed them for like 45 min
one day)

 

[mrchicks]

Maybe she's just a late bloomer. Keep us all posted please!

 

[Spoiled Birds]

I will. I really hope she thrives, that's for sure.
I have a nack for ending up with roosters! The 3rd chick that came with BooBoo and Streaky is a darn boy!
Then I have pecker & his buddy who is actully either a black sexlink or a marans...Nothing can do, got those 2 from a dude that just hatches the eggs from his nearby farm neighbors.

 

[mrchicks]

I seem to have the same problem regarding roosters. In my tenders pen (11 weeks old) 6 out of 10 are little roos. I could scream. My hatch before that I ended up with 2 hens, 4 roos. I have my fingers crossed staring at my 10 nuggets (7weeks) right now. The chicklets are only 1 1/2 week, so I have serious waiting to do on those. My luck has to change, right?

 

[Spoiled Birds]

You can only hope.
6 silkies equiled 2 girls.
9 Old English Game Bantams equiled 4 girls.
2 BJG's equiled 2 boys.
7 Dark Brahmas equiled 2 girls?
5 Silver Laced Wyndottes equiled 1 lame/disabled hen.
5 BJG chicks equiled 2 girls and one is stunted or somthing.
3 Aracunas equiled 2 girs.
3 baby Cochins equiled 1 roo.
So is your luck better than mine?

 

[mrchicks]

Yikes! I think we both have miserable luck.

 

[pollo portero]

Ok, I need some help from you Blue JG breeders out there. Last year I managed to get 3 nice Blue pullets that grew into a trio of sweet hens. I always intended to breed them, but couldn't find a Roo to do the job. About a month ago I got lucky on Facebook and found someone selling 5 6 month old cockerels! Sweet! I had to drive about 3 hours to get to the breeder, but when I got there, she offered to give me the rest of the cockerels for free. COOL! So, I have had the boys for a month now trying to get to know them, but I have to pick one (maybe 2) to keep and sell the others. So, what should I look for? I read the SOP description, but it seems so vague sometimes (define "medium" length for example)! Each has a nice feature. What quality is the most important? Size? Color? Lacing? Comb points? Tail Angle? The best looking one is, also, the smallest. The one with the nicest color has bad feet and I don't even think he could hold onto a hen. So, where do I start/ any advice would be very helpful. Thanks, All!!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

OMG, my 4 year old JG HEN has started to crow. Yes, HEN.

She just lost her best buddy a week ago and is really upset. I can tell. I have three other Buff Orpingtons in the run with her but they are a tight group. And she's made it clear to them that she's the alpha so they stay clear of her. So she's lonely.

But I live in the suburbs and I can't have a crower. Are there ways to discourage this behavior?

She's a very spoiled hen. She get's a piece of banana from me every afternoon. And I used to give her a good scratch once a week or so when she squatted but now I'm making her squat for me twice a day. Not sure if that will do anything or not. She is still laying eggs.

In the four years since I got chickens, I've had sour crop, impacted crop, some other crop issue that we never could figure out, egg binding, fatty liver disease, bumble foot and bullies galore. I got a sexed pullet that turned out to be a rooster. I lost a hen to ovarian cancer and one who got it's neck snapped when another hen jumped on her. I feel like I've got a curse over my head and I'm never meant to be successful at just having a few hens in my backyard for eggs and pest control.

I'm so jealous of others who got hens years ago and still have ALL the same hens. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I'm just about at my whits end. But I dearly love my hens and I know I'd be sad to say goodbye to them.

Are there any ways to deal w/ a crower? I think I may lock her in the coop till 7am. That will muffle it. Might make her crazy and do a rousing round of Buk Buk Buk BAGAWWWK!!!

I'm really just venting. I'm very sad and feel very alone today and just don't understand why this is all happening to me.

 

[Spoiled Birds]

can you spend more time with her?