Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[3 NH reds]

New Issue you guys-- I have a true to breed (ie LARGE) hen that is broody again (she was for about 2 weeks last month but another tiny little hen stole her clutch one day and sat tight and hatched out the chicks and is strutting around the chicken yard mothering them, happy as can be)...
One thing I noticed the first time around is broken eggs in the nest -- and again this AM when I discovered she is brooding again the eggs are covered in yolk and straw stuck to them (I brushed them off, like I did last time)...

Does anyone have any experience with this?
Is this common with the Jersey giants d/t their large size-- she is so sweet and really seems to want to be a mother, I hope another hen doesnt swipe her eggs again...

(Long story, I did all sorts of things to try to get the broody and eggs into a dog crate for privacy but she would NOT set on the eggs and would return to the nest box in the coop... The chicks hatched out fine, I would probably have 6 chicks instead of the 4 that made it to hatch if I had been successful moving the hen, but Oh well, they are well integrated into the flock.....
SO here it is a month later... and that same hen... is back Broody again , in a nest box.... We leave town tonight for 4 days....)....

Yep I have been there. Had a Jersey hen that sat on and crushed the eggs given to her. Like Wynette said some are lousy brooders and given the large size, that doesn't help at all. If she ever went broody again I would place fake eggs under her and give her chicks when hatched in the incubator.

 

[HeritageEggs]

I bought 8 - 11 month old Black Giant Jersey's from a local farmer who just had too many. They range in size, all pullets - the largest one stands 2 feet tall - she is huge! As you can see her in the back/left her head is level with my lid on my large garbage can.


I get the largest egg from her which is always over 30 oz - (Jumbo) and it's a nice Rosey Pink...together they all lay Large to XL eggs, and a few Jumbo. They are great and fit in with the rest of my flock. I was looking for a good roasting bird and would ultimately like to try cross breeding a few with either my Chantecler rooster or BCM Rooster...as she is already about 13 lbs at 11 months, and will make the rotisserie on the BBQ bend. So my idea to get the ultimate meat bird for our freezer is crossing her with a great eating smaller bird like Chantecler? What do you think?

 

[Wynette]

I bought 8 - 11 month old Black Giant Jersey's from a local farmer who just had too many. They range in size, all pullets - the largest one stands 2 feet tall - she is huge! As you can see her in the back/left her head is level with my lid on my large garbage can.


I get the largest egg from her which is always over 30 oz - (Jumbo) and it's a nice Rosey Pink...together they all lay Large to XL eggs, and a few Jumbo. They are great and fit in with the rest of my flock. I was looking for a good roasting bird and would ultimately like to try cross breeding a few with either my Chantecler rooster or BCM Rooster...as she is already about 13 lbs at 11 months, and will make the rotisserie on the BBQ bend. So my idea to get the ultimate meat bird for our freezer is crossing her with a great eating smaller bird like Chantecler? What do you think?

Congrats on the new birds. I absolutely loe my Giants! The only problem with using them to cross for meat birds is that they grow extremely slow in comparison to most breeds.

 

[HeritageEggs]

Yes, they take up to 2 years to fully grow correct? I don't mind that at all, was hoping that because of that trait, I could use them as egg layers for the 2 years and then prep them for freezer without them being too tough? I can't imagine that these girls are going to get any bigger - in weight. So anyway I was hoping that because the slower production or growth, meant that it wouldn't be as tough a bird in comparison to other "stewing hens"? Now I'm going to check out your website *grins*

 

[silkiechicken]

Any bird over about 6 months is going to be tough... Any bird over about 4 months is going to be way tougher than any 6 week old store bird if that is the reference. They'll still be stew hens, just real big ones. LOL!

I LOVE my giants too! As a meat bird, I had an 8 month old boy that was near the size of a wild turkey!

 

[Wynette]

I LOVE my giants too! As a meat bird, I had an 8 month old boy that was near the size of a wild turkey!

Yep, they take a full 2 years to mature. You will be shocked when you see the difference - this is assuming they are a well-bred, heritage line. From the pic, they look like they could be pretty nice birds you have there.

I remember when my current line was a year old, I was so pleased with them, and thought they looked darn nice. But...after another 8 months...then another year passed....I was shocked at how much they had filled out. YOu pick them up and it's as if you have a feathered cinderblock under your arm! Seriously! When we walk past their pen, I stop and just stare at them, each and every time, to this day!

 

[8machines]

I bought 8 - 11 month old Black Giant Jersey's from a local farmer who just had too many. They range in size, all pullets - the largest one stands 2 feet tall - she is huge! As you can see her in the back/left her head is level with my lid on my large garbage can.


I get the largest egg from her which is always over 30 oz - (Jumbo) and it's a nice Rosey Pink...together they all lay Large to XL eggs, and a few Jumbo. They are great and fit in with the rest of my flock. I was looking for a good roasting bird and would ultimately like to try cross breeding a few with either my Chantecler rooster or BCM Rooster...as she is already about 13 lbs at 11 months, and will make the rotisserie on the BBQ bend. So my idea to get the ultimate meat bird for our freezer is crossing her with a great eating smaller bird like Chantecler? What do you think?
Wow, you are so lucky!! I just love these big birds. I could never eat them, or any of my girls, even if I wasn't a veggie. Congrats to you. Sure wish someone would give me just one. Mine are from a feed store so they probably won't be any bigger than my Orphingtons.

 

[HeritageEggs]

So you can never really eat a full grown Giant Jersey without it being tough? I thought they grew in stature and frame for the first year and then beefed up with muscle & breast in their second year? Butchering the chicken that early, will it even be worth eating?

 

[wlhtx]

About the JGs and the roosts, I wouldn't worry about it. My rooster's favorite spot to roost is on top of the 7 ft tall cyclone fence dog kennel... If they want up there, they'll get up there IME.

Our Reuben:

He is the BEST rooster. Very protective of his girls and gentle with them. He is two years old.

 

[silkiechicken]

I find it's really the literal age of an animal that determines how tough they are. Regardless of breed, a 8 week old bird is about as an 8 week old bird, while a 3 year old stew bird, be it a silkie bantam, a leghorn, or large bird, is a tough as a 3 year old bird.