Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[FinelyFeathered]

Hello all!!! Have 24 Jersey Giant eggs in the incubator with Hatch date June 13!!! I am so excited with starting a Jersey Giant flock!!!! This thread provides such wonderful and helpful info on the breed!!!! Can't wait for June 13!!!!

 

[informative]

I had always been amazed at how my production reds and red stars and other smaller chickens lay such large and jumbo eggs. The Langshans, Brahmas and Giants lay medium eggs. it finally occurred to me why this is. Evolution. If there was a Jersey Giant that were to lay huge eggs and then sit on them they would crush more easily because the larger eggs are easier to crack open. The smaller eggs are more sturdy. That would explain why they would evolve to be such large birds that lay smaller eggs.

Please share any thoughts on this discussion?

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

It could just be breeding for it:

An egg laying operation wants hens that produce allot of eggs, mature quickly (so they lay soon), and bigger eggs always better. On average it seems the professional egg operations feel hens are in their prime for a few years, after that not worth the feed. So no attention has probably been paid to improving egg size in this breed.

So I think the medium sized breeds fit the bill to work toward that goal of big egg for commercial layers, they matured faster then the Jersey, so they got the attention breeding wise to improve size. I think if Jersey breeders wanted to they could work towards bigger eggs too.

Sounds like a flock project.

 

[Sherene]

My Giants lay large and XL eggs, the only ones that lay small eggs are the pullets when they start out. The other breeders I work with also have Giants that lay L & XL eggs. Perhaps your girls are just young?

 

[FuzzyButtz]

Went back out for a 3rd attempt -- here they are.

Shrek, the Rooster.











Penny




Chicken Little (She's tiny..)


Jersey (Who I've had for almost a year, from a different breeder)

Well "Shrek" has been with me about a month now.. so much improvement in his condition!! I'm blaming his poor wing carriage on account of it being +28C!

 

[silkiechicken]

I had always been amazed at how my production reds and red stars and other smaller chickens lay such large and jumbo eggs. The Langshans, Brahmas and Giants lay medium eggs. it finally occurred to me why this is. Evolution. If there was a Jersey Giant that were to lay huge eggs and then sit on them they would crush more easily because the larger eggs are easier to crack open. The smaller eggs are more sturdy. That would explain why they would evolve to be such large birds that lay smaller eggs.

Please share any thoughts on this discussion?

Chickens are completely domestic. You are right in how evolution is at play, however, the evolutionary force is not based on eggs crushing to weight, it's solely human intervention and selective breeding for various traits. If someone spends billions of dollars in an industry where a JG were to produce leghorn sized eggs, you'd probably get there in the 60-70 years that the industry has pushed the leghorn production, however, other traits may be lost, such as shape, body size, weight. All depends on what you are breeding for.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Maybe you could get some JG eggs that are XL to hatch so you can improve that quality in your birds?

 

[countrydream7]

hi everyone nice day here in catskill mountains ...was cleaning out coops with a scraper what a pita..well i just bought a 1800 psi powerwasher fill with dawn detergent and a/c vinegar now coop refreshed and clean yeah..not back breaking work..goes so quick i think me and the chicks are happy now ...just a thought too pass around ...have a great day !!!!

 

[countrydream7]

ur chicks are very nice

 

[mathewmarie]

My chicks are 2-5 weeks old. How long do you think it will be before the needs a roost inside the coop? How long before I need nesting boxes out there? I could use extra time, but I don't wanna stunt their growth or anything...