Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[NellaBean]

JG do have an extremely ugly phase. My boy took forever to look "good". At 3-4 months old he looked like he was developing normally.

Then a month later, when my girls were already looking pretty well grown and getting to POL, here is what he looked like.

And then a month later he looked even worse.

But then 3-4 months later...

I have heard they "grow" up until 18 months or so, so he is only about halfway there. He is pretty impressive though

 

[sekinkead]

I am also interested in getting some blue and black Jersey Giants. My son is showing in 4-H and we are going to try showing at the Ohio National this year. I worry about the big comb and wattles in our cold weather though.

You all have some beautiful birds!

 

[larryj57]

I have 8 black JG that i bought from a breeder in Ga, he was checking the fertility of his eggs so i got the benifit of inexpensive chicks, they are very calm, nice to look at but man do they grow slow. i think I'll keep them just to check egg output when they come of age. i have a question anyone ever crossed the JG with a dominecker just to see what you get?

 

[larryj57]

I would post pictures but I haven't quite got that figured out yet

 

[Wynette]

Sugar Sand, do let us know how you do at the show!

I've never felt like my line grew slowly...maybe "matured" slowly, but I'm always surprised when they start laying around 22-24 weeks, just like any FS chook will. Seems like they ought to be laying later since they grow so large, doesn't it?

larry - check here for info. on posting pics: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1198

 

[greathorse]

I agree that they grow quite well it is just that they dont completely finish for quite a while. For me they just surprised me when they got beyond that year of age and just kept getting bigger and more finishied looking. The roosters were very much like that.

They just get to be awesome specimans at around 18 months.

 

[Wynette]

VERY true that finishing seems to take forever...they're worth the wait, IMO! I just love them!

 

[quailbrain]

What a wonderful thread. I am so interested in this breed and I think this thread pushed me more so. What wonderful birds!

 

[jerseygirl1]

How is the temperament on the roosters? I really want to order a JG roo from Ideal, there are no breeders here and I don't have an incubator

 

[greathorse]

You can order JG from a large hatchery if you want and you will get nice birds. They will look "nothing" like the stock you get from a breeder. I had some hatchery Black Jersey Giants and frankly you had to look hard to tell the difference between them and the Austrolorp's. The birds I got from a good breeder stick out like a sore thumb, folks that look at my flock wanted to know about the big awesome birds out there in the yard.

Your choice of course but just letting you know the difference