Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Were they laying before you bought them? At that age they should be. It is very common for any chicken to stop laying when moved. It is quite stressful for them to move. They do not like change at all. Last year I bought a trio of Cuckoo Marans that were established excellent layers. They did not lay for me for one full month. When they did begin, they were excellent layers; it just took a while. Another example .... I just moved my birds around; made alot of pens and coop changes. Several of mine are not happy and have either quit laying or slowed down. (They keep trying to go back home, to their old nests!)

Any little thing, like just changing the coop around (move nests) really stresses them.

If your Jersey Giants have yellow on the bottom of their feet, they should be real Jersey Giants!

 

[suzettex5]

Heres what I was told-

They are 'about' 9 months old. Apparently the people I bought them from had themselves recently bought them at a nearby auction. I dont know how long they had them before I bought them. The sellers told me they expected them to start laying anywhere from a few days to a few weeks! Its been 2 weeks now and no eggs. They free range, get tons of fresh fruit and veggies everyday, get flock raiser and oyster shells (in moderation) and get meal worms too. They have a kind young JBG roo who they wont let near them, but he doesnt even try to 'romance' them so???.... I had an egg eater suspicion so I put 2 freshly laid eggs from myother hens in the yard and they were looking at the egg, gave it a few experimental pecks and then totally ignored the eggs for the next 3 hours till I removed them. Could they possibly not be as old as the seller said? I know you cant always relyon auction info.... If I posted some pics, could you, or someone give an opinion as to the possible age? What should I put by them for a size comparasin?

 

[kathyinmo]

Sure, post a picture of them! We can sure try!

 

[suzettex5]

Ooops, got dark before I could snap any pictures! I will take some in the morning and post- maybe some one can hazard a guess as to their age then. I know its tough to tell a hens age once she gets bigger, so I dont have high expectations about that. I forgot to answer your ealier question Kathyinmo, the people I bought them from said they had not layed any eggs yet for them. Is there such a thing as a hen that doesnt lay eggs??? (not counting the breeds rendered infertile due to breeding specific breeds known to produce infertile offspring)

 

[slickchik]

Something just doesn't add up about your Jerseys. They should be laying eggs if they really are nine months old. Can you post pics of them next to an adult hen of another breed? I want to see how big they are.

 

[suzettex5]

Here are some pics of them from today next to a 2 liter of sprite. My 3 year old was 'helping'

The hens all around them are 9 weeks old, my older hens are out free-ranging so I couldnt get them in the pics. Our Jersey roo is in one of the pics too- Mr. Fluffinator (my DD named him!)

Dont they look big enough to lay?

 

[seminolewind]

Sometimes I think the winter delays when they start laying. Try golf balls in the nesting boxes.

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

does anyone have any white giants ??? i am looking for some... thanks

 

[suzettex5]

Quote:
Will try that today! I finally saw my JBG roo 'lovin' one of his hens today, maybe I'll get eggs soon??? Seminole wind, what kind of chicken is that in your avatar? It looks kinda like my polish/ maran mixed hens????

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Will try that today! I finally saw my JBG roo 'lovin' one of his hens today, maybe I'll get eggs soon??? Seminole wind, what kind of chicken is that in your avatar? It looks kinda like my polish/ maran mixed hens????

That's my Lola, she's a buff lace polish/ white crested black polish cross.