Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[mahalo4]

Yes I agree We are breeding back to a blue Roo/for better color & lacing. You told me about Your original line We are upgrading also. Did You like the splash at all?

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
The coloring of the splash hen is fabulous! But, her back is more "U" shaped than nice & straight/flat. She appears to have good size, thought that's always tough to guage via pics! For SURE, she's VERY pretty!

 

[mahalo4]

Wynette thank You for Your Time, You are always a great help,now back to the drawing board & watch the backs also,I have not had any Black hens that are keepers,but I think I finally have 1 from Gen. 3!!

 

[Wynette]

I am having the same issue. Last two batches of purchased eggs from really good stock I have only had one black pullet that's a keeper. That's my goal for 2011 - some really good "keeper" black pullets!

 

[Wynette]

This is a horrible pic, they are all moving, but I wanted to find one that had an example of both toplines - the pullet in the front, when she is standing still and in natural, relaxed state, has a back as straight as a board - and LONG. This is a Maria Hall. The pullet behind her and to the right is the same age, and is a Porto line pullet - she, too, has a very nice, straight & long back when she's standings still. But, the pullet in the back to the left - that's one that I sold. You can see she has a VERY "U" shaped back. I'll see if I can find some better pics.

 

[mahalo4]

The splash does have a straight back she was trying to duck under the coop. The Black Hens are not size worthy & have a U back. Your birds are great! I give my not worthy to my Dad,& a friend for layers & the Roos go to freezer camp.I am really excited about Gen 3!!

 

[Billjr]

Nice birds Mahalo, I like the color variances, but wonder which are SOP for JG's. Maybe Wynette or someone else that may or may not be/have some judging experience could let us know exactly what judges look for in JG's. Type equals-? Color equals-? Etc. What all the disqualifications would be, and so on. Something similar to the Heritage RIR and RIR thread. The originator has compilied a ton of info as to what the bird should look like. He obviously spent some time. Maybe if someone on the JG thread got some time we could all be better breeders or at least just more informed.

 

[Wynette]

Bill, you need to get super familiar with the SOP to begin - I keep it handy & refer to it constantly as my memory is horrible for details! Here it is:

Jersey Giant SOP:

MALE:
COMB: Single, rather large, straight and upright, having six well defined and evenly serrated points, the blade following the contour of the neck.
BEAK: Moderately short, stout, well-curved.
FACE: Surface smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Large, round and full.
WATTLES: Medium size, well rounded at lower ends fine in texture, free from fold or wrinkles.
EAR LOBES: Moderately large, extending down one-half the length of the wattles, smooth.
HEAD: Rather large, broad.
NECK: Moderately long, full, well-arched.
BACK: Rather long, broad, nearly horizontal, with a short sweep to tail.
TAIL: Rather large, full, well-spread, carried at an angle of forty-five degrees (45*) above horizontal. Main tail -- broad and overlapping. Sickles -- of just sufficient length to cover main tail feathers. Coverts -- moderately abundant and medium in length.
WINGS: Medium size, well-folded, carried at same angle as the back. Primaries and Secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Broad, deep, full, carried well forward.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- long, wide, deep, compact smooth at sides. Keel -- long. Fluff -- moderately full, smooth.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from front. Lower thighs -- large, medium length, well-feathered. Shanks -- stout in bone, moderately long. Toes -- four on each foot, medium length.

STANDARD WEIGHTS:
Cock ....... 13 lbs
Hen ........ 10 lbs
Cockeral ... 11 lbs
Pullet ....... 8 lbs

DQs:

Bottoms of feet showing complete absence of yellow.

In addition to that, under the BLACK Jersey Giants, it says ..
More than one-half inch of positive white showing on the surface, or two or more feathers tipped or edged with positive white.

Points:

I just found (on page 39 of the colored SOP book) the points system for the SOP. "The General Scale of Points." Anybody interested? There are 2 sets of points. One is for white and one is for other than white. The ones with * are points for, "other than white." The only difference in these, from the white, is that the shape and color are different points, but the total in that category is the same. The other points (without the *) are the same, white or not. ..... OK, here are the 100 points broken down:

SYMMETRY: 4 (shape)
WEIGHT OR SIZE: 4 (shape)
CONDITION AND VIGOR: 10 (shape)
COMB: 5 (shape)
BEAK: 3 (2 for shape, 1 for color)
SKULL & FACE: 4 (3 for shape, 1 for color)
EYES: 4 (2 for shape, 2 for color)
WATTLES: 2 (shape)
EARLOBES: 4 (2 for shape, 2 for color)
*NECK: 6 (1 for shape, 5 for color)
*BACK: 12 (6 for shape, 6 for color)
*TAIL: 8 (4 for shape, 4 for color)
*WINGS: 8 (3 for shape, 5 for color)
*BREAST: 10 (5 for shape, 5 for color)
*BODY & FLUFF: 8 (5 for shape, 3 for color)
LEGS & TOES: 8 (5 for shape, 3 for color)

So, it looks to me like that back is really important! 12 points there!

SHAPE: BACK: Rather long, broad, nearly horizontal, with a short sweep to tail. For the hen: Rather long, broad it's entire length, carried nearly horizontal, ending in a short sweep to tail.

COLOR:
COMB, FACE, WATTLES & EAR LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Black, shading to yellow toward the tip.
EYES: Dark brown.
SHANKS & TOES: Nearly black with a tendency towards willow; black preferred. Underpart of feet, yellow.
PLUMAGE: (for blacks) lustrous greenish black; undercolor dull black.

Did you know you suffer point loss if the bird is too big (or too small)? Underweight is -2 for each pound. Over standard is: no cut for first pound, -2 for each additional pound. (I believe that is up to -4 points total, as it says weight or size is worth a total of 4 points ... right?) I looked at this, because I just love them HUGE ! LOL

Female Jersey Giant SHAPE

COMB: Single; moderately large, having 6 well defined points and evenly serrated points, conforming to the contour of head. (See American females in production, page 34)
BEAK: Moderately short, stout, well-curved.
FACE: Surface smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Round, large, full.
WATTLES: Medium in size, fine in texture.
EAR-LOBES: Medium in size, smooth.
HEAD: Medium size, broad.
NECK: Moderately long and full.
BACK: Rather long, broad its entire length, carried nearly horizontal, ending in a short sweep to tail.
TAIL: Moderately long, well-spread, carried at an angle of 30 degrees (30*) above horizontal. Main Tail -- broad and overlapping.
WINGS: Medium size, well-folded, carried at same angle as the back.
Primaries and Secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Full and deep, broad, carried well forward.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- long, wide, deep, compact smooth at sides.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart straight when viewed from the front.
Lower Thighs -- large, medium length, well feathered.
Shanks -- moderately long, stout in bone.
Toes -- four on each foot, medium length, straight, well-spread.

Things to watch for would be feet that are not yellow on the bottom, look for that nice, long, straight back, tails not too spread or long, I've seen some with legs that appear to be too short (look at the overall picture to get a good conformation of the bird). SOP approved colors are white, black, and blue.

 

[fifelakelooper]

How do I learn...or where...the lingo? Some I figure out...SOP...standards of perfection (guess) DQ....don't know. Is that "doesn't qualify>?" I did copy from somewhere online....what to look for in Jersey's. I realize also that some people do not worry about the strict standards if are just for a hobby or utilitarian use. I gather that since Jerseys aren't good for meat production.. (too long of growing period).nor really egg production...this breed is more for "showing">>?? Or as just a personal hobby? Or to "preserve" the breed? I'm really and truly new to this breed so I'm reading up as much as possible on them.

 

[Wynette]

DQ - disqualification. With any breed, there are things that would immediately disqualify them.

You can breed them for whatever purpose suits you. They are fine for eating, but yes, they are slow growing. I find mine to be decent egg layers, of XL to Jumbo eggs; my eating egg customers appreciate that. A utility strain would likely be a better egg layer. A show strain is chosen for size, conformation, color, to preserve them as a heritage breed...many reasons.

I don't find it "wrong" to decide to keep them for any reason - just be open & honest about it if you sell hatching eggs so that folks know what your purpose in breeding them is. I guess at the end of the day, YOU have to enjoy what you are doing. So, breed for whatever reason suits you best, and then just go for it!