Jersey Giants thread for pictures and discussion

[kathyinmo]

Oh boy, Wynette! I sure do agree on that! Not just Jersey Giants, but other heritage breeds, too. I have culled too early before. Dang, decisions are sooooo hard to make some times!

 

[chics in the sun]

Quote:
SURE, rub it in, why don't you? JK - but I would like to know how you managed to hatch all pullets. I got four out of five roos. Would you like to take a road trip to Florida and pick up my last one? He really is so sweet and friendly.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
SURE, rub it in, why don't you? JK - but I would like to know how you managed to hatch all pullets. I got four out of five roos. Would you like to take a road trip to Florida and pick up my last one? He really is so sweet and friendly.

Funny thing for me...the longer I've been breeding chickens, the more I hope for more males at each hatch.

 

[poularde]

I do not mean to rub it in.

I do not know what it is. When I want roos I do tend to hatch a lot of pullets. That happened with my Black Coppers too. I wanted a few roos so I could have a choice and again they were all pullets! Now that I said this watch I will have a boy overload.

Wish I could make the trip. I believe Florida is a little far...

 

[Soaring Chicks]

I have 4 blk from Bobbi a quad
Wynette- 2 blue pair, 2 splash Pair
Pride & joy - 1 blue pullet, 1 splash pullet
mahalo4- 1 splash pullet and sor far from what I can tell a quad of blues
Sunangle -3 blk chicks to young to sex but in a few weeks I hope to know or better chance on what they are.
So as of now I have 4 cockerels and I do wish I had another to pick from.
I hope to beable to still make the show - crossroads and would love to pick up a pair or trio of sq jg's there.
That way I can look at them and judge the ones I have now better by looking at the sq right there infront of me.
Does anyone know if there will be any at the show for sale?
The jg flyer sorry don't know the names yet - that you can order blks for the show.
It did not say what quality they would be. Good I'm sure but sq?
As for picking breeds first I find out what I want most out of my breeds for myself.
I love dual purpose breeds but they must lay good.
I like color eggs over white eggs. Eggs must be no smaller then med bigger is better!
From there on what talks to me.
Color, how they act as a breed, I like breeds were they have personality but not mean.
Right now I had to drop breeds from a set up I was very happy with and did not want to cut. I was so set I have not looked at other breeds. Then life happened again and I had to cut over 1/2 of what I have.
Talk about hard. So I really had to look deep watch, listen to my heart and clear my mind.
I found I liked some very much and just loved to the point I could not let go some where breeds others just a bird here and there.
I am cutting my wheatens and most of my ams,ee's ,oel.
Along with guineas and down to a pair or a pair of each turkey breed.
My call ducks stay they stold a piece of my heart as well as the jg's and the auburn Javas
My hubby has two colors of one breed he could not let go.
Katy the chick slw is a rooster and he is a keeper.
So what I'm getting at when picking breeds of any animal listen, wait, watch and let them pick you only then will you be very happy with what you have. Best of luck in that and roosters are a good thing too.

 

[chics in the sun]

Quote:
Sooo.. sounds like I just need to wish for roos next time. I'll try that.

 

[poularde]

Thank you, Soaring Chicks... I really like what you said. I will try to relax and be patient and see what happens.

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Quote:
Your welcome!
That is were most make a mistake they try to pick what they think they like best and it does not work out then comes the stress.
So relax animals might not speak English or that way but they do speak to you.
You just have to be open to them.
I'm sure you have one or two that come up to you and just check you out every time your in the coop.
When they are there everytime you know you have been picked.
Oh they will have their bad days and all but don't we all?
Once you get your breeds figured out and it gets to the point of culling.
You still listen and if that small chick you know the one that you say how te heck will I sell that one but something keeps holding you back from culling only to like wynette's friend said to turn out the best.
The hardest thing to do is not to do what is so human for is to do think to much read to much into something that is not there.
I'm guilty of it too.
I have been asking Wynette about a blk cockerel that at this point looks bad.
Then when I look into the birds eye I see something ( sorry wynette )
That is not showing in the rest of the bird everything I have read is saying comb is bad , not to par on this or that and so oh.
So I saw I needed help and asked for it.
So culling is very hard and don't be worried about asking for help.
Where better to learn then from breeders that have been there and are still there.
They are a big help. One more plus for jg's the breeders are not cut throat and are willing to help each other.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
DITTO THAT! Having Marans...well, I love them to pieces, but....oh never mind, I'd best not!

Soaring - you have a good head on your shoulders - it's obvious that you care for your stock, but aren't silly about it! I like that in a person! I feel like you DO need to have a part of you that just really likes a breed...maybe for no one specific reason, maybe for an odd reason, but you just have to look at them and it makes you smile. Once you have that part, and decide you can live with the utility of the bird - I think that's what you need to really move forward. I'm sure I'm not explaining it well. But, you know, you look at your stock some days and see all the wrong...take a break, maybe, and then a week later, look again and see all the right! Know what I mean? Those days where you see nothing but WORK when you look at your stock, for me, that's when I go spend some time with another breed and "see" all the good going on in that pen. It motivates me to move forward with the other breeds.

My biggest challenge has been time. I work full time, and will not have livestock that I don't have the time to take of properly...I won't do a half-a$$ (whoopsie!) job, if I find I don't have enough time, it's time to downsize. For me, this is a hobby. A serious one, but a hobby. My hubby is the most imporant thing in my life, and he comes before my chooks, but they're not far behind! When I retire, I plan to have MANY more chooks than I do now!

 

[kathyinmo]

Speaking of culling..........

I have an entire hatch I believe I will be culling.

It appears to me that they will all have yellow running clear up their legs. They are still young (2 months), and I am watching, but I just see it coming.........
Can you see it coming in this picture?