my jersey giants, aren't so giant ???

[bethandjoeync]

We ordered chicks last spring, a nice assortment of great layers in all different colors. DH desperately wanted black jersey giants, he really wanted some huge chickens I guess. They are now a year old and I am wondering when they will start looking bigger than the rest of the flock. I don't really notice a difference with them yet.
can anyone give me some insight on the breed?

 

[featherz]

These are from a big hatchery? I notice that all my hatchery birds turn out smaller than 'breeder' birds (aka ones I hatched myself from shipped eggs). Pics?

 

[muddyhorse]

hatchery JG are never as big as ones from a breeder. I would check out the Jersey giant thread and see if there is a breeder near you

 

[Big Blue]

We had Jersey Giants from a breeder and they did not get as big as our Sussex. Give your Jersey Giants time and see what you get.

 

[Bi0s]

got any pictures

 

[bethandjoeync]

that's the one thing I have heard, is they need time. I figured buy a year old I would notice a bit of a difference though. I agree, it probably has to do with hatchery quality...we got them from Cackle. it is supposed to be a really pretty day today. I will get some pictures of them and update the first post. they love taking pictures anyways, as long as I don't zoom in or out...the noise my camera makes when I do that always freaks them out and my roo hates it

 

[BoomChickaRocka]

Jersey Giants grow up in the first year, and out in the second.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have hatchery JG that are 4-5 years old. They are huge!

Mine were about 2 years old before I noticed a big difference and now everyone wants to know what that huge black bird is, besides my Langshans roo, of course.
I do not have a grown JG roo right now but have some chicks I hatched from a breeder. So far the JG chicks are not any bigger than my Marans chicks that hatched at the same time but I have huge Marans so I expect to see some big beauties next summer.

My Langshans/JG crosses are 6 months old and the roos are a good size but the girls are still average size. We will put the roos in the freezer but the girls will stay for my laying/free range flock. More nice big, possibly double yolked, eggs!

My JG on my website would be on the free ranging page but I am not sure if there are any good ones to show size. Maybe. There is a photo of my Langshans roo on my duck page but it doesn't show much for size either.

But as others have said, give it time. Yours will be big in another 6-8 months and next year you will see a considerable difference. The bigger they are the longer they take to grow.

 

[Illia]

Hatchery chickens almost never reach the size the breed should.


But, with Jersey Giants, even breeder lines can be a little on the small size. If you Jersey Giants are from a breeder but have the wrong sole color, that is one explanation.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

We ordered chicks last spring, a nice assortment of great layers in all different colors. DH desperately wanted black jersey giants, he really wanted some huge chickens I guess. They are now a year old and I am wondering when they will start looking bigger than the rest of the flock. I don't really notice a difference with them yet.
can anyone give me some insight on the breed?

I bought 2 JG pullets from TSC that turned out to be roos. Mine are great, gentle roosters. Alert, excellent with hens and introduced babies BUT they certainly aren't any bigger than the rest of the chickens. At 6mos, on great feed, they are average sized at best. The brahmas I bought are a month younger and already my brahmas roo is almost 2x the size of JG. tho I adore my JGs, I share your disappointment as I intended to cross breed for size, now must build more coops and order more JGs. Grrr!