CINDA'S BLUE JERSEY GIANT CHICKENS


The most common color in Jersey Giant Chickens is Black. Other colors include Blue, Blue-Splashed and White. These are the largest of the giant breeds of chickens, are very gentle, easy to handle, and fun to raise.



                             
                                 

Please note that ALL PHOTOS in this website are photos that were taken on our premises of our own individual birds at CBF Super Quail, by use personally and may NOT be used without permission. Thank you!!  : )

Top row, from left to right: Day-old chicks, a blue on the left, splash in the middle and the black chick is on the right (you can determine color when the chick hatches, but not the gender by color - they are not "sexlink" chickens); Next is a pair of Blacks, the rooster being my favorite, Bubba and the hen now resides in a museum in Dallas, Texas; on the right is a lovely Splash hen. On the bottom row is a photo of me with my main Blue breeder roo, Mr. Beefy. In the middle is another photo of Mr. Beefy, my model boy! His female counterpart in the chicken modeling is Henrietta, who was 6 months old in that photo!

 An interesting note, the word Black the name "Black Jersey Giant" does not refer to color, it is in reference to the Black brothers who developed the breed.

S  T  A  T  I  S  T  I  C  S

Scientific classification: Gallus domesticus (all domestic chickens are the same classification)

Incubation period: 21 days, sometimes as late as 22 or 23 (I always leave developed eggs in the hatching tray for about three days after the first chick hatched and am often rewarded for my efforts! The late hatchers are NOT unthrifty, sickly chicks.)

Humidity for incubator: 50 - 60%

Move to hatcher/stop turning: 18 days

Matures at: Hens may lay as early as 6 months, but chickens are not completely filled out until 12-24 months.

Benefits of raising: Great for production of very large, brown eggs; meat production; careful breeding to keep this rare breed in existence and improve upon its quality.

Size/Weight: About 9-11 lbs for mature hens, and 11-15 for mature roosters. I've seen recent claims of 18-20+ lbs, but I think someone is telling tall tales. These are a slow-growing variety and roosters are best if butchered later, around 12 months.

Sexing: As with any other chicken, the roosters will develop more pronounced comb, waddles, tailfeathers and spurs and will be bigger than the hens. They are not a sex-link variety; you cannot determine the gender of the bird by its color when hatched.

Space/pen requirements: At maturity these chickens need approximately 4x8’ of space per bird. Nest boxes should be 18x18” to accommodate larger hens, and roosts should be no more than 24” off of the ground. Heavy breeds may easily develop leg problems and jumping high distances may encourage such problems to arise. As for chicks, cedar shavings are poisonous to birds and should never be used. Newspapers, especially on young chicks, can cause leg and foot problems. For secure footing for young chicks, I recommend rubbery shelf-liner. I remove the liner at three days and birds easily adapt to 1/2x1/2” wire flooring. I have NEVER had a Jersey Giant chick with club foot or sprawled legs when using the shelf-liner and wire flooring. Heavy breeds will be more subject to these type problems, and that can also be indicative of improper humidity or other incubation problems.

Breeding Ratio: One or two roosters to five-six hens is sufficient. I would recommend “exchanging” two roosters if you wish to use to different roos, every week or so, verses keeping both boys with the ladies all the time as roosters, even raised together, tend to fight over ladies and typically do not cohabitate well after sexual maturity, unless they were raised together. I have, however, seen exceptions to this rule if the birds have plenty of room, and enough room around feed and water stations.

Special Needs: Being larger, Jersey Giants drink more than smaller chickens; the height of waterers and feeders should be approximately level with the birds’ back. As this is a rare breed, I do not free-range mine where harm may come to them, they have a very secure pen with top netting to prevent owls or hawks from having buffet chicken. As far as chicks go, I use brooders with a little more head room than with smaller chickens or poultry as the Jersey Giants grow so very fast. When they are fledged and the weather is nice, they go in an intermediate outdoor pen with a solid roof and wire bottom and after a few weeks there, into “big chicken” pens outside with netting over the top. This is especially important with younger birds! Also, having netting or chicken wire over 2x4” welded fencing (best to place that on the inside of the cages) can prevent attacks from owls, keep birds from reaching their heads out to graze, or cats or other animals from pawing young birds out. I do not allow any of my chickens to set on eggs as I do not like broody hens; I strictly use my incubator and care for the chicks myself. Jersey Giants are not often broody, but I recently have had two ladies who have developed a taste for broodiness. I’ve actually seen both of them in one nest box and they won't hesitate to let you know their eggs are off limits! (I gather the eggs anyway, I'm the boss - not the chickens.)

       For more information on Jersey Giants, feel free to visit my other website at:

            www.cindasbluejerseygiants.com   

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