Jersey Giant chicken
The Jersey Giant is the largest chicken breed: a slow-growing, docile heavyweight from the USA.
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The Jersey Giant is a pure-bred chicken breed in the PCGB Rare Soft Feather Heavy class. Its origin is given as New Jersey, USA.
It is kept in large and bantam forms. Recognised colours: Black, Blue, White. Typical adult weights: cock about 5.9 kg, hen about 4.55 kg, bantam cock about 1.74 kg and bantam hen about 1.13 kg.
Expect roughly 150–170 eggs a year, with brown shells. It is mainly kept for the table.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, poultrykeeper.com, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Chicken
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Rare Soft Feather Heavy
- Origin
- New Jersey, USA
- Kept for
- Table
History
Bred in New Jersey in the late 1800s by the Black brothers from Asian breeds such as Langshan and Brahma, to replace turkeys as a table bird.
Appearance
Very large and broad with a single comb; black (with a beetle-green sheen), blue or white.
Recognised colours
Black, Blue, White
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large, Bantam
- Cock
- 5.9 kg
- Hen
- 4.55 kg
- Bantam cock
- 1.74 kg
- Bantam hen
- 1.13 kg
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 150–170
- Egg colour
- Brown
- Notes
- Lays around 150–170 large tinted or brown eggs a year.
Temperament
- In short
- Very docile
- Keeping notes
- Calm and gentle, but needs big houses, low perches and plenty of space; slow to mature.
Hardiness
Hardy
Broodiness
Will go broody
Flying
Non-flyer (too heavy)
Suitability
- Beginners
- Suitable for beginners with space
- Children
- Good with children (unconfirmed)
- Good to know
- Feed costs are high because growth takes many months.
Conservation status (RBST)
Not on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's priority list.
Breed club
- The Rare Poultry Society, umbrella · Website
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
Some details are still being checked. In particular: child suitability.
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