I'm thinking of Brahmas and Jerseys. I've heard a lot about Brahamas, but not about the Jerseys. They are supposed to be good winter layers of BIG brown eggs and we can eat the roosters. I also know they take longer to mature, but I like that idea. Are the eggs light or darker brown? My Favorite color is the RI Reds eggs, but they are kind of small (though will probably be a bit bigger next year)
She (the RIR) will cross with the arracuna this spring and then I get a chciken that lays avacado eggs. I had one of thoes two years ago. SOmebody lays a nice kaki color, but I'm not too sure who it is. It must be one of the crosses.
I really like all the colors I get, though right now I have too many light browns and pale blue arracuna. I wonder who controls the color of the offsprings eggs, the hen or the rooster. I wish I knew what color egg he came out of. Has anybody ever kept track to see if the hen lays the same color as her mother in arracunas?
anybody ever raised Jersey Jiants?
I just started raising Jersey Giants. We have one roo and two hens, and six Black australorp pullets run with them. Be careful where you get you rstock from, always a breeder, never a hatchery. They are on the ALBC list for rare and endangered, so hatcheries make "substitutes".
We have some fertile eggs in the incubator. I "broke out" two of the JG eggs. one died early on, perhaps the egg got too cold before it was collected. the other was almost fully formed, feathers and all, but small, so i guess it died at about 12 days.
When i get a chance, i'll tell you what i've learned from reading and from other breeders.
Don't have mech of a chance around here finding a "breeder". I have to go through a hatchery.
if you really want Jersey Giants, please take the time to look around. I found a breeder in Owatonna MInnesota, is that anywhere near you?
Not unless they ship.
yes!
day old chicks, eggs, and mature birds...
Duane & Phyllis Urch, Tim & Julie Turnlund
2142/2126 NW 47th Ave.
Owatonna, Minnesota, 55060
507-451-6782
dpurch@netzero.net
They came highly recommended, as they specialize in heritage breeds. Have been in business since 1957. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean. NPIP certified.
I hope to order from them later this year, once we get a break from raising the ones we are hatching out.
I really hope this helps.. I think you will like the Giants!
tf
p.s., FYI to anyone, if you search google long enough, you can find lists of breeders by state. also, if you join any associations, like ALBC, APA, ABA, etc, they provide you with breeder lists as part of your membership...
I have two jersey giants and they are a fantastic breed. Super docile and steady layers. I usually get an egg a day from each of them and the coloring is a medium brown although I believe that other jersey's lay really dark colored eggs. I might also add that they are so big now that when they race across the yard... they scare my cats!
Our guy is named Jaco the Giant. He is not fully grown, but because of his upright posture, he makes my Buckeye look like a Bantam. And my Buckeye is BIG. Jaco is BIGGER lol
"Best" Buckeye...
And here is Jaco with his 'Sweethearts'...
well, wrong picture...... sorry
I emailed them, so we'll see what I get back. A lot will depend on the price. I'm not really concerned about absolute purebreeds as I probably won't be breeding them. I just want some layers and meat. I found one hatchery that comes highly recomended and they carry both breeds. Price is more important than pedigrees for me.
I got involved with heritage breed turkeys with the intention of breeding and raising them. I had to drive 200 miles to pick them up. They drive me nuts and are about to be soup. (If I could find them all.)
LOL
so did you get some JGs? i ended up finding a breeder who hatches and ships day olds... Maria Hall.... i think i posted her web site in my thread "chicks arrived from breeder"...
lving our JGs! all three colors!
tf
I ended up getting 10 Jerseys and 10 Brahamas. I lost 4 of the jerseys. I wonder if they are not as hardy as other breeds or was it just a fluke. Odd thing was, I did not loose them all at once or all as small chicks, just every once in a while, I would loose one. Brahmas all did great, though one is really slow to feather and looks a bit like a dinosaur. Same hatchery for all, so I don't think that was the problem.
4/10 is a LOT! some fluke, sorry bout that ...were the jerseys considerably lareger than the brahmas? if not, they just aren't PB. i can see a difference from the day of hatch in a PB JG and a JGBA cross, which is a common way to cross.
all i have read about JGs doesn't suggest any problems. they are strong as an ox!
i still have a dinosaru looking cochin, but the brahmas FINALLY feathered out. both are white, what color were yours?
your JG cocks should get as big as tom turkeys...
My jerseys are huge! and my brahamas are white with black. They are really turning out to be pretty birds. I don't think my Jerseys will get as big as my turkeys, my bronze tom was 42 pounds dressed.
well, not as big as your biggest Tom! but mor ethan 20, which is an avg turkey.. glad you are enjoyin gthem. i couldn't count at the moment and tell you how many JGs i have, but i have seven bantam brahmas, 3 white, 2 buff and 2 dark. my buffs are the prettiest one hen one roo. i will sell the rest. i love them but can't keep them ALL...
So how tough is a chicken that big to chew?
since they grow slow, they are pretty tender and tasty. they are also the best choice for making capons...
I am getting in 25 Xcrosses this week (even though I said I'd never raise a chicken that stupid again, but hey, with chicken at $2 a pound. I'll put up with them), we'll see how they compaire. I'm also getting 10 more turkeys to add to my 5. It was such an awful spring that I lost half the turkeys I started out with. WIth my luck, at 15 will make it and we'll be swimming in turkey.
Do either the brahmas or jerseys fly much? I'm wondering how high to make the pasture fence.
my brahmas are bantams and love to fly as high as any roost or ledge they can reach.
the JGs are bigger than my buckeyes, so five foot keeps them in.
hey, somewhere has a new thread with a MOJOR turkey poult problem, can you help?