Description and characteristics of the Jersey giant chicken breed, egg production
Among the wide variety of chicken breeds, the Jersey giant has a number of features. When planning the breeding of this breed, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the main characteristics, the nuances of breeding and maintenance.
Origin story
The Jersey breed was first developed in New Jersey just under a hundred years ago. The first chickens bred as a result of breeding research were black. Subsequently, the chickens were brought to Britain, where work was carried out on the genetic fixation of other colors. Over time, giant chickens, differing from each other in appearance, have spread in the world.
Description and characteristics of Jersey giant chickens
According to the name of this breed, chickens are heavy fleshy birds. The distinctive characteristics of the Jersey Giants are muscularity and the intensity of muscle mass formation..
Appearance and varieties
The Jersey Giant roosters have a large and wide head with a straight comb, divided into pointed teeth. The beak is short, strong, curved. The eyes are round and protruding, dark brown in color.
The body of the birds is wide, the back and chest are set horizontally. The wings are medium-sized and close to the body.
The nature of the birds
The Jersey breed has a calm and docile nature, despite the fact that it has fighting cocks in its pedigree. The breed is not characterized by aggressive behavior and attacks on other birds and people.
Productive qualities
A feature of giant chickens is early egg-laying, which occurs from the age of 7 months. The egg production indicator reaches about 180 pieces. The laid eggs have a dense brown shell, weighing from 55 g with an increase up to 62 g.
Main positive and negative aspects
Compared to other breeds, the Jersey giant has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspects include the following:
- unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention;
- calm character;
- active growth and early egg-laying;
- developed hatching instinct;
- a large percentage of meat yield.
The list of the main disadvantages of giant chickens includes:
- obesity tendency;
- the need for a large space for walking;
- deterioration of the taste characteristics of poultry meat over the age of one year.
Nuances of breed maintenance
To ensure maximum productivity of chickens, you need to create favorable conditions for their maintenance. The Jersey giant breed does not impose specific requirements for the environment, so the process will not be difficult.
Chicken coop and walk
Giant chickens are able to adapt to being kept in cramped coops, but this will affect their health. It is recommended to equip a spacious chicken coop with constantly operating ventilation, which will remove the accumulation of ammonia released during the decomposition of bird droppings. Soft bedding should be placed under the perch to prevent injury to the birds.
Aviaries can be built for walking chickens. The optimal free space for one chicken is 0.5-1 m. Due to the large mass and large size, the Jersey breed does not fly, but it is recommended to pull a high net around the enclosure so that smaller breeds cannot penetrate into the adjacent enclosure.
Conditions for winter
Chickens of a giant breed can easily endure even cold winters, but the temperature inside the chicken coop must be maintained above +5 degrees. A suitable temperature indicator is +10 degrees. Sawdust or straw should be scattered on the floor of the chicken coop for additional insulation.
The scallop is a vulnerable spot in Jersey birds during winter. At zero temperatures and below, there is a likelihood of damage to the scallop, therefore, when cold weather sets in, it is recommended to keep livestock exclusively in insulated rooms.
Break of laying and moulting
Under favorable conditions, the chickens regularly lay eggs for 3 years. Obese birds have problems with egg production, as a result of which the number and quality of eggs decreases in the second year of life.
Molting of chickens is a natural process that involves a change of plumage with the onset of autumn. Molting occurs gradually and lasts about two months, simultaneously with a decrease in daylight hours. During this process, the hens do not lay eggs. After the completion of the plumage change, egg production is restored and continues until the next autumn.
Diet
The composition of the diet for the Jersey giant breed does not differ from that for other breeds and includes:
- 40% corn;
- 40% wheat;
- 20% of other additives (vitamins, cake, shell rock, chalk).
Chalk should be used as an additive to the main diet and should not be used as a substitute for shell rock. Otherwise, the chalk will form lumps in the intestines and clog the gastrointestinal tract.
As an alternative diet, you can use ready-made feed. It should be borne in mind that most complex feeds are intended for egg breeds of chickens, and the main purpose of nutrition is to stimulate egg production. Feeding is carried out 2-3 times a day. With the onset of winter, the diet can be expanded to include greens and chopped vegetables.
Chicks
Particular attention should be paid to feeding the chicks early in their development. Chicks grow vigorously in the presence of nutrients in the feed. For the intensive development of chickens, the presence of vitamin supplements, a sufficient amount of protein and calcium-containing products are required. Good nutritional management also helps reduce the risk of disease.
Teenagers
After three months of life, the chickens are transferred to a new diet. Chickens raised for meat are actively fed with proteins so that they are ready for slaughter by five months.
Simultaneously with the change in nutrition, the growing individuals are transferred to an adult chicken coop. While walking, the birds independently hunt worms and other insects.
The basic diet should include calcium-containing foods so that the chickens form a strong skeleton. Also, the presence of calcium in the diet will allow eggs with a strong shell to be laid.
Hens
Pay close attention to laying hens before laying. To obtain quality eggs, overfeeding and obesity of birds should not be allowed. 2 months before laying eggs, the feed rate for layers is reduced. In summer, in order to simplify the selection of the diet, you can release chickens on the grass so that they feed on insects on their own.
Breeding subtleties
When planning the breeding of Jersey giants, it is worth considering that it is cheaper and easier to purchase hatching eggs. They should be purchased on specialized farms from professional breeders.
What are Jersey giants sick
Violation of the nutritious diet and unfavorable conditions of detention lead to diseases of chickens. The Jersey giants are characterized by several common diseases.
Infectious diseases
The Jersey giant breed is resistant to disease, but in some cases it becomes infected with mycoplasmosis. Antibiotics and anti-worm drugs should be used to prevent infection. The development of infection in the absence of control causes damage to the respiratory organs and can lead to the death of individuals.
Chickens can be treated with antibiotics "Enroxil", "Farmazin" and "Tilmikovet", mixing the drugs into the feed or drinking bowls with water. To reduce the risk of infection with mycoplasmosis, you need to keep the chicken coop clean, regularly renew the litter and carry out disinfection measures.
Parasites
When kept in open enclosures, birds can be attacked by various parasites, including flea beetles, ticks and feather eaters. As a preventive measure and to combat parasites, it is necessary to organize baths of wood ash and sand for chickens. The components are mixed in equal proportions in a trough, making a layer 20 cm high.
Diseases of young animals
Diseases of chickens often result from hypothermia or poisoning. In the first couple of months of development, individuals need special conditions, and the negative impact affects the developing organism.
