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 Jersey Giant
Large fowl Origin: America Classification: Heavy, rare Egg colour: Tinted to brown Weight: Large fowl; male 5.9kg, female 4.55kg. Bantam; male 1.74kg
Originating in New Jersey around 1880, this breed took the name ‘Giant’ from the extra heavy weights it could record. Its make-up included black Java, dark Brahma, black Langshan and Indian Game, accounting for its weight. When introduced into the UK it was claimed that the birds were the heaviest of any breed, that it was adaptable for farm range and for providing capons. Earlier examples were of exceptional weight.
Characteristics Male Carriage: bold, alert and well balanced. Type: body long, wide, deep and compact; smooth at sides, with long keel, smooth and moderately full fluff. Back rather long, broad, nearly horizontal, with a short sweep to the tail. Breast broad, deep and full, carried well forward. Wings medium sized, well folded, carried at the same angle as the body, the primaries and secondaries broad and overlapping in natural order when the wings are folded. Tail rather large, full, well spread, carried at an angle of 45° above the horizontal, the sickles are just sufficiently long to cover the main tail feathers, the coverts moderately abundant and of medium length, the main tail feathers broad and overlapping. Head: rather large and broad. Beak short, stout and well curved. Eyes large, round, full and prominent. Comb single, straight, upright, rather large and of fine texture, having six well-defined and evenly serrated points, the blade following the shape of the neck. Face smooth and fine in texture. Ear-lobes smooth and rather large, extending down one half of the length of the wattles. Wattles of medium size and fine texture, well rounded at the lower ends. Neck: moderately long, full and well arched. Legs and feet: legs straight and set well apart. Thighs large, strong of moderate length and well covered with feathers. Shanks strong, stout, medium length and free from feather; scales fine, bone of good quality and proportionate to size of bird. Toes, four, of medium length, straight and well spread.
Female Similar to the male, allowing for normal sexual differences, with the exception on the tail, which is well spread, and carried at an angle of 30° above the horizontal.
Colours Black white, blue. In both sexes and all colours, beak willow (some yellow currently permissible). Eyes brown to black, comb, face, wattles and ear-lobes red. Legs and feet willow, soles yellow, skin nearly white.
Defects Whites; smoky surface colour, side sprigs to comb, more than 0.9kg below standard weight in mature stock. Blacks and whites; overhanging eyebrows, sluggishness, coarseness. Excessive or superfine bone. In blacks, black or dull black undercolour extending to the skin of the hackle, back, breast or body and fluff. Positive white showing on the surface of the plumage. Other than yellow under the feet. More than 0.9kg under standard weight in mature stock.
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