what is the biggest breed of chicken?

-- stephen (stephen@thebeetroot.com), April 16, 2002

Answers

I'd vote for Jersey Giants.

-- Jeff (lorianandjeff@aol.com), April 16, 2002.

That's two for Jersey Giant

Russ

-- (imashortguy@hotmail.com), April 16, 2002.

I'll go with Jersey Giants as well but you may have to find a private breeder to get the true giant sized birds.

.........Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), April 16, 2002.

Are you talking meat chicken or laying hen? I agree with the above answers but the meat breeds may be larger if you want a meat breed. I never had Jersey Giants but I know they are big. I did have the cornish-X and they were gross thay were so big.

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), April 16, 2002.

Tallest----------Langshan---and pretty big toooo

-- Bonnie in indiana (queqid@att.net), April 16, 2002.

Hi Stephen

This is from Feathersite:

"...Jersey Giants appear in the Standard of Perfection (USA) in two varieties: Black and White. Cocks should weigh 13 pounds and hens 10 pounds. The breed was developed in the 1880s in New Jersey. It carries Java, Brahma and Langshan blood and its skin is yellow. The breeders who created the breed were aiming at a large roasting fowl. As a meat bird in the modern world, however, it is slow-growing and therefore not commercially viable. On the other hand, few poultry sights are as impressive as a flock of Black Jersey Giants on a green lawn..."

And this is fom Ideal Poultry:

"Jersey Black Giants are the largest of the dual-purpose breeds and are very attractive. They grow very slow and are a poor choice for producing broiler meat, however, the hens may be expected to weigh 6 to 7 pounds and are a good source for fowl meat. Although they lay reasonably well, they are not very efficient producers of brown eggs."

Generally, the Jersey is considered the largest of all the breeds. It is also classified as "rare". The breed is not considered good for commercial purposes because it does not put on any meat weight on it's bones during it's first six months of growth. All of it's growth is towards building it's huge frame. In a matter of the first week of growth, they quickly out size any other chicks of the same age as they develope. Watching a JG chick growing is a riot to behold. The roos especially, for the longest time look a minature emus!!! All leggs and feet!!! Which they tend to be tripping on all the time. hehehe The hens seem to grow into their frame with more "grace". Once they are apx 6 months old - they then begin to put weight on their frames and develope into "giants"!

The hens are considered to be non-broody. And of my 4 breeds (Reds, Barred Rocks, Delawares) the JG were the worse providers of egg. However!!! - of the original 10 hens I raised, 2 of them went broody!!!!! 1 hen was a most excellent momma hen, 1 was a terrible momma hen. (last spring 4 of the hens tried to hog one clutch of eggs!) And what I have found this spring is that of the chicks that these 2 hens have hatched, (a total of 5 hens and 3 roos - 1 and 2 y/o now) - the hens have turned out to be most excellent layers! It will be interesting to see if these young hens also become broody!!!

Once these Giants are apx 1 y/o - you have one BIG bird to put on the table.

-- dottie - in E Shore MD (mothe-ducker@webtv.net), April 16, 2002.

How do Indian Rivers fit into this picture?

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), April 16, 2002.

Foghorn Leghorn :o)

I just couldn't resist. LOL

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 16, 2002.

Boy, .....I say boy...........that's a good one Kenneth!

-- Jenn (no@no.com), April 16, 2002.