Breed profile
Jersey Giant
The giant that earned the name. Jersey Giants were created in Burlington County, New Jersey, in the late nineteenth century from black Javas, Croad Langshans and dark Brahmas — bred as a roasting bird to rival the turkey — and they remain among the heaviest of all chicken breeds. The egg numbers are honest rather than spectacular: estimates run 180-260 a year for the black line and 150-200 for the white, and the breed is a particularly good winter layer. The catch is time: everything about this breed runs slow, from maturity to first egg.
The egg numbers
| Eggs per year (first laying year) | 150–260 |
|---|---|
| In-lay rate | ≈3–5 a week |
| Strain note | One hatchery's black line: 180-260; its white line: 150-200. Published references call them fair layers overall and particularly good winter layers. The black variety is the stronger layer of the two per the estimates. |
| Egg color | brown |
| Egg size | large |
| Starts laying | 22–30 weeks |
| Winter laying | strong |
| Persistence | The hatchery comparison page: 'Hens are good layers of brown eggs and especially persistent through cold weather.' |
Body and climate
| Form | standard |
|---|---|
| Strain | heritage |
| APA class | American |
| Comb | single |
| Leg feathering | clean |
| Leg color | willow (the black-variety spec table prints black) |
| Distinguishing features | among the heaviest of all chicken breeds · slow to mature — "While Jersey Giants grow to a large size, they do it slowly" |
| Bird size | extra large |
| Skin color | yellow |
| Recognized varieties | Three APA varieties: black (1922), white (1947) and blue (2002). |
| Conservation status | Recovering |
| Weeks to maturity | 20 |
| Mature hen weight | 10 lb |
| Mature rooster weight | 13 lb |
| Weight note | All three hatcheries print 10 lb hens and 13 lb roosters, conservation-listing figures run roosters 13-15 lb and hens 10-11 lb, and the black variety averages a pound heavier than the white. |
| Cold hardiness | excellent |
| Heat tolerance | good |
| Climate note | The hatchery grades cold tolerance excellent; published references call the breed robust and fairly cold-hardy; another field reads Hardy in all climates. Winter laying is the breed's other cold-weather card. |
Character
| Temperament | Calm and docile, with cocks described as rarely aggressive. One line: friendly, calm. Another: docile. |
|---|---|
| Disposition | good |
| Free range | good |
| Meat production | better |
| Broodiness | moderate |
| Broody note | The black-variety table says 'somewhat likely' but notes they don't set as readily as a Buff Orpington or Turken; the white-variety table says 'not at all likely'. Other tables read Broody: Yes and 'Setter'. |
| Good first breed | Yes |
What this means for your setup
Scale everything up: 13-pound roosters need sturdy roosts, wide pop doors and a latch that means it, and the feed bill tracks the bodyweight. The spec table lists 20 weeks to maturity and the hatchery FAQ puts first eggs at 5-7 months — another structured field claims 16-24 weeks, so ask your hatchery which end of that spread its strain delivers. Broodiness is mid-pack (somewhat likely on blacks, not at all likely on whites). Hatchery FAQs call them workable for beginners with enough room and patience for a slow-maturing giant.
Gear that fits this breed
Coop Size Calculator
turn 10-lb hens into coop, run and roost numbers
Egg Calculator
turn the 150–260 egg-a-year range into a hen count
Best Coops for Cold Climates
a cold-excellent breed earns the winter-spec picks
Best Heated Waterers
strong winter laying only pays off if the water isn't frozen
How Much Space Chickens Need
heavy fowl are the reason the generous end of the space math exists
Jersey Giant FAQ
How many eggs do Jersey Giants lay a year?
Estimates run 180-260 for the black line and 150-200 for the white line. The breed runs fair as a layer and particularly good in winter — it trades peak numbers for cold-season consistency.
When do Jersey Giants start laying?
Later than most. The hatchery FAQ puts first eggs at 5-7 months of age; another structured field lists 16-24 weeks. The slow pace is part of the breed — they grow to size slowly too.
How big do Jersey Giants get?
The hatcheries agree: 10 lb hens, 13 lb roosters, and the conservation listing carries a 13-15 lb rooster range. They count among the heaviest of all chicken breeds, with the black variety averaging a pound heavier than the white.
Are Jersey Giants good for beginners?
Hatchery FAQs say they can be — for beginners who have the room and understand giant breeds mature slowly. The care plan is mostly about scale: stronger roosts, more feed, and patience for a 20-week path to maturity.