Description
The Black Jersey Giant chicken was originated in Burlington County in the State of New Jersey during the 1880’s. A good heavy breed but slower to grow than some breeds before surpassing them in weight and size. They are slow to mature and have a poor feed/weight conversion, which explains why they aren’t popular as a commercial broiler, although they were popular in the late 1800’s for chickens for meat. It is the largest of the dual purpose chicken and eventually excels as a meat chicken and a fairly good laying hen. When grown the black feathers take on a green sheen within the black color. These chickens were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1922 and both varieties (whites and blacks) are noted for willow colored or nearly black legs and toes. We offer this chicken breed in a production line and not a show line.
The males will grow to 11-14 pounds in weight with the Cackle Hatchery blood line..
Newbie notes: There are some white feathers in their 1st and 2nd stage feathering which is normal but by the 6th month they are solid black feathers.
We also offer at limited times of the year Black Jersey Giant Fertile Hatching Eggs
Availability
Available Low Availability Unavailable
| Date |
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| 2025-02-05 |
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| 2025-02-12 |
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| 2025-02-19 |
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| 2025-02-24 |
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| 2025-02-26 |
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| 2025-03-03 |
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| 2025-03-05 |
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| 2025-03-10 |
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| 2025-03-12 |
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| 2025-03-17 |
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| 2025-03-19 |
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| 2025-03-24 |
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| 2025-03-26 |
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| 2025-03-31 |
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| 2025-04-02 |
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| 2025-04-07 |
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| 2025-04-09 |
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| 2025-04-14 |
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| 2025-04-16 |
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| 2025-04-21 |
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| 2025-04-23 |
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| 2025-04-28 |
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| 2025-04-30 |
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| 2025-05-05 |
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| 2025-05-07 |
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| 2025-05-12 |
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| 2025-05-14 |
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| 2025-05-19 |
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| 2025-05-21 |
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| 2025-05-26 |
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| 2025-05-28 |
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| 2025-06-02 |
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| 2025-06-04 |
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| 2025-06-09 |
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| 2025-06-11 |
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| 2025-06-16 |
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| 2025-06-18 |
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| 2025-06-23 |
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| 2025-06-25 |
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| 2025-06-30 |
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| 2025-07-02 |
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| 2025-07-07 |
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| 2025-07-09 |
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| 2025-07-14 |
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| 2025-07-16 |
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| 2025-07-21 |
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| 2025-07-23 |
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| 2025-07-28 |
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| 2025-07-30 |
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| 2025-08-04 |
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| 2025-08-06 |
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| 2025-08-11 |
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| 2025-08-13 |
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| 2025-08-20 |
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| 2025-08-27 |
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| 2025-09-03 |
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| 2025-09-10 |
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| 2025-09-17 |
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| 2025-09-24 |
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| 2025-10-08 |
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| 2025-10-15 |
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| 2025-10-22 |
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| 2025-10-29 |
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kimberly.schaeffer73 –
I just picked up my babies a little while ago. I let them sit in their box while inside their brooder. All but one arrived alive and alert. I dunked each ones beak into their water and with a few minutes a few of the 27 that arrived all started drinking. The others were exploring their new home. I will continue to check on them through the day. Will definitely be doing business with Cackle again.
Bob Jones –
Ordered 20 BJG and received 22! All alive and well. All of the *studies* and *recommendations* i had found in regards to this breed, all stated that extra care needed to be taken in building perches and setting up housing, due to their weight and size as adults. Well, these are no different from other breeds. You’ll find them on TOP of the house, barn, fence bracing…
Once in a while, you’ll see one limping around on a tender leg for a few days, but they recover without intervention. Good layers!
RA –
I’m a first time chicken-keeper and am very pleased with the chicks I purchased from Cackle. I ordered 3 Black Jersey Giants (received 3), 4 Blue Ameraucanas (received 5), 5 Rhode Island Reds (received 6), so I received a total of 14 chicks although I only ordered 12. They hatched on March 29th and all arrived healthy, active, and peeping at my post office on March 31st. I ordered 12 female chicks hoping that, (given sexing accuracy and so much that can go wrong with baby chicks), I’d still have at least 6 to 8 females when they grew up. 5 months later, I still have all 14 of my chickens and all are female.
I live in a very rural area with a lot of hawks, coyotes, foxes, etc. and wanted heritage chickens that would be good foragers (to eat insects, especially ticks, in my yard), and that would be predator savvy (so they would be more alert to predators while free-ranging and eating ticks in my yard). So far these chickens have proven to be both.
My black jersey giants are big, solid, beautiful birds. When the sun shines on them, their plumage has a beautiful dark emerald sheen, and in my opinion, of the three types I ordered, they have the prettiest faces, with dark, glossy, warm eyes. In the way that my jerseys watch me, they seem somehow more interested in or aware of me than the other two types or chickens I ordered. They also have the calmest temperaments of the three types of chicks that I ordered, and make a pretty, soothing trilling noise when I go out to see them. One doesn’t seem to mind being handled, one tolerates being handled, and one avoids being handled at all. All three of my jerseys seem to be around the middle of the pecking order.
One of them is also the lookout for the flock. When I began to introduce my leashed dogs to them outside, she was the one who came over to investigate. When squirrels, bunnies or groundhogs get too close to the flock, she is the one who chases them away. She also always seems to have one eye to the sky, looking out for hawks when they are free-ranging in my yard.
My first black jersey giant to lay laid her first little brown pullet egg at 21 weeks and one day, and has laid 5 five eggs in her first week of laying. When I reached out to Cackle for average ages of laying, they told me that the black jersey giants should start laying somewhere between 6 and 9 months of age, and I know they take longer to mature, so I was happily surprised when one began laying before she was five months old.
The only issue I’ve had with my jerseys was with them getting picked on by the others when they were a couple of weeks old. I think it was because out of 14 chicks, there were only 3 that were black. One of the jerseys was picked on so much and so quickly that she had a bald spot. I created a hardware cloth separation in the brooder for a few days, dimmed and changed the smart light in their brooder to red, and painted the bald spot with blu-kote, and she was fine after that.
Overall, I’m very pleased with all of my chickens, and would definitely order more from Cackle.
Jade Safford –
When we contacted about the possibility of our shipping date being about 5 days from shipping, they were very helpful. Thankfully, our chicks arrived on time and all of them our healthy and alert. We even received an extra one. Definitely going to be purchasing from here again.
Michael –
Happiness!
We ordered the first time from Cackle this year. We are EXCEEDINGLY happy. They sent two extra Black Jersey Giant Chicks, and two extra Jumbo Cornish Cross. We never expected this. All of the chicks arrived healthy and lively. We will definitely be ordering from Cackle again in the future.
Steven F –
Great transaction
Ordered 15 black Jersey Giants and 2 roosters and when they arrived, we received 18 hens and 2 roosters. They added a few more just in case of a delivery accident. All chicks and hens arrived unharmed and now they are 5 months old and already have a few eggs (even in our Colorado Winter). I think eggs at 5 mos is a little early, I can only contribute the early laying to the good healthy food we’ve been feeding them. Thanks so much for a great transaction and know that they are very happy and healthy.
Robert C –
Thanks
We ordered 50 birds back in july. 15 easter eggers, 10 Jersey giants, 10 Buffs, 5 Leg horns, 5 welsumers, and 5 marans. All of the birds arrived alive which is amazing since we are located in hawaii! I would like to point out that they give you a full list of what you ordered/ got extra which was a really nice touch. We lost one bird at a few days old but Cackle sent us 60 birds instead of 50 so it wasn’t an issue. I would like to mention we ordered 10 roos that were all marked on their heads with paint which was amazing. Fast forward a few months. all of the birds made it besides that one we lost in the first few days. We have a few extra roos that we didnt order but I think they gave them to us because we ordered 5 buff roos and 5 jersey roos but zero egger roos. Also, all of the birds are very healthy and all seem to be growing to breed standards. I couldn’t be happier with my order. I have ordered from other hatcheries in the past and I have had many issues (wrong chickens, dead/ sick birds, bad packaging, the list goes on) none of those issues happened when I ordered from cackle. With all of that being said they are still a hatchery and the birds aren’t going to be the cream of the crop to say but they are damn close! If you want a decent flock with beautiful birds and you don’t want to pay an absurd price to a private breeder cackle is your one stop shop!
Fanixon –
Hatching eggs
Received 12 hatching eggs, all in great condition. 10 out of 12 hatched and are now healthy at 2 months old
Jerry –
Have show winners from Cackle
My Rooster got best in Show and class. I also got best in class for 1 of my hens.
Sue Pennsylvania –
Very Satisfied
I ordered 28 chicks, received 2 free. All 30 arrived very healthy and at three months old now doing great! Highly recommend!
Okcowboy –
Love my Jerseys
I ordered my chicks and have not had any problems with them. They are all growing and healthy. They follow me like a puppy and are very friendly.
Justin –
You made our Family whole again.
We had a weasel sneak into our outdoor brooder and kill 17 White Leghorns that were 8 weeks old. The loss was horrendous, and compounded by the fact that they were hatched by my youngest daughter’s first grade class. We sat down as a family, and the seven of us narrowed it down to four breeds for a new batch of chickens. 3 Black Jersey Giants Females and 2 Males, 3 Black Laced Golden Wyandottes F , 3 Dominiques F, and 6 Easter Eggers F. We have an existing adult flock of 10 mixxed Isa Browns, White Leghorn, and Easter Eggers, all Female. We ordered two days before a hatch date. We received our chicks two days later delivered to our door, after they got kicked out of the post office for being too loud. 23 chicks in wonderful shape; an extra male Giant, 2 extra female giants, 1 extra female Wyandotte, and 2 extra Easter Egger females. We dipped little beaks in water and its been balls full out since then. 100% survival at 6 days old!!! Perfect total flock ratio of 3 males and 30 females(Barring any surprise roosters). My kids are happy, my wife is happy, and I am very happy. If every online purchase was this satisfying I might never go to another brick and mortar store again. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Cackle. You have our business for life.
Jerry –
Great dealing with Cackle
My chicks got lost at the post office. After finally getting thrm home I had a few deaths but after contacting Cackle they gave me hint on saving the remaining chicks. The ones that arrived alive have all lived and are spunky as ever. At less than a week old they are becoming escape artist. They escape thier pool and snuggle with my dogs. I have a female Borzoi and he might have 10 to 16 chicks sleeping on her at anytime. They were very spot on on replacing the deceased chicks. Will continue to do business with Cackle and refer them to anyone looking chickens.
Jostaley –
Im happy
Me and my brother got our giants yesterday and they were all healthy except one which we lost. The rest are doing just fine and are eating and drinking very well. I am definitely pleased with my order.
Alexa –
Got my Chicks!
Got my baby chicks this morning! All healthy, all doing fantastic! The tracking for my package was spot on with much appreciated detail. I got my chicks shipped to Hawaii which has additional fees and you have to have a higher minimum of birds and it was totally 100% worth it. I will be using your service in the future and will be recommending it to others. Thank you so very much!
HAROLD TEXAS 2017 –
HATCHERY
The chicks arrived in great shape and I am very pleased with both of my orders from you. It has been a pleasure, thanks for the great service. I will order again.
greg –
just received
Just got my chicks, and they are doing great! We live in NY and it’s been cold and snowy for March. They were a little sluggish when I got then home, but once they got under the heat lamp, They woke up. Eating and drinking and running all over. Very health and I will surely buy more from your company.
Thank you
D-Rob –
Happy with my order
Got my black jersey giants on 6- 16- 16. Order 15 got 17. Beautiful healthy balls of energy. It was so much fun to watch them catching bugs drawn in by their heat light last night. Thanks Cackle Hatchery for the quality of the birds.
Michelle –
Very impressed!!!!!
I got my chicks 3 days ago. I lost one in transport and I emailed telling them I lost one. They called me the day I emailed to make sure the rest of my chicks were okay. Very impressive! I love that quality of my chicks and will order again!
trapper444 –
The Black Jersey Giants
I ordered 25 pullets & 3 roosters from Cackle & when they started growing there were 7 roosters OOPS!! hey no one is perfect & if that wasn’t bad enough someone stole 7 of them while i was cutting a load of wood with my brother i still have 15 beautiful pullets i ordered them back in mid May & they are 7 months old now & they are starting to lay i got 6 yesterday . The Black Jersey Giants are one of the most beautiful chickens that green sheen when the sun shines on them I would recommend them to any chicken owners . Now mine are 7 months old & they are much bigger than my brother’s Road Island Reds & his will be 2 yrs old in June They are LARGE CHICKENS The Black Jersey Giants are my # 1 breed of all time I love mine Hope my review helps someone to go with the Black Jersey Giants
John Missouri April 2014 –
Thank you Soooooo Much
I can’t begin to tell you how overwhelmed and grateful we are for the Black Jersey Giants chicks we received today! In fact we are still excited about our trip to the hatchery last month and refer it often. My nephew recently won 3rd place in his schools Science Fair.
Chris Connecticut July 2010 –
Satisfied Customer
I know you guys are busy so I will keep it short. It has been 9 weeks since I received my Jersey Giant Chicks. I would like you to know I am extremely satisfied with them. They are good stock. They are as healthy as can be. They grow so fast for a slow growing breed. I compare my girls to others who raise Jersey Giants from different web forums. Mine are always bigger and healthier looking than much older pullets. I am always being told what good quality birds I have. I will always recommend cackle to anyone who wants great quality poultry. Thanks!
Mark New York April 2014 –
Chick Arrivals
Greetings from upstate New York and the Adirondack Mountains. Just a quick note to advise you our order of Buckeyes, Barred Rock and Jersey Giants arrived this morning. All chicks appear healthy and vigorous especially the Buckeyes who are non-stop balls of energy! Thanks for the experience.
Ed, California May 2011 –
Thanks
Just wanted to let you know the chicks arrived safely this morning and all had eaten and had a drink within the first 15 minutes out of the box. They have been in the brooder for several hours now and are doing great! Thanks you for the great chicks, including the extras.