introduction:
Unique bantams with quirky personalities and beautiful looks, the Sebright has it all as far as I am concerned! Let me share my take on the breed and what makes them so special. Sebright Bantam chickens are a great breed to add to your chicken flock. They are also a delightful breed to begin your chicken flock. Of course, there are hundreds of chicken breeds. From fuzzy silkies to giant brahmas, the choices are endless! If you are looking for something truly flashy and unique to add to your flock, look no further than the spunky Sebright bantam! The Sebright bantam chicken is an ornamental bantam breed. Unlike many other breeds, the Sebright is a “true” bantam, meaning it comes only in a small size. This diminutive breed comes in two beautiful colours (silver and gold). Both colours have a spunky character that adds a lot of fun to a backyard flock. The Sebright is one of the oldest recorded British bantam breeds. It is named after sir john Saunders Sebright, who created it as an ornamental breed by selective breeding in the early nineteenth century. the first poultry breed to have its own specialist club for enthusiasts, Sebright’s were admitted to poultry exhibition standards not long after their establishment. Today, they are among the most popular of bantam breeds. Despite their popularity, Sebright’s are often difficult to breed, and the inheritance of certain unique characteristics the breed carries has been studied scientifically. As an ornamental chicken, they lay tiny, white eggs and are not kept for meat production. The Sebright bantam is one of a few breeds that are ‘true bantams’ (it has no larger equivalent). It was created in the early 19th Century by Sir John Sebright, the 7th Baronet of Besford, Worcestershire and possibly a few others by using ‘henny game’ but the details of the exact birds used are still unknown but to make the Gold Sebright, he possibly used a buff bantam Nankin hen with his ‘henny game’.
It is thought that it took him around 20 years of selection and inbreeding to achieve the patterns he wanted and to fix the type. To make the Silver Sebright it is thought he started by using a white rose comb cockerel. Sebright’s are sprightly little characters, and it is surprising how small they are in the flesh. The males have a piercing and strident call which can penetrate your ear drums if you get too close. They are not regarded as the best of laying breeds, with some Rare Breed centres in the UK claiming that you “only get around 12 eggs per year.” This may be the case for some, but fortunately other experiences differ greatly; personally, my Silver Sebright’s used to lay little white eggs for 3 to 4 months of the year (and quite regularly too). Many fanciers report getting 100 eggs per year when the conditions are right. Egg numbers depend on the level of inbreeding and the care in each individual strain. This is a great breed for people who live in cold climates. Ours have done fine in our unheated chicken house even when temperatures fell well below zero. Since their rose combs are small and close to their head, frostbite is not a problem in hens at all and rarely an issue in roosters.
Appearance:
There are two accepted colours for the breed, Gold Laced and Silver Laced – gold or silver almond-shaped, short, tight feathers edged sharply in black (“laced”). The colour is the same on both males and females, which is unusual in most breeds of chicken. Their wings are large for the size of the bird and angle towards the ground. Their tail is full and carried at about 70 degrees. Their body is compact and short, and they have a prominent breast, so their overall appearance is like a pigeon. The males have shorter, stockier legs than the females. Sebright’s have a mulberry (desired), or deep red colour rose comb that ends in a straight, horizontal point called a “leader” on the males, and a similar but smaller comb on the females. Both sexes have bright red or mulberry, rounded wattles, ear lobes and faces; wattles are smaller on the females. Their beak is dark horn colour on the gold laced variety and can be dark blue or horn on the silver. laced birds. Legs and skin are slate blue in colour. Their large, black, round eyes give them a curious, wide-eyed expression. Males weigh 22 oz. and females 20 oz. One unique feature of the breed is the roosters do not have the usual male hackle and saddle feathers, so their plumage closely resembles that of the hens. This is known as ‘henny feathering’ in the chook world. This means I completely rely off comb size for sexing my growers, (which amazingly can be done from 4-6 weeks of age) as the boys do not develop pointed feathers like usual breeds.
This breed is primarily ornamental. They only lay about 60-80 small (bantam-size small) eggs per year, and some strains are more fertile than others. Hens are not broody and do not have good maternal instinct, so if you want to hatch eggs you would do better with a surrogate mother. They are friendly if they are handled when they are young, but they are curious and prefer to be active. They are not a cuddly breed. They make good birds for 4H as show birds. They can fly into trees to roost, so although they like to forage, it is best to keep them in a way that they cannot get out of reach as they can be difficult to catch! This breed can be very vocal if agitated. The Sebright is an extremely healthy breed, with a lifespan of 8-12 years. There are some health problems with this breed to consider, especially if you are interested in breeding. Sebright’s are notoriously difficult to breed. Sebright Bantams are independent, and they love to explore. Combined with their impressive flight ability, this can lead them into a lot of trouble! Sebright’s can easily scale a tall fence, fit through small holes, fly into trees, and wander far from the main flock. They are predator-savvy, but you may need to consider keeping them safe in a fully enclosed
Sebright’s are becoming increasingly popular, so finding quality birds is easier. They make a fantastic addition to any backyard, with their stunning fanned tails and crisp lacing. I implore anyone looking at adding Sebright chickens to their flock to contact us J, K, L, M farming and source some interesting chickens, not just boring brown hybrids!