Sebright bantams are beautiful ornamental birds primarily used as show birds are considered one of the top ten most popular bantam chickens. This unique breed was created by and named after John Sebright.
Sebright Bantam Appearance Features:
Type: Ornamental bantam
Appearance: Short backs, large breasts, wings point downward
Weight: Males-Approx. 22 ounces (625 grams), Females-Approx. 20 ounces (570 grams)
Plumage: Feathers are either gold, whitish silver with black laced around the edges of each feather.
Legs: Unfeathered legs
Skin: Blue
Beak: Dark horn color
Comb: Rose comb (traditionally the desired mulberry color but now are often seen in bright red)
Earlobes and wattles: Mulberry color or bright red (3).
Type: Ornamental bantam
Appearance: Short backs, large breasts, wings point downward
Weight: Males-Approx. 22 ounces (625 grams), Females-Approx. 20 ounces (570 grams)
Plumage: Feathers are either gold, whitish silver with black laced around the edges of each feather.
Legs: Unfeathered legs
Skin: Blue
Beak: Dark horn color
Comb: Rose comb (traditionally the desired mulberry color but now are often seen in bright red)
Earlobes and wattles: Mulberry color or bright red (3).
Sebright Bantam Breed Facts
Purpose: The Sebright is considered an ornamental bird as they are not known to be great egg layers and have very little meat on them so they would not make good meat birds.
Temperament: Friendly, active, and sometimes skittish. Males can be aggressive.
Broodiness: These birds do not go broody (sitting on eggs to hatch baby chicks) easily
Susceptibility to Illness: Sebrights are hardy birds but they are also well known for their susceptibility to Marek’s Disease.
Breeding: Many of the Sebright males are born infertile making it impossible for them to fertilize eggs to hatch.
Flying Capabilities: Sebrights can fly very well due to their small body size and large wings. Most breeders keep them in confined pens so they can fly freely without escaping. Some people clip their wings but this doesn’t always work to prevent them from flying (3). See origin, watch our featured video, see photos, and an interesting scientific fact about Sebright chickens below.
Purpose: The Sebright is considered an ornamental bird as they are not known to be great egg layers and have very little meat on them so they would not make good meat birds.
Temperament: Friendly, active, and sometimes skittish. Males can be aggressive.
Broodiness: These birds do not go broody (sitting on eggs to hatch baby chicks) easily
Susceptibility to Illness: Sebrights are hardy birds but they are also well known for their susceptibility to Marek’s Disease.
Breeding: Many of the Sebright males are born infertile making it impossible for them to fertilize eggs to hatch.
Flying Capabilities: Sebrights can fly very well due to their small body size and large wings. Most breeders keep them in confined pens so they can fly freely without escaping. Some people clip their wings but this doesn’t always work to prevent them from flying (3). See origin, watch our featured video, see photos, and an interesting scientific fact about Sebright chickens below.
Featured Video: Silver Sebright Bantam, Sebright Silber, Landesgeflugels Ulm
Origin of Sebright Chickens
Sebrights are named after John Sebright who created them in 1810 using a small bantam chicken with laced feathers and a variety of laced Polish chickens. Experts guess he crossed British, Hamburgh, Nankin, and Polish birds with rosecombs before he came up with the true breed of Sebright.These birds were accepted in the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection in 1874 (3).
Photos of Sebright Chickens
Interesting Scientific Fact:Hormone Studies Are Being Done on Sebright Chickens
Scientific studies by molecular biologists are being conducted on Sebright chickens because of their unique ability to turn male hormones in their skin into female hormones. These studies began when they noticed that the tail feathers of male Sebrights look identical to their female counterparts and are not like the sickle shaped tail feathers that most roosters have. (3).
Memory Verse: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4 KJV
References:
1. Sebright bantams. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sebr/BRKSebrights.html
2. Video. Hen Daisy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiZmiNEzH1E
3. Sebright chicken. Retrieved on April 10, 2017 from Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebright_chicken
1. Sebright bantams. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sebr/BRKSebrights.html
2. Video. Hen Daisy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiZmiNEzH1E
3. Sebright chicken. Retrieved on April 10, 2017 from Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebright_chicken
