One of the most popular chicken breeds in the UK for poultry buyers is the Sebright. Named after the pioneer of the breed, Sir John Saunders Sebright, this is one of the oldest of the ‘true’ British bantam breeds.
Sebright chickens were first established in the 19th century as an ornamental breed, and they still remain a popular choice for show to this day. Learn more about keeping chickens for sale from the Sebright breed in the guide below.
Chicken Breeds: A Guide to Sebright Chickens
As Sebright chickens are primarily bred for ornamental purposes, anybody thinking of keeping chickens from this particular breed should note that the egg laying proficiency and meat quality of the Sebright is relatively poor in comparison to many other British breeds. However, Sebright hens will lay tiny white eggs at irregular intervals, although they are rarely broody or naturally maternal.
Due to their status as a ‘true’ bantam breed, Sebright chickens are fairly diminutive in stature, with males weighing around 22 oz, and females 20 oz. The body shape of the Sebright is upright and angular, with a short back, large breast area and downward-facing wings. Sebright chickens certainly boast a distinctive appearance in terms of feathering – with birds from both the Silver Sebright and Gold Sebright variety exhibiting black lacing around the base colour. Male Sebrights tend to be hen-feathered, although this can be a controversial characteristic in some quarters.
The prospective Sebright will certainly find plenty to enjoy in keeping chickens from this striking breed – Sebrights are naturally friendly in temperament and have an adventurous spirit, using their flying ability (unusual in many chicken breeds) to full effect. For this reason, Sebrights need to be kept safe in an environment where they will not be able to fly into the path of predators.
Finally, anybody keen to breed Sebright chickens should note the difficulty many poultry owners face with this particular ambition, as occasionally Sebright chickens for sale may be infertile as a result of the delicate breeding methods used to develop this arresting ornamental breed.
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