Sebright

I have (had) 3 golden sebrights and they have been an endless source of entertainment.  I started off getting mine with a bunch of other chicks at a farm store, not knowing what was what.  I ended up having 2 Sebrights in the mix, a male and female.  They were the tiniest, cutest things you'd ever see and ended up a couple and BOY did they rule the roost.  They have NO CLUE they're soo tiny! (the rest are bantams of different breeds).  Did someone say FEARLESS.  Believe it!  They will protect their own to the end if need be.  We had to put our sweet little roo down when he became aggressive after a fox took out 4 members of his flock.  He started to attack any thing and any one who dared to get near his "people".  We were sorry to have to do it because he was an intelligent, fun bird before the attack of the fox.  the little female, Miss Thing ( she thinks SHE IS the Thing), aka Missy, became the head hen.  She doesn't like to be picked up, but if you do hold her, she will cuddle and even give beak "kisses" to me on my nose...funny.  She LOVES to talk to me and sometimes will come up to the patio door and "knock" on it with her beak if she wants to see me or get a treat.  She's very cheeky and will sometimes follow me into the house and demand something to eat.  Needless to say, sh's been a joy (and yes, sometimes a headache).

My third little one was a girl whom we rescued. Lacey was my little grandson's and he came running to me telling me she was dying.  She was and the other birds had attacked her.  To make a long story short, I nursed her back to some health although she had a lung condition that put a strain on her whole little body.  She was a year old when I got her and had never laid an egg, but a couple of months after we got her, she laid her first one.  She eventually became a Mom and raised 2 beautiful little roos from adopted eggs.  She was a bright, sweet, loving AND appreciative little girl,unfortunately, we lost her this Fall to her condition...she is greatly missed.

Would I own more Sebrights.  Yes, in a heartbeat.  The Roos ARE loud, but the birds are bright, perky and down right characters.  They're plain fun to watch.

They are my favourite breed.

It all started out when a friend who had VERY shy Silver Sebrights gave us maybe fertile eggs. So we put them under our broody Dominique.(Note: the dominique is a very docile breed) It took 21 days, then we had to replace the first batch of 6 eggs. So we got 4 more eggs. We waited 21 days, constantly checking the broody hen. Finally, on day 22. My brother was collecting eggs, and noticed peeping from where the broody hen was. He checked under her, and saw this cutest little chick. He called me over, and I looked, and I was so thrilled. So I moved them away from the rest of the flock, and watched as the chick grew up. The Dominique hen was so careful taking care of her tiny chick. Once chick was a month old; we took the hen and her chick and put them with the rest of the flock. Thankfully, the hen was near the top of the pecking order. But on the first day she was fighting to protect her chick.

Then came the time when the chick fledged, before she was VERY skittish, but at fledging time I could catch her sometimes. Without the protection of her mother, she started to get picked on. So I started hand feeding her some of our turkey food(this was made up of: rice, eggs, and milk), away from the others. It started becoming a routine that she would fly up on my hand when I held the food. But she was taking alot of my time. So, I put the food bowl in our mudroom, on a trash can, so she could eat while I did my other chores. She quickly became accustomed to that, and when she was done her food she'd call me. Then she started flying on to my knee when I sat down to watch the chickens and she would just sitting there, preening, and eventually sleeping. Once the standard sized hens notice I found favoure in her, they let her be near the top of the pecking order. So our friend gave us a Silver Sebright cockerel and pullet; that one of her sebright hens raised. They were very shy compared to Vanilla (The sweet sebright). The standard birds also let them be near the top. The rooster became argressive to other chickens, and became buddies with the two chickens(1 roo, 1 hen) that one of my Golden Crown hens raised. The two new birds started becoming accustomed to me and let me hold them now and then. Vanilla still has the same routine(except it's bread this time because we sluaghtered the turkey). Both sebright hens are laying. And most of all, Vanilla is sweeter every day.

So, I suggest, if you want them, you get hatching eggs and and either hatch them your self, or give them to a calm, docile, broody hen.

Here are my Sebrights:

Vanilla:

Lacey:

Bentie:

When I first saw these birds I instantly fell in love with them. My first ones were from a hatchery, and despite their faults they were beautiful birds. When I finally bought some from a breeder I could see a major difference in size, appearance and attitude. Nonetheless, both were amazing little birds. Crowing is somewhat high-pitched. Very social, too. My roosters each have a favorite hen and start to worry if they cannot find her and vice versa with the hens.

My little rooster is the toughest rooster I have he has taken on one of my turkey hens, no fear!