Can a sebright handle Michigan winter?

[woodsorrel]

There's an sebright rooster at our local humane society that we might adopt. I've read that this breed isn't cold weather hardy, so I'm concerned he wouldn't do well in our backyard. We would like to give him a good home if we can.

 

[Sara S]

Just give him a blanket or something lol. I’ve never had them but what can you lose? Maybe insulate the coop? Do you have other chicken? and he could always come inside in a box when it’s particularly cold .

 

[woodsorrel]

There's an sebright rooster at our local humane society that we might adopt. I've read that this breed isn't cold weather hardy, so I'm concerned he wouldn't do well in our backyard. We would like to give him a good home if we can.

Just give him a blanket or something lol. I’ve never had them but what can you lose? Maybe insulate the coop? Do you have other chicken? and he could always come inside in a box when it’s particularly cold .

We do have other chickens, and we have a heat plate for those polar vortex days. I wouldn't have chosen a sebright for my flock, so I just wanted some validation that it wasn't a terrible idea to adopt him. They don't look particularly hardy.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes, they can survive Michigan Weather. I have a Sebright hen.

 

[Sara S]

We do have other chickens, and we have a heat plate for those polar vortex days. I wouldn't have chosen a sebright for my flock, so I just wanted some validation that it wasn't a terrible idea to adopt him. They don't look particularly hardy.

Well if you have others and they like him snuggles will be had for him, just go with your gut and the advice of someone who has chickens up there, I used to live in NY, it can get brutal when it’s cold!

 

[MysteryChicken]

There's an sebright rooster at our local humane society that we might adopt. I've read that this breed isn't cold weather hardy, so I'm concerned he wouldn't do well in our backyard. We would like to give him a good home if we can.

Another thing that is important is to quarantine the new bird for about 30 days just to make sure he's showing no symptoms of disease.

Sebrights are cold hardy. I have a hen in a coop that's not insulated, & other chicken friends.

 

[BarredRockMom]

There are LOTS of things to consider before adopting any animal & especially a chicken. #1 priority is "Will they be safe?" The outdoor house has to be strong enough to withstand the elements & give them enough room to move around comfortably. And there needs to be place where they can move around outside, too. Both the coop & the run need to be predator proof. You can search this site for tips about making that happen, so I won't get into it here.

#2 to consider is are there any issues with you providing a home to a rooster, ie noise ordinances, laws in the books preventing folks from having chickens, etc.

#3 to consider is his overall comfort. Chickens are flock animals. One chicken is going to be rather lonely, unless you're prepared to create a bachelor flock (my personal dream!). If there are no hens present, then there's no reason to fight, or so they've said on this forum.

#4 to consider is the cost of it all. Building or buying a secure coop & run (or buying & then having to build one out of better materials after you"ve watched the prefab one that you bought fall apart) can cost some money. The cost of bedding material, food, grit and having a chicken med kit (search for info on what to keep on hand) is another expense.

#5 to consider is your expectation. If you are hoping that he'll know right off the bat that he's got the Life of Riley, he probably won't. He's probably smart enough to know the difference between his new home & the shelter (the are very smart) but you don't know where he was/how he was treated before. It may take time for him to come around & take a shine to you...and he might not, right away or ever. Then again, he could have a marvelous temperament and just need time & TLC to know that he's safe to show it. I'd say that you need to read up about rooster care, behavior & training, at least some basics, before adopting him.

If he has a safe, predator proof, properly ventilated, element-resistant house & run, if you're prepared to care for him 365 days a year for the next 5 years at least, then adopting him could be a good idea.

(I'm probably overboard in many peoples' opinions but if I want to go somewhere for longer than 2 days, I pass if I don't have a chicken sitter. I have hens currently so they have one another for company in my absence.)

And please don't read any of this as a discouragement or prejudice against roosters. My avatar is my own, dear, late Mr Peanut (so named for the size difference between he & my largest hen when we brought him home from a friend who lived in an area with a noise ordinance.) Roosters are absolutely magnificent creatures. I'm no expert by a long shot & have only ever had 2, both of whom were wonderful. I do, however know that coop safety, run safety and proper coop ventilation are of paramount importance for chicken health and survival.

I mention all of this because you didn't in your initial post. If you've updated with more info that I didn't see before I replied, I apologize.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Oh fabulous, you already have chickens!

 

[BarredRockMom]

There is the issue of quarantining, however. And sometimes the girls don't want a rooster in the mix, you'll have to see how it goes.