Sebright bantams date back to 1810 in England, when their advocates began holding informal competitions. Sir John Sebright spent 30 years developing them. Their breeders organized the first specialty breed club, the Sebright Bantam Club, in 1815. They are shown in both Silver and Golden varieties.
The difference is in the ground color of the feathers, silvery white or golden bay. Lacing should be lustrous black. They are small but sprightly, at a top weight of 22 ounces for cocks and 20 ounces for hens.
This painting of Silver Sebrights by Hishime Murayama was published in the National Geographic of April 1927, in its article "The Races of Domestic Fowl" by M.A. Jull. The article includes 67 illustrations, both color paintings and black & white photos and drawings. It's a classic.
The males lack sickle feathers, so both sexes are similarly feathered. This is sometimes called henny feathering.
"If the ladies cannot take to the Sebrights, I shall lose all faith in them (the ladies I mean, not the Sebrights)," writes Lewis Wright in The Book of Poultry, 1915 edition.
He cautions against the risks of inbreeding Sebrights to avoid infertility and deterioration in markings. He advises giving them time to mature before breeding, due to their delicacy.
"A pullet has not come to maturity, and hence has not gained her full strength," he writes. though if she be very forward and well grown and in good health generally, there is no reason why such a one should not be tried with the hens."
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