Easter Egger Chickens for Blue Eggs!
If you’re looking to raise chickens for blue eggs you might go straight to Easter Eggers. Before you do, learn about what chickens lay blue eggs, and what an Easter Egger is. 
There’s nothing quite like opening the chicken coop to find a beautiful blue egg amongst the brown and white. Over the years of keeping chickens, we have had many Easter Eggers.
These blue egg-laying hens are one of our favorites for their gentle and fun temperaments and beautiful blue eggs. We often get questions about chicken eggshell color and what makes a blue egg blue.
What Determines Egg Shell Color?
The color of a chicken’s eggshell is determined by genetics. The breed of the chicken and its individual genetic makeup will determine what color eggs it lays.
For example, Ameraucana chickens lay blue eggs due to a gene mutation that causes them to produce oocyanin, which colors the eggshell blue.
On the other hand, Leghorn chickens (we had one named Elsa) lay white eggs because they do not produce any pigment in their eggshells. Some breeds, such as Marans and Welsummers, lay brown eggs due to the presence of a pigment called protoporphyrin.
Eggshell color does not affect the nutritional value or taste of the egg, but it can be an interesting characteristic for backyard chicken keepers who enjoy variety in their flocks.
What Chickens Lay Blue Eggs?
Many chicken owners want those rare and beautiful blue or green eggs. Several breeds of hens are known for laying blue eggs, including the Araucana, Ameraucana, Legbar, and Easter Egger. Here is more information about these three popular chickens.
Ameraucanas
Image: Shutterstock. An Ameraucana Chicken with fluffy cheeks and a beard.
Ameraucanas were developed in the United States in the 1970s as a breed that would lay blue eggs consistently. These chickens lay eggs with shells that range from light blue to dark teal, and they are considered one of the most beautiful types of eggs.
In addition to their striking egg color, Ameraucanas have several other desirable traits. They have a calm temperament and are known for being friendly toward humans. Our Ameraucanas loved to be held and petted. They also come in a variety of colors, including black, white, blue, wheaten, and brown-red.
Ameraucanas are medium-sized birds with pea combs and muffs or beards around their faces. Their feathers are thick and fluffy, giving them a puffy appearance.
When it comes to caring for Ameraucana chickens, they require basic care like any other breed. They need access to fresh water and food daily, as well as shelter from predators and extreme weather conditions. Ameraucanas can be kept in coops or free-range environments but will require protection from predators such as foxes or raccoons.
Overall, Ameraucana chickens make great backyard pets for those looking for an interesting breed that lays colorful eggs. Their calm temperament and beautiful appearance make them an excellent choice for families or individuals who want to add some variety to their flock.
Araucanas
Image: Shutterstock. Araucana hens.
Araucana chickens are a South American breed that has been around for centuries. They are known for their distinctive tufts of feathers on their heads and their ability to lay blue eggs.
Araucanas come in several colors, including black, white, and blue, and have a rumpless appearance due to the absence of a tailbone.
They are also known for being good foragers and can adapt well to free-range environments. However, they can be more skittish than other breeds and require proper socialization from an early age to become friendly toward humans.
Overall, Araucana chickens make an excellent choice for those looking for a unique breed that lays blue eggs and is well-suited for free-range environments.
Legbars
Legbar chickens are a breed that originated in Britain in the early 20th century. They were created by crossing several breeds, including the Barred Plymouth Rock, Leghorn, and Araucana, to produce a chicken that laid blue or green eggs.
Legbars are medium-sized birds with distinctive crests on top of their heads and striking feather patterns. They are known for being friendly and active birds that do well in free-range environments.
While they are not as common as some other breeds, Legbars have gained popularity among backyard chicken keepers who appreciate their beautiful sky-blue eggs and charming personalities.
Easter Eggers
Easter Eggers are not purebred chickens, but rather a hybrid breed that is created by crossing specific breeds of chickens to produce blue or green eggs. The breeds commonly used in creating Easter Eggers include Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and sometimes other blue-egg-laying breeds such as Legbars.
Despite this, their unique appearance and egg-laying abilities make them a beloved choice for chicken enthusiasts. They are known for their colorful eggs which can range from blue to green, and even pink or brown.
Easter Eggers have friendly and curious personalities, making them great pets for families with children. These chickens are also relatively easy to care for and can adapt to different climates.
It’s important to note that Easter Eggers are not recognized as an official breed by the American Poultry Association, as they are a mix of different breeds rather than purebred. This won’t matter if you’re raising hens as pets, though you wouldn’t want to use them for showing.
A Lavender Easter Egger (Self-Blue Ameraucana) chicken.
Easter Egger Chicken Colors
Easter Egger chickens can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns due to their mixed heritage. Some common colors seen in Easter Eggers include black, brown, buff, white, lavender, and gray. Additionally, they can have unique feather patterns such as speckles, stripes, or spots.
A Lavender Easter Egger chicken is a type of Easter Egger, which is a hybrid breed that is created by crossing specific breeds of chickens to produce blue or green eggs. The Lavender Easter Egger is unique in that it has a lavender or grayish-blue feather color, rather than the typical brown or black feathers seen in other Easter Eggers.
The APA recognizes the lavender variation as “self-blue” rather than lavender. This beautiful “lavender” Easter Egger variety is similar to blue but a bit lighter.
What Color Eggs do Easter Egger Hens Lay?
Easter Egger hens are known for laying eggs in a variety of colors, including blue, green, pink, and brown. The exact color of the egg will depend on the individual chicken’s genetics. Easter Eggers all carry the blue egg-laying gene, but that doesn’t mean it will be a dominant gene.
What are Olive Egger Chickens?
An Olive Egger chicken is a hybrid breed that is created by crossing specific breeds of chickens, typically a dark brown egg-laying breed such as Marans or Welsummers with a blue egg-laying breed like Ameraucanas or Easter Eggers.
The resulting offspring will have a unique gene combination that produces olive-colored eggs. Olive Eggers can come in a variety of colors and patterns due to the different combinations of parent breeds used in their creation.
They are known for being hardy birds that are good layers and make great pets due to their friendly personalities. Overall, Olive Eggers are an interesting and unique addition to any backyard flock for those who want something a little different than traditional brown or white eggs.
Where to Buy Easter Egger Chicks
We have always purchased our chicks in the springtime from our local feed store. We recommend this option rather than shipping chicks. However, there are breeders and hatcheries that will send you day-old chicks.
Where to Buy Easter Egger Chicken Eggs
Raising chickens is rewarding and fun, but a big commitment. If you’d like to enjoy blue chicken eggs without the hens, you can often find pasture raised blue eggs. If you love birds and animals, try making a batch of Hummingbird Food. And don’t miss our adorable post all about Scottish Highland Cows.
First, ask friends who raise happy chickens if they would sell them. Next, try your local farmer’s market. Many natural grocery stores also sell Easter Egger chicken eggs.
Recap: Are Easter Eggers the Best for Blue Eggs?
While Easter Egger chickens are known for their colorful eggs, they may not be the best choice if your primary goal is to have a consistent supply of blue eggs. This is because Easter Eggers are not purebred chickens, but rather a hybrid breed that can produce blue or green eggs depending on which parent breeds were used in their creation.
While many Easter Eggers lay blue eggs, others may lay green or even brown eggs. If you’re looking for a guaranteed supply of blue eggs, it’s better to choose a purebred Ameraucana or Araucana chicken. These breeds are known for consistently laying blue eggs and have been bred specifically for this trait over many generations.
The Game lets you play a musical guessing game. It is based on Wordle, the viral word-guessing heardle game, but with songs instead of words. You have to listen to a short snippet of a song and try to guess its title and artist. You only get one second of the song at first, but you get more seconds with each guess. You have six tries to get it right, and the faster you guess, the better your score. Heardle features songs from different genres and eras, so you can test your musical knowledge and discover new songs.