Posted by Laura Hepburn, Mon, Mar 4, 2013; Updated Wed, Mar 15, 2023
One of the most popular chicken breeds is the “Easter Egger,” and I’m not surprised one bit! Not only are they usually assertive, friendly, and comical, but they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and lay eggs in a wide variety of shades.
While their personalities are second to none, the reason most people add Easter Eggers to their flock is to add some splashes of blue or green to their egg basket. It’s always fun when non-chicken folk see a beautiful blue chicken egg for the first time and say, “Blue? Blue eggs? I didn’t know chickens could lay blue eggs!”
Which chickens lay colorful eggs?
Blue eggs can come from several different pure breeds including Araucanas, Ameraucanas and Cream Legbars. “Easter Eggers” are mixed-breed chickens that have been crossed at some point with Araucanas or Ameraucanas. This means that the body type, comb, and other features will often resemble those of one of these breeds, but the egg color and feather color/pattern can vary widely. This, in my opinion, is what gives Easter Eggers their charm.
Many feed stores, eBay shops or hatcheries will label their Easter Eggers as purebred Ameraucanas. Unless you are planning on showing your birds or you want a blue egg guarantee, don’t be disappointed! There is nothing wrong with having these delightful mutts.
Features you may find in Easter Eggers include muffs, beards, slate/green/blue legs, feathered legs, or pea combs, or they might be rumpless. Color patterns range across the board from black to white, buff to partridge, splash, blue, lacing, and on and on!
Part of the excitement of ordering or hatching out Easter Eggers is waiting with anticipation as they grow up and surprise you with a rainbow of variations. Similarly, Easter Eggers can lay eggs that are light brown, sage green, turquoise, blue, sky blue, light olive green, spring pea green or dark olive green.
One trend that has exploded in recent years is what’s referred to as “Olive Eggers,” which are Ameraucanas, Araucanas, or Easter Eggers crossed with a chocolate egg layer breed such as a Maran or Welsummer. This cross produces an Easter Egger (or “Olive Egger”) that lays a dark olive green egg.
Do you have fun facts or stories about Easter Eggers? Please share them in the comments below! We love hearing people’s personal stories and thoughts, and if there was ever a breed that inspired passion among chicken owners, it’s this one!
Download our complete Chicken Breed poster below to find the perfect breed for your rainbow egg basket!
