Best Replacement Chicken Breed

[makennarose]

I recently had an Ameraucana hen that was killed. I now have a flock of 4 including a White Leghorn, a Black Orpington, an Easter Egger, and a mutt hen. We want to replace her with another hen and my family has suggested we get something a little more different, so I thought I should come here and ask. I would love one that lays an egg color other than brown or white.

 

[so lucky]

Probably another EE, but please be careful trying to integrate one new chicken to an established flock. She may get picked on unmercifully. Could you get three at once? Three that have been raised together, so they would be a group, and less likely to be injured by the "old" birds as they integrate.

 

[Cyprus]

I agree with the above. Legbars may be a good fit.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I recently had an Ameraucana hen that was killed. I now have a flock of 4 including a White Leghorn, a Black Orpington, an Easter Egger, and a mutt hen. We want to replace her with another hen and my family has suggested we get something a little more different, so I thought I should come here and ask. I would love one that lays an egg color other than brown or white.

Well, you may have to get another Ameraucana if you want to guarantee blue eggs. Another option is to get a black copper Marans, their eggs look really different because they are a dark chocolate brown. Mine is really sweet.

 

[EggWalrus]

Or a Crested Legbar would work for some blue eggs.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Or a Crested Legbar would work for some blue eggs.

I’ve heard they are a little bit more skittish and not as friendly as an Ameraucauna..

 

[EggWalrus]

I’ve heard they are a little bit more skittish and not as friendly as an Ameraucauna..

The ones I've seen in person were only about as skittish as Leghorns.

 

[Sadness Child]

mine is rather skittish
and she is also not the brightest

 

[so lucky]

mine is rather skittish
and she is also not the brightest

But does she lay pretty eggs?

 

[Sadness Child]

her eggs are a bright blue my other CCL was not as skittish and got bullied and eventually got eaten by a coyote, but her eggs were a little darker blue

she is 4 years old now and she lays in 4-6 eggs a week from spring to summer
in the fall and winter she lays around 3-5 eggs a week