Colored Egg Breeds?

[HomesteadDucks]

I am looking to get some more birds (Chickens or Ducks) to add to my flock. I am interested in getting a breed that lays colored eggs. Though I do have to make a profit so that I can pay for my feed. I am looking for a colored egg breed that lays a large number of eggs (250 eggs/year or more). Thank You!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You'll have to go with ducks.
As for chickens, dark egg breeds like Marans, Penedesenca, Welsummer and Barnevelder all range between 150 and 200 per year.
For green and blue eggs, Ameraucana, Araucana, EEs and Legbars are in the same production territory.

 

[Michael OShay]

X2 on ChickenCanoe; no chicken breed that lays colored eggs consistently puts out 250 or more eggs per hen per year although I've had an occasional Easter Egger lay around that number. Out of the dozens of breeds and hybrids that I've had over the past 50 years, the only ones that consistently lay more than 250 eggs per hen per year are Leghorns (300 + eggs per year for the White Leghorns), Sex Links (300 + eggs per year for the Black and Red Sex Links); White Leghorn based hybrids such as Austra Whites and California Whites; Australorps and Rhode Island Reds/Production Reds (all around 260-300 eggs per year).

 

[Birdrain92]

I am looking to get some more birds (Chickens or Ducks) to add to my flock. I am interested in getting a breed that lays colored eggs. Though I do have to make a profit so that I can pay for my feed. I am looking for a colored egg breed that lays a large number of eggs (250 eggs/year or more). Thank You!

Exotic chicken breeds that lay the exotic color eggs tend not to have the best egg production compared to other egg laying breeds. White Leghorn (white eggs), Black/Golden Sex Link (brown eggs), Rhode Island Red (brown eggs), and Black Australorp (brown eggs) are some of the best egg laying breeds that I can think of right away. For ducks you have 2 duck breeds that lead the way. Khaki Campbell leading the egg laying with the average hen laying about 330 eggs a year and the Indian Runner right behind with the average hen laying about 300 eggs a year. I raise Indian Runners and I like the breed for it's uniqueness, egg laying ability, and being docile. Make sure though you get production birds and not show birds. Show birds do not produce as well as a production bird. Just to let you know.
My Indian Runners. The drake Kenia is on the left and the hen Kida is on the right.

Indian Runner duck eggs

 

[HomesteadDucks]

I currently have six khaki campbells (who lay white eggs). They lay fairly well. I only really want some colored ones to get more variety in my eggs (honestly, just to please my eye... and my costumer's). Therefore, I'm not looking for very exotic colors, just a variety. Though you have confirmed what I was assuming... that there aren't very many high laying breeds with colored eggs. Do you know if any indian runners lay blue tinted eggs? I feel like I may have seen that before.

 

[HomesteadDucks]

Michael OShay I would love to know more about the Easter Egger Chicken. Is it one breed that lays multiple colors of eggs? How many eggs do they produce? 200 or more would easily pay for feed... hopefully. Please explain. : )

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Michael OShay I would love to know more about the Easter Egger Chicken. Is it one breed that lays multiple colors of eggs? How many eggs do they produce? 200 or more would easily pay for feed... hopefully. Please explain. : )

If I may speak out of turn - EE are not a breed, but a mixed breed bird that is created using one blue egg laying parent breed. The offspring "may" lay a blue/green egg, but can also produce shades of brown (from cream to pinkish to plain ol' brown). The fun of EE is the mystery of what they will look like (being mixed breeds they come out a wide variety of colors/patterns, some are bearded, some are clean faced and comb types can vary as well. Just as with the appearances varying, so does production - a lot depends on the parent breeds used in the cross as a bird from higher production breeds will be more likely to produce than those from lower laying parent breeds. The three in our flock average from 4-6 eggs each a week.

 

[Birdrain92]

I currently have six khaki campbells (who lay white eggs). They lay fairly well. I only really want some colored ones to get more variety in my eggs (honestly, just to please my eye... and my costumer's). Therefore, I'm not looking for very exotic colors, just a variety. Though you have confirmed what I was assuming... that there aren't very many high laying breeds with colored eggs. Do you know if any indian runners lay blue tinted eggs? I feel like I may have seen that before.

Some eggs my hen lays are a bluish green tint but not much still close to white but not bleach white. The upright stance of Runner ducks is what I love since it's unique and Runners come in 8 varieties recognized by the APA.

If I may speak out of turn - EE are not a breed, but a mixed breed bird that is created using one blue egg laying parent breed. The offspring "may" lay a blue/green egg, but can also produce shades of brown (from cream to pinkish to plain ol' brown). The fun of EE is the mystery of what they will look like (being mixed breeds they come out a wide variety of colors/patterns, some are bearded, some are clean faced and comb types can vary as well. Just as with the appearances varying, so does production - a lot depends on the parent breeds used in the cross as a bird from higher production breeds will be more likely to produce than those from lower laying parent breeds. The three in our flock average from 4-6 eggs each a week.

X2. EE is a crossbreed not a full breed. Each hen is different. I believe the average hen will lay around 227 is what I read somewhere. I can double check give me a few minutes.

 

[donrae]

You might look into the Super Blue Egg Layers, aka Sapphires. They're not a breed, but a cross from usually an Ameraucana with a Leghorn. I'm not sure what their average production is, but in the past when I've crossed plain ol EE with Leghorns the offspring have been very productive. I've never tracked how many eggs, but they way outlaid my dual purpose breeds.

 

[Michael OShay]

If I may speak out of turn - EE are not a breed, but a mixed breed bird that is created using one blue egg laying parent breed. The offspring "may" lay a blue/green egg, but can also produce shades of brown (from cream to pinkish to plain ol' brown). The fun of EE is the mystery of what they will look like (being mixed breeds they come out a wide variety of colors/patterns, some are bearded, some are clean faced and comb types can vary as well. Just as with the appearances varying, so does production - a lot depends on the parent breeds used in the cross as a bird from higher production breeds will be more likely to produce than those from lower laying parent breeds. The three in our flock average from 4-6 eggs each a week.

X2 on Ol Grey Mare; there is a good article at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html explaining the difference between Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and Easter Eggers.