Easter Egger temperment (from hatchery)

[fightingbunny]

I am desiring blue-ish eggs and thinking of getting some easter egger chicks from Cackle or Meyer hatchery. Has anyone gotten chicks from there in the last few years and can describe the temperament of their easter egger chickens? I am worried that the easter eggers will be too aggressive or flighty for my backyard flock. I have 4 pretty laid back birds, buff orpington, barred rock, dominique, and welsummer. I also am not able to free range my chickens, so I can not have too flighty a bird or one that needs a lot of room.

Also, is there any way to know if you will get green or blue eggs?

Thanks for any insight!
Jenn

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

There really is no way to know what color of egg an EE will lay until she does -- it may be blue, green or some shade of brown (not all EE inherit the proper genetics to produce blue or green, nature of mixed breeding).
As for temperament, the EE I have had have been like any other breed I've kept in that each bird had an individual personality -- I've had very friendly, docile EEs and stand-offish EEs --- in general they were middle of the flock birds showing no particular inclination to climb the social ladder. They did very well both while confined in the run and while we were able to allow them to range the property. The hatchery EE I've had have tended to be fairly light in body and very efficient when it comes to feed/egg conversion.