I think chicken math is starting to get into my brain. So far we have four chickens, 2 RIR and 2 Red Sex Link. I'm pretty sure these hens will lay brown eggs right? If I want some varied colored eggs, what breeds do I look for? Are Easter Eggers the only ones that lay blue or green? I'm new to this, so any help is appreciated!!!
americanas and easter eggers are the only blue egg laying chickens in the us at this point to my knowledge, but I believe Paul Bradshaw at greenfire farms is in the process of importing cream leg bars, they lay blue eggs and are auto sexing I don't know when they will be available but you can bet coming from Paul, they will be spectacular
According to my lay knowledge, chicken's lay shell colors based on the colors of their ear lobes. I have a Buttercup chicken. She is gold with black spots all over. However, her ear lobes are pure while and her eggs are white. I've had several RIR, sex-linked and various other chickens. All the eggs were various shades of cream to dark brown. I can tell you that I have never had two chickens, even the same breed that had shells the same color. Lots of fun. Geri
Ear lobes do not affect the egg color or I would be getting a lot of red eggs. My EE have red lobes and lay blue and green. Check with Mcmurray Hatcheries. They have tinted egg layers. Salmon Faverolles lay tinted. Egyptain Fayounmis lay tinted. These are two I found that lay tinted besides the EE
Ear lobes WILL show the egg color in most breeds. Red ear lobes are shades of brown eggs. White ear lobes should lay white eggs. There are exceptions. "tinted" as in Faverolles and others is a whitish egg with a cream to light brown tint. In the USA, if you want blue or green eggs you either need easter eggers, Ameraucanas, or Araucanas. The most common, and cheapest, are the EEs. I know of a few sources in NC and southern VA that had them. I do not know if they would have any available this late in the season or not. Matt
Quote:Matt is absolutely correct! Ear lobes are a great way of telling what color eggs a breed will lay. Your RIR and Sex Links will lay brown eggs. White ear lobes white eggs and red ear lobes brown. There are a few exceptions but they are very few. Enjoy your brown eggs!
And then there are the dark brown egg layers, like Marans and Welsummers. I have one of each in my diverse flock of many breeds. I love the different colors. Right now I only have two white egg layers, the Golden Lakenvelder sisters, Millicent and Minerva. They are a very nice contrast to all the other colored eggs.
