Illinois...

[ChicagoClucker]

Crested Cream Legbar can be blue or green and even olive by UK standards... The ones I just got are a very light shade of mint green, on the hunt for some more true blue ones...

If you get Ameraucanas make sure you get them from a reputable breeder, as there is no shortage of fake mutt breed aka Easter Eggers being sold as Ameraucanas (or a variant of the spelling) by many hatcheries...

I agree with @MeepBeep on the Ameraucanas. The feed store that I go to for feed, sells Ameraucanas and they are actually Easter Eggers. They aren't the only ones either. There are people breeding Easter Eggers and selling them as Ameraucanas.

And out of my CCLs I have 2 that lay blue eggs and a 3rd that does lay a green egg and its has gotten darker as she ages to almost an Olive and the blues have gotten lighter, but I am sure it will change a bit because of their egg cycle.

@chickendreams24 here is a pic of the Isbar eggs. I received 3 different colors of green. The woman I got them from says that they come in varying shades of green. They are suppose to be from the new line from Greenfire Farms. Here are the eggs and pics of the adults. They just went into the incubator on the 25th so they will be hatching on the 16th of October. The smaller eggs are my cochin bantams.

 

[chickendreams24]

@MeepBeep
That is something we may definitely be interested in especially if you get the crested cream legbars as I very much want some ccls particularly if they lay true blue eggs I do have an EE that I think is laying true blue eggs but they're very light colored she's only I think 19 weeks though. Will they darken so I can see the color better? We also have three that haven't started to lay yet. We may also be interested in the barnyard mix/EE/olive egger and the f1 olive eggers if you breed some. Like I said though it depends on what I can get DH2B to agree to and the prices. Also we have another BYCer friend who is planning to start selling eggs and she is planning to use us as her shipped egg guinea pigs so I'm excited about that. She's planning to get some langshans so hopefully by late next fall I'll be getting some plum/purple eggs

@ChicagoClucker
I'll talk to DH2B about getting some but that also depends on how much you want for them if you have extras hatch. We're getting Faraday40's chicks that just hatched so I'd have to see if I could swing the numbers lol I'm also a bit worried about the drive. Where are you located?

 

[ChicagoClucker]

@MeepBeep
That is something we may definitely be interested in especially if you get the crested cream legbars as I very much want some ccls particularly if they lay true blue eggs I do have an EE that I think is laying true blue eggs but they're very light colored she's only I think 19 weeks though. Will they darken so I can see the color better? We also have three that haven't started to lay yet. We may also be interested in the barnyard mix/EE/olive egger and the f1 olive eggers if you breed some. Like I said though it depends on what I can get DH2B to agree to and the prices. Also we have another BYCer friend who is planning to start selling eggs and she is planning to use us as her shipped egg guinea pigs so I'm excited about that. She's planning to get some langshans so hopefully by late next fall I'll be getting some plum/purple eggs

@ChicagoClucker
I'll talk to DH2B about getting some but that also depends on how much you want for them if you have extras hatch. We're getting Faraday40's chicks that just hatched so I'd have to see if I could swing the numbers lol I'm also a bit worried about the drive. Where are you located?

I am on the south side of Chicago. But, I usually hold on to the chicks til they are at least 2 months old, so I can pick the 2 best that I would like to keep out of the bunch. I think your best bet is @MeepBeep that way all the chicks will be of the same age. And I would be very excited about the Langshans too! Very Nice and Good Luck!

 

[Faraday40]

For anyone simply wanting blue or green eggs, I usually recommend getting EEs instead of the more expensive breeds. I hatched some CCLs & yes, the eggs are blue, but so are the eggs from my EEs. In fact, I must carefully study the shape to tell the diff between the two hens' eggs. I sold all but one CCL. There was nothing wrong with them, but we had to make room in the coop. I'm happy they are being loved & enjoyed by someone. I recently sold 2 of my EEs and miss them terribly. (personality PLUS) I have more stories about those lovable mutts & they seem so hardy in our climate. Another EE advantage is cost. They're very easy to find, so much less expensive to aquire.

Of course, if you want a crest or particular feather pattern/color, then go for the purebred. In the long run, you want to be happy with your birds, so your chicken care never feels like a chore.

 

[Faraday40]

I just read my post & it sounds like I'm slamming CCLs. I really like them & find them very pretty. I was just trying to point out the value of EEs. Often they can be found for $5 or less per chick or buy a dozen eggs for $10 (or sometimes free from a friend). I've never seen CCL eggs under $30-40 per doz. If you have to get them shipped, then the cost goes even higher. EE eggs can usually be found locally or within an hour drive.

 

[MeepBeep]

Just be aware with Easter Eggers that many EE don't always lay green or blue eggs, in fact many hatcheries advertise their EE as simply 'colored' egg layers, as it's not technically a breed, it's just a generic name... If you read some EE threads here you will fine people getting EE from big hatcheries that lay anything from white, cream, brown, green or blue and every shade in between...

 

[MeepBeep]

I just read my post & it sounds like I'm slamming CCLs.  I really like them & find them very pretty.  I was just trying to point out the value of EEs.  Often they can be found for $5 or less per chick or buy a dozen eggs for $10 (or sometimes free from a friend).  I've never seen CCL eggs under $30-40 per doz.  If you have to get them shipped, then the cost goes even higher.  EE eggs can usually be found locally or within  an hour drive.

I didn't take it as a slam, there is a reason much of my flock is barnyard mixed/EE/Oliver egger I like the variety of birds and I still get the colored eggs...

As you said EE are a bargain over many pure breeds if you just want colored eggs...

The reason I'm currently picking up some pure breeds like the CCL is so that I get the double blue/green gene and thus know what I'm working with and the fact they are autosexable at birth... Right now I have a single bird that lays a very nice baby blue egg, but I have been unable to get her to have any offspring that lay a similar colored egg due the fact that my mutt roosters are lacking in the proper gene department... Hoping to work on that this coming year with some new roosters...

 

[Faraday40]

I didn't take it as a slam, there is a reason much of my flock is barnyard mixed/EE/Oliver egger I like the variety of birds and I still get the colored eggs...

As you said EE are a bargain over many pure breeds if you just want colored eggs...

The reason I'm currently picking up some pure breeds like the CCL is so that I get the double blue/green gene and thus know what I'm working with and the fact they are autosexable at birth... Right now I have a single bird that lays a very nice baby blue egg, but I have been unable to get her to have any offspring that lay a similar colored egg due the fact that my mutt roosters are lacking in the proper gene department... Hoping to work on that this coming year with some new roosters...

I was fortunate to get mine from an Amerucana(sp?) breeder who had just decided to get into pigeons instead. He put all his show chickens in with the layer flock. He donated a rainbow dozen for my classroom's incubation project. It was the 1st time I hatched a breed other than white leghorn. We were enamored by the affection & personalities of the chicks..... and so began my journey into keeping chickens. If I had stuck with hatching the skittish leghorns, I may have never decided to own poultry. Now I'm afraid I'm addicted & sharing my affliction with my daughter.

 

[Justso]

I'm from central Illinois. Just searching site for information on feed, water, coops, runs ect. My husband's friend getting rid of chickens so we are looking at starting into chicken raising! If and when we get this all going where is the best place in central illinois to get hens that lay blue or green eggs?

I'm sure i will be on here alot asking questions!

Welcome!

I really enjoyed my ee cross when I had her, she layed nice bright blue eggs, they were medium, though. Is egg size a consideration for you?

 

[mommacoop25]

egg size really doesn't matter. After reading several of these posts the EE chickens with their personality may be what i like! When everything gets going and i see what my husbands friend has then i can start looking for chicks or little bit older girls, Not sure i want roosters yet till i get the hang with just girls!