Which breeds lay blue eggs?

[Infinity]

Been researching on this site and it looks like the few breeds that lay blue, could also lay green. Already have several EE's so am wondering if there is a guaranteed blue layer....a stunning sky blue, not a muddy blue. Does this depend on the hen in particular so that one could never be sure? Just wanting to add more color in my small flock. Be interested in purchasing a couple of pullets. Thank you.

 

[BantamLover21]

The only chickens that (if they're purebred) are guaranteed to lay pure blue eggs are Ameraucanas and Araucanas. Some Easter Eggers lay blue eggs, too, but they can also lay green, pink, and other combinations of those.

 

[Roxannemc]

True

 

[Wyandottes7]

The only chickens that (if they're purebred) are guaranteed to lay pure blue eggs are Ameraucanas and Araucanas. Some Easter Eggers lay blue eggs, too, but they can also lay green, pink, and other combinations of those.

X2

 

[Ridgerunner]

The short simplistic answer – True Ameraucana, Araucana, and Cream Legbar will all lay blue eggs.

The more complicated answer – Not many of those are really pure.

The Cream Legbar are fairly new to the US, not real common, and fairly expensive. Good luck on finding one of those that you can afford.

The Ameraucana and Araucana were developed from EE’s that originated in Chile. One of the requirements of the breeds is that they lay pure bleu eggs, no green at all. So if you can find someone that is breeding true Ameraucanas or Araucanas, you can get some pullets that are guaranteed to lay blue eggs. That’s not as easy as you might think.

When a chicken is judged at a chicken show, the judge does not see the color of the egg that the hen lays. Of course roosters don’t even lay eggs. There are some people showing these chickens that don’t quite lay pure blue eggs. If you can find a breeder that is actually breeding for pure blue eggs as well as the other characteristics, then you can get chickens that lay pure blue eggs. That’s your best bet. Find an ethical breeder. And try to get a look at the eggs they are laying.

The hatcheries don’t even come close. The generally advertise that the eggs can be many different colors. You’d have to be extremely lucky to get a hen from a hatchery that truly laid a pure blue egg even if the call their chickens Ameraucana or Araucana.

I know I’m not sounding very encouraging. There are people out there breeding for pure blue eggs. Good luck on that search. You might try contacting the Ameraucana or Araucana Breeder’s Club and fined someone if Florida that does produce pure blue eggs. A lot of those people are pretty passionate about what they are doing and blue eggs could be real important to them.

A story from my experience. I got some hatching eggs from a lady that is part of a group developing a new color/pattern of Ameraucana, hoping someday to get that new color/pattern officially recognized. About 15 generations back, they introduced some brown egg genes to get certain color/pattern genetics in the mix. Green is just brown on top of blue. For 15 generations they have been trying to get back to the breed requirements.

The hatching eggs I got from her were all a beautiful blue but about 1/3 of the pullets I got from those eggs laid an egg with some green in it. Either the rooster had some brown genes in him but more likely there are some recessive genes they haven’t been able to get entirely out of the mix.

I’m not disrespecting the true breeders at all. What they do is hard frustrating work.

 

[Infinity]

Well...the throwback issue seems to be the problem. Everything I've been reading (even here) is saying that the "purebreds" can lay blue or green. ANY reputable breeders in the Florida/southern Georgia area that you all are aware of? Don't mind paying a bit for a couple of pullets...just want the BLUE!!!!

Thanks for input so far!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

x2 to everything Ridgerunner said.

There are absolutely breeders out there breeding for egg color over all else. It might take some looking, but you'll find a breeder. I would also suggest posting on the Ameraucana breeders thread here at BYC--lots of breeders are there. You should also post a want add here on the BYC Buy-Sell-Trade forum.

If all you really want is a blue egg, have you looked for people breeding "Super Blue Egg Layers?" Those are Ameraucana/white Leghorn crosses, and will lay lots of large-sized pale sky blue eggs. I'll have some of those crosses myself next year, although I won't have pullets laying eggs (as proof of concept) until Fall 2014.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Ameraucanas, araucanas, and cream legbars. I have never heard of anyone getting a green egg from the legbars before. That arent that expensive either, people were selling quite a bit of hatching eggs around spring and I saw CL eggs for around $40 +shipping.If you are open to crossbreds. There are super blue egg layers which is an ameraucan rooster over leghorn hens. This results in a blue egg laying hen that lays consistently.I have seen eggs for them for sale on here too.