6 Best Breeds that Will Lay Beautiful Blue Chicken Eggs

BLUE EGG LAYING BREEDS
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Looking to add some color to your daily egg collection baskets? How about adding some varying shades of blue chicken eggs to your basket? These are the 6 best breeds that will lay beautiful blue chicken eggs!

BREEDEGGS/YEAREGG SIZE/COLOR
AMERAUCANA200LARGE,
BLUE
CRESTED CREAM LEGBAR260LARGE-XL,
BLUE,BLUE-GREEN
EASTER EGGER250-300LARGE-XL,
BLUE,GREEN, PINK
ARAUCANAS150-200MEDIUM-LARGE,
LIGHT BLUE
WHITING TRUE BLUE280-300MEDIUM-LARGE,
POWDER BLUE
ARKANSAS BLUE250-350LARGE,
BLUE
6 BEAUTIFUL BLUE EGG LAYERS

#1 Ameraucana – “Chipmunk Cheeks and Slate Legs”

The Ameraucana breed originated in the United States in the 1970’s and was created in the hopes of preserving the genetics of the Araucana chicken, another blue egg layer. A true Ameraucana only lays blue eggs and has slate blue legs. If the hen isn’t laying a blue egg, it isn’t a true Ameraucana.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AMERAUCANA BREED
LAYS LIGHT BLUE EGG
BEGINS LAYING ABOUT 5 MONTHS OF AGE
LAYS 3-4 EGGS PER WEEK
EGGS MEDIUM-LARGE
STANDARD SIZE 5 1/2 HENS, 6 1/2 LBS ROOSTERS
BANTAM SIZE IS PRETTY SMALL AT ABOUT 2 LBS
PEA COMB
COLD HARDY
SLATE BLUE LEGS
8 DIFFERENT COLORS
RECOGNIZED COLORS OF AMERAUCANA
WHITE
BLUE
BLACK
BUFF
SILVER
WHEATEN
BLUE-WHEATEN
BROWN-RED

#2 Crested Cream Legbar – “Adorable Feathered Crests”

What do you get when you cross a Barred Plymouth Rock with a Brown Leghorn(with a little bit of Araucana and Gold Campine genes)? You get a Cream Legbar Chicken!

The Crested Cream Legbar gets its adorable crest of feathers on its head from the genes of the Araucana and the high egg laying ability from the Brown Leghorn genes.

The Crested Cream Legbar is a British chicken breed and is about 100 years old. It has only been in the United States for a short period of time, but is becoming more and more popular for backyard chicken owners.

It is the most popular auto sexing chicken breed. Right when the chicks are born you are able to sex them.

The female chicks have a chipmunk pattern, with a dark stripe down its back and by its eyes. The males do not have the chipmunk pattern and their coloring is more washed out. The males also have a white spot on the top of their head.

HIGHLIGHTS OF CRESTED CREAM LEGBAR BREED
LAYS LIGHT BLUE OR BLUE-GREEN EGG
LAYS ABOUT 4-5 EGGS PER WEEK, 260/YEAR
LAYS LARGE – XL EGGS
FAMILY FRIENDLY
AUTO SEXING
STILL CONSIDERED A RARE BREED IN U.S.
YELLOW LEGS
HEN WEIGHS 4 1/2 – 6LBS, ROOSTER: 6-7 1/2 LBS

#3 Easter Egger – “Most Popular Family Chicken”

EASTER EGGER CHICKEN
EASTER EGGER CHICKENS LAY BEAUTIFUL BLUE EGGS.

Easter Egger chickens are the most known for their wide variety of egg colors the breed can lay. They can lay various shades of blue or green and less commonly pink eggs!

This breed is not a standard breed, but a mix of either an Ameraucana or Araucana with another breed. This is why there is such a variety of egg colors associated with the breed.

It isn’t uncommon for backyard chicken owners to own 4-6 Easter Eggers to provide their family with a really nice, colorful daily collection of eggs!

HIGHLIGHTS OF EASTER EGGER BREED
LAYS SHADES OF BLUE, GREEN AND EVEN PINK EGGS
NOT A STANDARD BREED – “MIXED BREED”
EXTREMELY FAMILY FRIENDLY, CUDDLY
WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS
LAYS 5 EGGS PER WEEK
LAYS LARGE-XL SIZE EGG
COLD AND HEAT HARDY
WEIGHT HEN- 4 LBS, ROOSTER- 5 LBS

#4 Araucanas – “Rumpless with Ear Tufts”

ARAUCANA
ARAUCANA IS A BREED THAT WILL LAY BEAUTIFUL BLUE CHICKEN EGGS.

The Araucana breed originated in Chile and carries a lethal ear tuft gene that very commonly kills the chick embryo before it even hatches. 4 out of 10 embryos die around day 20-21 and a higher than average percentage that make it to hatch will die within a week of hatching.

Araucanas have “peduncles” or protuberances that stick out from the side of its neck or ears lobes that are often covered with ear-tufts (feathers).

Because the ear tuft gene is a semi-lethal gene, it is not common to see an Araucana with ear-tufts.

Another characteristic that makes this breed stand out is that it is rumpless. It doesn’t have tail feathers that protrude out and it lacks a tail bone. This makes it easy to differentiate between an Ameraucana, Easter Egger and the Araucana. Especially if the Araucana does not have ear tufts.

If you are lucky enough to own an Araucana, you may be blessed with some pretty different shades of blue eggs. Some people have reported getting greyish blue, purplish blue and turquoise green eggs from their Araucana!

HIGHLIGHTS OF ARAUCANA BREED
EGGS: VARIOUS SHADES OF BLUE
LAYS 150-200 EGGS/YEAR
CARRIES LETHAL EAR TUFT GENE
DIFFICULT TO BREED
RUMPLESS, NO TAIL BONE
PEA COMB
NO WATTLES
DUAL PURPOSE: EGGS AND MEAT
HEN: 5-6 LBS, ROOSTER: 6-7 LBS
BANTAM SIZE: HEN: 1.5-1.75 LBS,
ROOSTER: 1.75 LBS-1.87 LBS
BROODY, EXCELLENT MOTHERS
DOCILE BREED
APA RECOGNIZED COLORS OF ARAUCANA
WHITE
BLACK
BLACK BREASTED RED
GOLDEN DUCKWING
SILVER DUCKWING
The APA recognizes 5 different colors of Araucanas.

#5 Whiting True Blue – “Prolific and Consistent Layer”

WHITING TRUE BLUE IS A BREED THAT WILL LAY BEAUTIFUL BLUE CHICKEN EGGS.
WHITING TRUE BLUE IS A BREED THAT WILL LAY BEAUTIFUL BLUE CHICKEN EGGS.

The Whiting True Blue breed was developed by Dr. Thomas Whiting in western Colorado at a place they call Whiting Farms. The main goal at Whiting Farms began in 1989 to be the number one producer of fly tying feathers (for fishing). Right now Whiting Farms is the number one fly tying feather market in the world!

On top of providing beautiful tying feathers for fly fishing, the Whiting True Blue also lays a beautiful, powder blue colored egg!

HIGHLIGHTS OF WHITING TRUE BLUE BREED
LAYS POWDER BLUE EGG
LAYS 280-300 EGGS
EGG SIZE: MEDIUM-LARGE
VARIETY OF FEATHER COLORS
BEGIN LAYING 5 MONTHS
FRIENDLY, NON-AGGRESSIVE
FEATHERS COMMONLY USED FOR
FLY FISHING AND CRAFTING
SIZE: 5.5-7 LBS

#6 Arkansas Blue – ” Experimental Breed”

The Arkansas Blue chicken is an experimental chicken created by Dr. Keith Bramwell at the University of Arkansas. He bred a Leghorn with an Araucana resulting in a blue egg laying hen that is called an “Arkansas Blue.”

Because of the Leghorn gene, they are prolific layers! They lay a beautiful blue medium-large egg about 300/year!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ARKANSAS BLUE
LAYS BLUE EGGS
LAYS 300 EGGS/YEAR
EGGS MEDIUM-LARGE
PEA COMB
YELLOW LEGS, SKIN
FLIGHTY BREED
STARTS LAYING AROUND 5 MONTHS
HEAT AND COLD HARDY
WEIGHT: HEN-5.5 LBS

What Determines the Color of an Egg Shell?

Genetics determines the color of an egg shell that a hen produces. The breed of the chicken will determine how much of each pigment (color) is deposited onto the egg shell, inside the hens oviduct. Pigments responsible for egg color are protoporphyrin IX, biliverdin, and biliverdin-zinc chelate.

Colorful Chicken Eggs in Baskets
COLORFUL CHICKEN EGGS IN BASKETS.

Biliverdin is responsible for giving eggshells their blue-green color and protoporphyrin the reddish-brown color. There are endless different shades of blues, greens and browns produced, depending upon how much of each pigment is deposited.

All eggs start out as white and take approximately 26 hours to develop. Breeds that lay white eggs, such as the Legbars, Andalusians and Anconas do not have any pigment deposited. Even though no pigment is deposited, it still spends the same amount of time in the oviduct as a blue, green or brown egg.

Pigment Responsible for Blue Eggs

Breeds that produce blue eggs, such as Ameraucana, Araucana or Crested Cream Legbars have a pigment called oocyanin and biliverdin deposited while in the oviduct. This pigment permeates the entire egg shell. This is why both the inside and outside of the egg shell have a blue color.

Pigment Responsible for Brown Eggs

Breeds that produce brown eggs, such as Marans, Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds, have a pigment called is protoporphyrin IX. The darker the egg shell, the more pigment is deposited.

Brown egg layers have most of the pigment deposited during the last hours before being laid. Most of the pigment in brown eggs is deposited in the “bloom.” This is why the inside of brown eggs is still white and just the outer shell is brown.

Because most of the pigment of brown eggs is in the bloom, it can easily be wiped or scratched off, especially when the egg is just laid and the bloom is still wet.

Pigment Responsible for Green Eggs

Breeds that produce green eggs, such as Olive Eggers, Isbars and Easter Eggers have a cross of pigments responsible for both blue and brown egg shells. Again, the breed will determine how much of each pigment is released.

Breeds that will lay beautiful blue chicken eggs. Colorful chicken eggs in hen box. Collect eggs frequently in winter
NEST BOX WITH A VARIETY OF EGG COLORS: BLUE, BROWN, GREEN AND OLIVE.

Can One Chicken Lay Multiple Colors of Eggs?

A hen that lays a blue egg will always lay a blue egg. She will not one day lay a brown or green egg. What can change is the shade of blue, brown or green that hen lays.

During the beginning of a hens laying cycle, it is common for her eggs to have more pigment deposited, resulting in a brighter or darker egg color. Towards the end of the laying cycle, the color fades as less pigment is being released.

Do Blue Eggs Taste Different?

BLUE CHICKEN EGGS
BLUE CHICKEN EGGS FROM MY CRESTED CREAM LEGBAR HENS.

A farm fresh blue egg tastes the same as any other farm fresh egg. What can change the way an egg tastes is the way in which the hen that laid it was raised. When the conditions in which the hen was raised is optimal, she is going to produce an egg that is nutritionally better for you. Many people swear that farm fresh eggs taste much better than supermarket eggs.

Hens that are allowed to free range are able to eat all kinds of leafy greens, scratch the ground and eat bugs which will make her eggs so much better for you than a factory raised hen that isn’t allowed to free range and is fed a pellet diet.

The difference is apparent the second you crack an egg open. Hens that are raised in optimal conditions will produce an egg that has a deep orange yolk, compared to a factory raised chickens that produce a much paler yellow yolk.

Are Blue Eggs Safe to Eat?

COOKING SUNNY-SIDE-UP-EGGS
BLUE CHICKEN EGGS ARE PERFECTLY FINE TO EAT.

Blue eggs are completely safe to eat. The egg shells of an egg do not change the nutritional content of the egg at all. When you crack a blue egg open, the contents looks just the same as a brown, green or white chicken egg.

Are Blue Eggs Healthier?

The color of the egg does not make an egg any healthier. The conditions in which the hen that laid it can make an egg healthier for you. Chickens that are allowed to free range are exposed to plenty of sunshine (Vitamin D), eat all kinds of little bugs (protein) and leafy greens. This is what will make an egg healthier for you.

So, in most circumstances you can say that farm fresh eggs are nutritionally better for you. That is if they have been fed a healthy diet and exposed to plenty sunshine. Below is a chart that shows you how farm fresh eggs are nutritionally better for you than supermarket eggs.

FARM FRESH EGGS
⬆️ VITAMIN D
⬆️ VITAMIN E
⬆️ VITAMIN A
⬇️ CHOLESTEROL
⬇️ SATURATED FAT
⬆️ BETA CAROTENE
⬆️ OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
THICKER SHELLS
RICHER YOLK
FARM FRESH EGGS ARE NUTRITIONALLY BETTER FOR YOU
THAN FACTORY RAISED CHICKEN EGGS.

Conclusion: 6 Best Breeds that Will Lay Beautiful Blue Chicken Eggs

6 BEST BREEDS
THAT WILL LAY
BEAUTIFUL BLUE
CHICKEN EGGS
AMERAUCANA
CRESTED CREAM
LEGBAR
EASTER EGGER
ARAUCANA
WHITING TRUE
BLUE
ARKANSAS BLUE
6 BEST CHICKEN BREEDS GIVING YOU BLUE CHICKEN EGGS.

Adding some shades of blue chicken eggs to your daily egg collection is sure to make your basket a beautiful sight to see! Which breed of chicken do you prefer for your blue chicken eggs?

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