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The Blue Egg Layers

Posted by Sarah Moore on

Ameraucana vs. Araucana vs. Easter Egger 

The Blue Egg Layers

By: Lisa Steele - Fresh Eggs Daily

Ever since Martha Stewart appeared on television several years ago holding a basket of blue eggs laid by her chickens, the demand for the blue egg laying breeds has skyrocketed. There are predominantly three that come up when you're talking blue eggs - Ameraucanas, Araucanas and Easter Eggers (although Cream Legbars do lay blue eggs as well and are just becoming available in the US) - but only two of the three ALWAYS lay blue eggs, so you'll want to keep reading and be sure of what you're ordering this spring if you are determined to have blue eggs in your basket come fall!

I have raised all three types of the blue egg layers. Unfortunately, the two Araucanas I hatched both turned out to be roosters, so I was out of luck there with blue eggs from them, and every Easter Egger I have ever raised has laid green eggs - some a pale mint color, others a sage green - always very pretty, but never blue eggs, so I am anxiously awaiting my first Ameraucana to start laying. I hatched her this past spring and she's due to start any day now!

So anyway, back to the three, here are the basic differences between them:

 

AMERAUCANAS

Ameraucanas are a pure breed recognized by the APA since 1984. They were most likely originally bred from South American blue egg laying breeds but were developed and standardized in the United States. They come in eight distinct colors including, Blue, Black, White and Wheaten, which all share these distinct Ameraucana traits:

  • Peacomb
  • Muffs and beard
  • Red earlobes
  • Tails
  • Blue Legs
  • White foot bottoms
  • Always lay blue eggs

     

    ARAUCANAS

    Araucanas are also a pure breed recognized by the APA since 1976. They originated in Chile most likely and come in five colors including black, white, duckwing silver and golden. Araucanas all share these distinct Araucana traits:

    • Peacomb
    • Ear tufts (this gene is lethal to developing chicks if inherited by both parents)
    • Red earlobes
    • Rumpless (no tail)
    • Green or willow-colored legs
    • Yellow foot bottoms
    • Always lay blue eggs

     

    EASTER EGGERS

    Easter Eggers are not a recognized breed. They are mongrels - mixed breed chickens that do possess the blue egg gene but don't fully meet the breed specifications of either Araucanas or Ameraucanas. They can come in any color or combination of colors and share these traits So if you want to be guaranteed blue egg layers, you will want to raise some Araucanas or Ameraucanas; otherwise Easter Eggers are always fun:

    • Any kind of comb
    •  Muffs/beard/ear tufts or none
    •  Any color earlobes
    •  Tail or tail-less
    •  Any color legs
    •  Any color foot bottoms
    •  Can lay blue but also sometimes lay green, tan, pink or even yellow eggs

     

     

    So if you want to be guaranteed blue egg layers, you will want to raise some Araucanas or Ameraucanas; otherwise Easter Eggers are always fun because you never know what color egg wach will lay until she starts laying, and even indentical-looking hens often lay verying shades of bluish or greenish eggs.

     

    Final note: There is no such thing as an Americana.

    References:
    http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html http://apa-abayouthpoultryclub.org/Edu_Material/Easter%20Eggers%20vs.pdf

    1 comment


    • Am I able to send you pictures of some ‘surprise’ chicks that are 5 mos old now to determine what exactly they are?

      Romona Mcgrane on

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