This post was most recently updated on March 1st, 2020
Did you know that chickens actually lay eggs that are not just white and brown? That’s right, some breeds of chicken lay colored eggs from all hues of the rainbow, including pink, green, blue and cream-colored eggs.
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In fact, it has become quite fashionable to produce colorful eggs right from your very own backyard. So if you would like to gather up a colorful basket of eggs each time you go out to visit your hens, here are 5 breeds of chickens that lay colored eggs. And that is just for starters.
5 Different Breeds Of Chickens That Lay Colored Eggs
1. Araucanas
Any chicken that lays blue eggs most likely has Araucana somewhere in its genetics. This breed reputedly originates from Chile.
It is a rumpless bird, meaning that it has no tail. It is a chicken with tufts of feathers hanging from an elastic, fine thread of skin on each side of its head.
It lays beautiful blue eggs. Araucanas are a very self-assured bird that has a mild temperament and is a great bird to add to your hen house.
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2. Easter Eggers
If chicks are sold by a hatchery under the Americana/Araucana label, those are chickens that are referred to as Easter Eggers. There is not a breed standard for them, and therefore Easter Eggers are literally mutts.
However, they are fabulous chickens that are hardy in both hot and cold weather. They are very smart and friendly birds.
Easter Eggers lay well during the winter, with eggs ranging in color from cream to olive, sage, brown, rose, green and blue. So in other words, they lay eggs in nearly every color of the rainbow.
Their eggs have a tendency to be quite large in addition to being very colorful. Easter Eggers make great pets as well.
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3. Cream Legbar
The Cream Legbar also lays blue eggs. This chicken was bred in Great Britain through crossing Araucanas, Golden Leghorns, and Plymouth Rock breeds.
They are great foragers, very active, and not at all flighty, and of course, lay beautiful blue eggs for you to enjoy.
4. Marans
The Marans is a French breed of chicken that lays deep dark brown eggs. They are easygoing, calm birds that are a medium size.
They come in wheaten, solid black, splash, blue copper and copper colors. The Black Copper Marans are very friendly with feathered feet. They lay very dark chocolate brown eggs.
5. Penedesenca
This breed of chicken originates from Spain and is well-known for laying some of the very darkest brown eggs. The eggs are a beautiful reddish, dark brown color.
They are very alert birds that are always aware of their surroundings. They have a king’s comb or carnation comb that starts out at the front and then parts into several different lobes down the back.
More chickens that lay colorful eggs
Here is a more comprehensive list, if you would like to explore more breeds of chickens beyond the five discussed above to explore the entire spectrum of colored eggs and the breeds of chickens that lay them.
Chicken breeds that lay Blue Eggs
Super Blue Easter Egger
Blue Easter Egger
Cream Legbar
Ameraucana
Chicken Breeds that lay Green Eggs
Blue Favaucana
Easter Egger
Olive Egger
Chicken breeds that lay Cream Eggs
Salmon Faverolle
Mille Fleur D’uccle
Silkie
Chickens breeds that lay Dark Brown Eggs
Welsummer
Silver Cuckoo Marans
Golden Cuckoo Marans
Black Copper Marans
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How To Feed Chickens For Best Egg Quality
No matter what color of eggs your chickens lay, it is very important that they get the proper nutrition to produce high-quality eggs.
The specific nutritional requirements will vary depending on whether the birds are molting or laying. For laying season a protein level of about 18-20 percent works quite well, and an average 1/4 pound portion of feed per chicken per day – more during the cold weather and less when they are foraging during the summer.
Since eggshells are mostly comprised of calcium carbonate, it is important for the chickens to have access to a sufficient amount of calcium.
Sometimes chickens produce thin eggshells during the summer when they are foraging a great deal and may need to be given a supplement. You can provide them with oyster shells for added calcium.
When hens are lacking in calcium, they may start to eat their own eggs. It can be hard to stop this behavior, so you should make a habit of collecting the eggs right after they are laid.
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Colorful Eggs of Your Very Own
Speckled, cream, blue, green, brown and all the other colored eggs make quite a statement!
As you can tell, chicken eggs are available in a wide range of different colors, and there are many breeds of chickens for you to choose from if you would like to collect baskets full of colorful eggs.
It is not always easy finding the chicken breeds from each of the ones discussed and above, especially if you are unable to mail order from a hatchery.
If you are eager to have colorful eggs but just want to choose one breed of chicken, then the Easter Egg can be a good breed to choose.
That is because a wide variety of color eggs are laid by Easter Eggers, ranging from green to all shades of blue, pink, and cream. You just never know what this fun breed is going to come up with.
Adding a couple of Easter Eggs to your hen house will ensure that you get plenty of colorful fresh eggs to enjoy every day.
