Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs

Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs

Certain chicken breeds are known for laying blue eggs, which are highly sought after for their unique appearance and novelty factor. These eggs stand out due to their stunning shells, ranging from pale pastel shades to deep sky-blue hues.

Although some people claim that blue eggs have a distinct flavour, scientific studies confirm that the taste and nutritional value of blue eggs are no different from those of eggs in more common colours, such as brown or white.

This means their appeal is primarily aesthetic, making them a fun and eye-catching addition to any egg basket.

The exact shade of blue an egg takes on can vary based on factors such as the hen’s diet, health and the amount of sunlight she is exposed to. Hens that are hybrids or crossbreeds may sometimes lay eggs with a greenish hue instead of pure blue, as the blue pigment mixes with other natural colouring processes.

Chickens that produce colourful eggs, including blue ones, are often affectionately referred to as “Easter Eggers.” This nickname reflects their ability to create a vibrant spectrum of egg colours, akin to a basket of dyed Easter eggs.

The following breeds will lay blue eggs:

Araucana

Araucana Chicken

The Araucana lays around 250 blue eggs per year. The shells are blue on the inside as well as on the outside!

Araucanas originated in Chile in the 16th century. They are rare because they carry a fatal gene that causes a high mortality rate in unhatched chicks. Healthy birds mature quickly and can live for over 10 years.

Some Araucanas are rumpless (have no tail) and have distinguishable tufts of feathers that grow from their neck area.

They all have a pea comb and no wattles. They come in multiple colour varieties: black, white, lavender, splash and cuckoo.

The Ameraucana is a cross breed between the Araucana and various American domestic breeds of chicken. They also lay blue eggs however they are not available in Australia.

Cream Legbar

Cream Legbar Chicken

Cream Legbar hens each lay around 200 blue eggs per year. There are other colour varieties of Legbar however only the Cream Legbar will lay blue eggs.

Cream Legbars originated in Britain in the 1930’s. They were created by cross breeding multiple breeds including the Araucana, causing them to lay blue eggs.

They became endangered around the 1970’s but became popular again due to the novelty of their blue eggs.

Cream Legbars are one of the first and most popular autosexing breeds. This means you can tell the difference between males and females from just looking at them, as soon as they have hatched. The male chickens have a pale and non-distinct brown stripe while the females have a dark and bold brown stripe.

They have a feathered crest, long red wattles and either a single or rose comb. They can be very noisy compared to other domestic chicken breeds.