Ever wondered why some folks have a rainbow of egg colors in their egg cartons? Well. let me introduce you to the Easter Egger chicken – the colorful celebrity of backyard chicken flocks everywhere!
As a chicken enthusiast who’s raised these delightful birds for years, I can tell you that Easter Eggers bring so much joy (and pretty eggs!) to any homestead They’re not just about looks – these chickens have personality plus!
What Exactly Is an Easter Egger Chicken?
Here’s the deal – Easter Eggers aren’t actually a recognized chicken breed at all! They’re technically a hybrid or mixed breed chicken, The American Poultry Association and American Bantam Association don’t recognize them as an official breed,
These colorful egg layers result from breeding a chicken carrying the blue egg gene (called oocyan) with one that lays brown eggs. Most commonly, they’re a mix between Araucanas and Ameraucanas, but can have other breeds in their lineage too.
Sometimes you’ll see them marketed as “Americana” chickens, but don’t be fooled – they’re different from the true Ameraucana breed, which is officially recognized.
The Magical Easter Egger Eggs
The most exciting thing about Easter Eggers is their eggs! Each hen will only lay one color of eggs throughout her life, but that color can be:
- Blue
- Green
- Olive
- Cream
- Light pink
- Brown (less common)
What makes this so cool is that if you have multiple Easter Egger hens, you’ll get a variety of egg colors in your basket! That’s why some chicken keepers call them “Rainbow Layers.”
What’s fascinating is that the blue coloring (oocyanin) actually penetrates through the entire shell – it’s blue inside and out! Other colors, like green and olive, happen when the blue layer gets another pigment on top. No matter the color, they all taste the same as regular eggs.
Easter Eggers typically lay about 4 eggs per week, which adds up to more than 200 eggs annually. That’s pretty darn good for backyard chickens!
How Do I Identify an Easter Egger Chicken?
This is where things get tricky! Since Easter Eggers aren’t a standardized breed, they can look wildly different from one another. Their appearance varies depending on their specific genetic makeup.
Some common characteristics you might see:
- Size: Generally smaller than average chickens, with hens weighing around 4 pounds and roosters about 5 pounds
- Feathers: Can be any color or pattern – grey, gold, tan, brown, or multi-colored
- Facial features: Many have muffs (fluffy cheek feathers) and beards
- Combs: Often have pea combs or single combs
- Special features: Some might have ear tufts (like Araucanas) or be rumpless (no tail)
- Leg color: Can be grey, yellow, or greenish
I’ve had Easter Eggers that looked totally different from each other – one with a beard and muffs, another with fancy feathered feet, and another that was slick and streamlined. That’s part of their charm!
Easter Egger vs. Araucana vs. Ameraucana: What’s the Difference?
People often confuse these three types of chickens, so let me break it down:
| Chicken Type | Official Breed? | Egg Color | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter Egger | No – hybrid | Blue, green, olive, pink, cream, or brown | Varies widely in appearance |
| Araucana | Yes | Blue | Ear tufts, rumpless (no tail), from Chile |
| Ameraucana | Yes | Blue | Muffs and beard, developed in the US in the 1970s |
The Araucana originated in Chile and has those fancy ear tufts, but breeding two ear-tufted Araucanas together can cause chicks to die before hatching (dangerous gene).
The Ameraucana was developed in the US during the 1970s as a mix between Araucanas and other breeds to create blue-egg layers without the problematic ear tuft gene.
Easter Eggers result from mixing these breeds (and potentially others), giving us the fun variety we all love!
Why Easter Eggers Make Awesome Backyard Chickens
I’ve raised many different chicken breeds over the years, and Easter Eggers consistently rank among my favorites. Here’s why:
1. Friendly Temperament
These birds are known for their sweet, friendly personalities. They’re non-aggressive and often become quite tame – some will even eat from your hand or sit in your lap once they get comfortable with you! This makes them perfect for families with children.
2. Low Maintenance
Easter Eggers are surprisingly adaptable and easy to care for. They tolerate both confinement and free-ranging well, making them suitable for various setups. They’re also quite resilient to different weather conditions.
3. Colorful Eggs!
Obviously, the main attraction – those beautiful colored eggs! Nothing brightens up an egg basket like a mix of blue, green, and olive eggs.
4. Quiet Nature
Easter Eggers are generally quiet chickens, making them good choices for urban or suburban settings where noise might be an issue. They’ll chat quietly among themselves but usually only get loud if they spot a predator.
5. Good Health
These hybrid chickens typically have good health and aren’t prone to specific genetic issues. They generally live between 5-8 years with proper care.
6. Not Broody
Easter Eggers rarely go broody (the maternal instinct to sit on eggs). This is great if you just want eggs for eating and don’t want a hen abandoning her laying duties to hatch chicks.
How to Care for Easter Egger Chickens
If you’re thinking about adding some Easter Eggers to your flock, here’s what they need:
Housing
Each Easter Egger needs about 4 square feet of coop space, plus 8-10 inches of roosting space. They’re smaller than many chicken breeds, so they don’t need too much room. One nesting box for every three hens works well.
Food
Easter Eggers eat standard chicken feed:
- Chicks: 20% protein starter feed
- 6-20 weeks: 16-18% protein grower feed
- Adults: 16% protein layer feed
Like all chickens, they appreciate some free-range time to forage for bugs and plants, which supplements their diet naturally.
Temperature Tolerance
These chickens are surprisingly adaptable to different climates. Just make sure they have:
- Shade during hot months
- Shelter from cold winds in winter
- Clean water available at all times
Health Considerations
While Easter Eggers are generally healthy, watch out for:
- Parasites like lice and mites (especially in bearded birds)
- Regular health checks are always a good idea
- Taking fecal samples to the vet every 6 months can help catch internal parasites early
How to Get Easter Egger Chickens
Easter Egger chicks are pretty affordable, usually costing about $4-$5 per bird. You can find them at:
- Local feed stores in spring
- Hatcheries that ship chicks
- Local chicken breeders
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could breed your own by crossing an Araucana with an Ameraucana, or by breeding two Easter Eggers together. But buying chicks is definitely the easiest route!
FAQ About Easter Egger Chickens
Q: How long do Easter Egger chickens live?
A: Most Easter Eggers live between 5-8 years, which is a bit shorter than some purebred chickens but longer than many hybrids.
Q: Can Easter Eggers lay purple eggs?
A: Nope! Despite what some might claim, no chicken breed lays truly purple eggs. Easter Eggers lay blue, green, olive, cream, pink, or brown eggs.
Q: Does egg color affect a chicken’s appearance?
A: No, the color of the egg doesn’t determine what the chicken will look like. Easter Eggers of any appearance can lay eggs of various colors.
Q: Do Easter Eggers get along with other chicken breeds?
A: Absolutely! They’re easygoing birds that rarely start trouble. However, they might get picked on by more aggressive breeds, so it’s best to pair them with other gentle chickens.
My Final Thoughts on Easter Eggers
After raising chickens for many years, I’ve come to appreciate the unique charm of Easter Eggers. They’re not fancy purebreds with prestigious lineages, but they bring so much color and personality to a backyard flock.
For beginners especially, I don’t think you can go wrong with these birds. They’re easy to care for, friendly, and those colored eggs are sure to impress your neighbors and friends!
If you’re looking to add some Easter Eggers to your flock, spring is usually the best time to find chicks at local feed stores. Just be prepared – once you see those first colored eggs appear in your nesting boxes, you might become addicted to collecting rainbow eggs!
Have you raised Easter Eggers? What color eggs did your hens lay? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
This article was updated on September 13, 2025
What Are Easter Eggers?
Easter Eggers are technically not recognized as a breed at all! They are more of a barnyard mix that has taken off. Easter Eggers are bred from an Araucana and a brown egg layer. Araucanas are known for their beautiful blue eggs. They have poofy cheeks and no tail feathers. They’re a funny little chicken but can have a lethal gene that can kill chicks while in the shell. In order to combat this lethal gene, the Ameraucana chicken was bred. These chickens still contain the blue egg genes, but not the lethal gene that kills chicks. I feel like it’s harder to find these two breeds around here, but the Easter Egger breeds have been proven to be easy to get a hold of and are super hardy to boot!
No filter needed for these beauties!
Why I Added Easter Eggers to My Flock
They are incredibly hardy birds with great personalities. And their egg color takes them to the next level in my mind!
I currently have four Easter Eggers and they are all a hoot.
- Chocolate is my snack queen, always digging her head into treat bags.
- Ophelia is a quiet sweetheart and a great companion to new flock members.
- Drumstick loves dust bathing and soaking up the sun.
- Gladys is my fastest runner—she avoids me at all costs but lays the most gorgeous eggs!
These girls are beautiful, kind and great egg layers. It’s safe to say, that as long as we’re raising backyard chickens, this breed will be part of our flock.
Chocolate always gets her head in a bag of treats! She loves Happy Tract!
Drumstick in fine form on a foggy spring morning!