You’re probably familiar with brown and white chicken eggs, regularly found on the shelves of your local grocery store. However, you might not be aware that there is a chicken breed out there that produces eggs in a whole rainbow of colors! The Easter Egger chicken is a charming, friendly, and curious bird, and it’s wildly popular for its beautiful eggs and gentle disposition. Keep reading to learn all about the origins and characteristics of the Easter Egger, as well as whether they are a good choice for small-scale farming.

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Quick Facts about Easter Egger Chicken

Easter Egger Chicken
Image Credit: Racheal Carpenter, Shutterstock
Breed Name:Easter Egger
Place of Origin:Chile/South America
Uses:Eggs, meat
Rooster (Male) Size:5 pounds
Hen (Female) Size:4 pounds
Color:Variety of colors and patterns
Lifespan:5–8 years
Climate Tolerance:All climates
Care Level:Easy
Production:4 eggs/week, 200 eggs/year

Easter Egger Chicken Origins

The Easter Egger is a hybrid chicken with no uniform appearance or parentage. The only requirement is that they must contain the “blue egg” laying gene. This gene is found in two purebred breeds: the Arauacauna and Ameraucauna.

Arauacaunas originated in South America and were imported to the United States in the early 20th century, both in purebred and hybrid (early Easter Egger) form. Ameraucaunas were developed in the U.S. from these original imports. All three breeds/hybrids look very similar and are sometimes sold under the name Easter Egger unless they are show-quality birds.

Easter Egger chicken
Image Credit: happy2be, Pixabay

Easter Egger Chicken Characteristics

The defining characteristic of the Easter Egger is the colorful eggs that they lay. These eggs can be not only shades of blue but also green, olive, or even light pink. Hens will lay the same color eggs throughout their lives.

Easter Eggers lay about four eggs per week, totaling about 200 per year, making them decently productive layers.

Unlike many other hybrid breeds, Easter Eggers can breed together or with other chickens, although there’s no telling what the resulting birds will look like! However, Easter Egger hens aren’t very broody, so you’ll likely need to hatch the chicks yourself if you want to raise baby Eggers.

This breed is popular not just for its colorful eggs but for its personality as well. They are typically gentle, friendly birds, that enjoy attention from humans, often following them around or sitting on their laps. Because of this, Easter Eggers are a popular choice for inexperienced chicken keepers and as children’s pets.

Easter Eggers are considered a hardy and healthy breed, tolerant of cold and hot temperatures. They can be raised free-range and are happy to forage to supplement their diet.

Although they will tolerate confinement, Easter Eggers are curious birds by nature that will be happier if they have at least some room to roam and explore. They are quiet chickens that are well-suited for the urban or suburban backyard flock.

Because they are on the small side, with docile temperaments, Easter Eggers are vulnerable to bullying by larger, more aggressive chicken breeds. They are best kept in a flock with other small, quiet breeds. If not, make sure the Easter Eggers have plenty of space to escape from the bullies if needed.

Uses

Easter Eggers are primarily an egg-laying breed, although they can be raised for meat as well. As we mentioned, they provide plentiful eggs, especially for their smaller size. They also tend to be reliable layers, even in the winter, if provided with proper shelter, heat, and light. Easter Eggers are a fairly common breed, so you won’t get a lot of money for chicks if you want to raise them for extra income, but they can be used for this purpose.

Easter Egger Chicken
Image Credit: K Steve Cope, Shutterstock

Appearance & Varieties

Like their eggs, Easter Eggers also come in a variety of colors. Because they are not a recognized breed, there is no set standard that they must be bred to. As we mentioned, the only criteria are they must contain the blue egg gene, either from Araucana or Ameracauna chickens.

Easter Eggers are small to medium-sized chickens, with a pea comb and a wattle. They can have several colors and patterns, including black, white, brown, mottled, speckled, and everything in between.

These birds usually don’t have tails, buts ome have them. Their eyes can be red, orange, or yellow, and some will have ear tufts, muffs, or beards. Easter Eggers come with either feathered or naked legs, which could be any color from yellow to gray-green.

Distribution

Easter Eggers are a popular chicken breed for backyard flocks and small farmers. In the U.S., Easter Egger chicks are frequently sold at feed stores, making them very easy to purchase on a whim. Because they are so hardy, Easter Eggers can be raised in nearly any climate. They can be found not only in North America but also in their native South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

Easter Egger Chicken
Image Credit: Jckfreder, Shutterstock

Are Easter Egger Chickens Good for Small-Scale Farming?

Easter Eggers are an excellent choice for small-scale farmers, especially backyard chicken keepers. They are hardy, healthy, and easy to care for, with a fabulous disposition as a bonus. The birds are quiet enough to be good neighbors, particularly because they produce enough eggs to share with the neighborhood! Easter Eggers provide several income sources for the small-scale farm: eggs, meat, and hatching chicks for sale.

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Conclusion

If you’re researching chickens to start your own backyard flock, Easter Eggers are probably one of the best options you’ll find. Before walking into your local feed store and strolling out with Easter Egger chicks, however, be sure you’re all set up with the warmth, food, and shelter your new birds need. Also, confirm that you won’t run a-fowl of any city or neighborhood association rules by keeping chickens in your yard.


Featured Image Credit: Matt Benoit, Shutterstock