What Exactly Is An
Easter Egger Chicken?

For 2017, the Easter Egger made the #1 spot of chickens sold by Meyer Hatchery for the entire year. It is an extremely popular breed for several reasons. They are a good layer of large-sized eggs, which are primarily green but can also sometimes be blue, brown, creamy white or even pink. They are quiet and gentle and do great with children. Easter Egger chickens are usually happy with some confinement but are also good at foraging. They come in a wide variety of feather colors making it a guessing game as to what your little chick may look like as an adult.

The Easter Egger is not a recognized breed so you will not find them listed in the APA Standard of Perfection. They are descendants of the Ameraucana and the Araucana breeds but have been crossed with many other breeds to give us that great color variety of both feathers and eggs. Many Easter Eggers have slate colored legs and tufts and muffs around the head, which comes from their Ameraucana roots. Occasionally an Easter Egger can be rumpless and this trait is from the Araucana ancestors. Because of their mixed ancestry, Easter Egger chicks can be difficult to distinguish from other breeds until they are a few months old. The combs on Easter Eggers are usually a rose comb, but other comb types are possible.

It’s important to note that although the Easter Egger has the genetic potential to lay any color of egg, once a young pullet begins to lay, she will lay that same egg color for her life. So if she begins to lay and gives you a brown egg, she won’t suddenly lay a blue egg the next day and then a green egg the next. Genetics do not work that way.

I think Easter Eggers are a terrific breed and I hope you will consider them if you haven’t yet owned one. If you do own Easter Eggers, tell us about them in the comments below. We love to hear your stories!

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