There are some breeds that lay green eggs, black eggs, or blue eggs. You can eat this exotic-looking just like the other regular eggs.
They can also be used as decorative pieces during festivals or other celebrations. So, what chicken breeds lay green eggs?
Some of the known chicken breeds that lay green eggs include Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers, Favaucana, Ice Cream Bars, and Isbars.
There are hundreds of chicken breeds in the world, and it should not be hard to comprehend that not all of them will lay regular white-colored eggs.
We all know chicken breeds that lay brown eggs, such as Rhode Island Reds, Golden Comets, and Australorps.
But have you ever heard of or come across chickens that lay eggs that are neither brown nor white in color?
This article will discuss everything you need to know about chicken breeds that lay green eggs. Keep reading to learn more.
Chicken Breeds That Lay Green Eggs
Chickens breeds that lay green eggs are a thing and can be an excellent addition to any flock. As mentioned earlier, there are several chicken breeds that can produce green eggs. Let us have an in-depth discussion about these chickens.
Isbars Chickens
The Isbars are also known as the Blue Isbar and originated from Sweden in the early 1960s. They were developed by Martin Silverudd, a Swedish monk who wanted a breed of auto-sexing birds that laid colored eggs.
It is believed that Silverudd wanted to give the birds blue color, but he passed away before achieving his goal.
However, the Isbars later turned out to be beautiful chickens. The breed was created by cross-breeding the Cream Legbars, the Rhode Island Reds, and the New Hampshire.
They are large birds weighing about 6 pounds on average. Both the hens and roosters are almost equal in weight and size.
Although most of them are black-colored, you may also come across some with coppery or blue shade. The birds also have a single comb.
Isbar hens are prolific layers that can lay about 200 eggs in a year. The eggs may vary in shades of green (dark green, coppery, or mossy) and will sometimes have brown freckle-like spots on the eggshells.
The size of eggs varies from middle to large. Their eggs tend to get darker in the shade as they grow older.
Currently, this adorable chicken breed is not formally recognized by the American Bantam Association (ABA) or the American Poultry Association (APA).
They are great pets that are quite sturdy and will do well in all kinds of climates. They are friendly and good for children.
Favaucanas Chickens
The Favaucana is a relatively new chicken breed that originated in the United States of America.
They are hybrid species that resulted after cross-breeding the Ameraucanas and the Faverolles.
The latter lays brown eggs while the former lays blue eggs. As a result, their cross-breed produces green-colored eggs.
Currently, the breed is not formally recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABA).
They are large birds with body weights ranging from 6 to 8 pounds. Both females and males are about the same size.
The Favaucanas also have a coppery brown body with a pea comb and a small beak. Because of their unique parentage, they can withstand both cold and hot climates with ease.
They lay eggs with a sage green color. There is no sufficient information about the number of eggs that the Favaucanas can lay.
In temperament, they are reserved and shy birds. They will make great pets. However, it would not be good to bring them home if you already have other chicken breeds as pets.
Since they are shy and less aggressive, other chicken breeds may tend to bully them if kept together.
Ice Cream Bar Chickens
The Ice Cream Bars are hybrids created by the cross-breeding of the Cream Legbars and the Isbars. The Isbars lay green eggs while the Cream Legbars lay blue eggs.
As a result, the hybrid of the two (Ice Cream Bar chickens) lay eggs with a bluish-green shade, a mixture of their parents.
The birds have either black or blue bodies. Like their parents, they can easily adapt to any climate. Besides, these adorable birds can make great backyard birds.
They are also prolific layers and can lay up to 200 eggs in a year. The breed is currently not recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABA).
Easter Eggers
The Easter Eggers are a hybrid born out of cross-breeding the blue egg-laying chicken breeds, the Araucanas or the Ameraucanas, and any other brown egg-laying chicken breed, such as the Golden Comets and the Rhode Island Reds.
They are named after the Easter festival, in which chicken eggs are painted with bright colors and used for decorations.
They are also named after Easter because they have “rainbow genes” and can lay eggs of different colors such as brown, pink, green, and blue.
Because of their mixed parentage, every Easter Egger tends to look different from one another.
Therefore, it can be somehow difficult to mention any characteristic or physical trait that is common to all of them.
Like most other chicken breeds on our list, Easter Eggers are currently not formally recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABM).
Easter Eggers are non-aggressive and friendly with human beings as well as other chicken breeds. These calm chickens can be an excellent addition to your backyard flock.
They are also one of the best choices you can consider if you are looking for a chicken breed that lays only green eggs.
They are prolific layers that will ensure that you have a steady supply of colorful eggs. Under good conditions and care, the EasterEggers can lay up to 200 eggs in a year.
Olive Eggers
As is evident from their name, Olive Eggers are Offsprings of Easter Eggers. They can be created by cross-breeding an Easter Egger with any other chicken breed that lays dark brown eggs, such as the Marans or the Barnevelders.
The offspring of the cross of the two will produce olive-colored eggs, thus the name Olive Eggers.
If you have a brown egg-producing breed of chicken in your flock, you add Easter Eggers to the flock and get them cross-breed to create the Olive Eggers.
A lot is not known about the egg production capabilities of these adorable chickens. However, some chicken keepers and breeders consider them prolific layers that can lay several eggs ranging from 150 to 200 eggs in a year.
You will have to feed them well and make sure that they are well-taken care of for a steady supply of fresh green eggs.
Like the Easter Eggers, this adorable chicken breed is not yet officially recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) or the American Bantam Association (ABA).
What Gives Chicken Eggs Their Color?
As mentioned earlier, the common color of eggs in chickens is white. But did you know that the original color of a chicken’s egg is blue?
The main reason behind the color of eggshells in chickens is the pigment secreted by the hen while the egg is still in the oviduct.
A chicken’s egg starts with a white-colored shell. As the egg travels through the oviduct, a pigment called oocyanin is secreted by the glands and later penetrates the eggshell.
The pigment will make the outer shell blue and stain the interior of the eggshell. The pigments usually vary from one breed to another, and this is the reason behind different eggshell colors.
Do Chicken Ears Determine The Color Of Their Eggs
For many years, there has been a popular myth that the color of a chicken’s ears can determine the color of its eggs. However, this myth has no relevance to the truth.
A chicken’s ear color has nothing to do with the color of its eggs, and neither does it have a role in egg coloration and formation.
Most of the chickens that lay blue eggs have red ears. The Silkies lay white eggs, yet they have blue earlobes.
There is no logical explanation why you should expect your hens to lay eggs of the color of their ears.
Is It The Rooster Alone That Determine The Color Of Eggs?
No, it is not the rooster alone that will determine the color of eggs in chickens. There could be no hybrids in the poultry world if that was a fact.
For instance, the Ice Cream Bar chickens inherit the genes of both the green egg-laying Isbar as well as the blue egg-laying Cream Legbar. As a result, they lay bluish-green eggs.
How Are Green Eggs Different From Other Eggs?
The only difference between green eggs and other eggs is their color. An egg’s color can change little about itself and does not have any effect on the taste and nutritional value of the egg.
The quality and taste of an egg largely depend on the lifestyle and diet of its parents.
Conclusion
There are a few chicken breeds that lay green eggs. Some of the known breeds include Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers, Ice Cream Bars, and Favaucanas. If you are a big fan of green-colored eggs, you can add one of these breeds to your flock.
