Ameraucana
The breed to choose for genuinely blue eggs: a true, APA-recognized breed (not to be confused with the mixed Easter Egger it is so often mislabeled as) that lays about 150-200 sky-blue eggs a year. Ameraucanas are friendly, hardy, and adaptable, though egg numbers are moderate and true-to-standard birds can be hard to find among hatchery stock.
Figures verified against 3 sources. Ranges reflect variation by strain and individual bird.
At a glance
- Eggs / year
- 150–200
- Egg size
- medium
- Purpose
- eggs
- Class
- Large fowl
- Hen weight
- 4.5–5.5 lb
- Rooster weight
- 5.5–6.5 lb
- Starts laying
- 20–28 weeks
- Lifespan
- 7–8 years
- Comb
- pea
- Noise
- moderate
- Origin
- United States (1984)
- Conservation
- APA recognized
Egg color: Blue
Temperament & suitability
Appearance
A standardized breed with muffs, a beard, a pea comb, and slate-blue legs. Lays true blue eggs. Eight recognized color varieties.
Varieties
The APA recognizes ten large-fowl Ameraucana colors: the original eight from 1984 plus Self Blue (2020) and Splash (2023). The bantam standard still lists the original eight. Do not confuse the Ameraucana with the mixed Easter Egger.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lays true blue eggs and breeds true (a real, standardized breed)
- Friendly and hardy
- Pea comb resists frostbite
Cons
- Moderate egg numbers (~150-200/yr)
- Often confused with/mislabeled as Easter Eggers by hatcheries
- Fewer breeders of true stock
Common questions
What's the difference between an Ameraucana and an Easter Egger?
An Ameraucana is a recognized breed that lays blue eggs and breeds true. An Easter Egger is a mixed bird carrying the blue-egg gene and may lay blue, green, or other colors.
How is it different from an Araucana?
The Araucana is rumpless and tufted and also lays blue eggs; the Ameraucana was developed from Araucanas but has a tail, muffs, and a beard.
When will your Ameraucana start laying?
Just got chicks? Enter their hatch date and we’ll estimate the first-egg window for a Ameraucana, based on its point of lay of 20–28 weeks. Hens rarely read the calendar, so treat it as a range.
Similar breeds
Sources
Verified 2026-07-06. True blue eggs (not the green of Easter Eggers) and APA recognition confirmed by Wikipedia and the Ameraucana breed club. Weights ~4.5-5.5 lb hen / 5.5-6.5 lb rooster (APA standard); ~150-200 eggs/yr; point of lay can run to about 28 weeks.