Easter Egger
Also known as: EE, Rainbow Layer
Not a single breed but a colorful mixed hybrid, and the easiest way to get a rainbow egg basket: each hen lays around 200-280 eggs a year in her own single shade of blue, green, pink, or cream. Easter Eggers are hardy, friendly, and about as beginner-friendly as chickens get, but because they are not a standardized breed, their looks and exact egg color vary from bird to bird and they cannot be shown.
Figures verified against 3 sources. Ranges reflect variation by strain and individual bird.
At a glance
- Eggs / year
- 200–280
- Egg size
- large
- Purpose
- eggs
- Class
- Large fowl
- Hen weight
- 4–5 lb
- Rooster weight
- 5–6 lb
- Starts laying
- 20–24 weeks
- Lifespan
- 8–10 years
- Comb
- pea
- Noise
- moderate
- Origin
- United States
- Conservation
- Not listed
Egg color: Blue Green Tinted Pink
Temperament & suitability
Appearance
Not a breed but a hybrid carrying the blue-egg gene. Highly variable in color; often bearded/muffed with pea combs.
Varieties
The Easter Egger is not a standardized breed, so it has no recognized varieties. It is any mixed bird carrying the blue-egg gene, so plumage, comb, and even egg color vary from bird to bird. Hatcheries sometimes mislabel them as Ameraucana or Araucana.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lays colorful blue/green/pink eggs
- Hardy and productive
- Friendly and beginner-friendly
Cons
- Not a standardized breed, so looks and egg color vary
- Egg color is per-bird, not guaranteed
- Cannot be shown as a recognized breed
Common questions
What color eggs do Easter Eggers lay?
Each hen lays one color, usually blue, green, or occasionally pink or cream. A flock gives a rainbow basket.
Is an Easter Egger the same as an Ameraucana?
No. An Ameraucana is a standardized breed that lays blue eggs; an Easter Egger is a mixed bird carrying the blue-egg gene and can lay various colors.
When will your Easter Egger start laying?
Just got chicks? Enter their hatch date and we’ll estimate the first-egg window for a Easter Egger, based on its point of lay of 20–24 weeks. Hens rarely read the calendar, so treat it as a range.
Similar breeds
Sources
Verified 2026-07-06. Not a standardized breed (no APA/ABA recognition); a blue-egg hybrid, so figures vary by bird. Weight ~4-5 lb hen / 5-6 lb rooster and 200-280 eggs/yr per Wikipedia and My Pet Chicken. Each hen lays a single color for life (blue, green, olive or pink).