Eggs bought at a shop, or the local farmer, differ in color depending on what breed of chicken laid the eggs. The colors of eggs in a basket can vary in shades from white to deep brown. There are, however, chicken breeds that lay green eggs.
In chicken breeds that lay green eggs, a distinction is made between „true breed” and hybrid green layers. True breed green layers are only Araucana chickens. The gene for green-shells is dominantly passed on and all their offspring lay green eggs.
All other chicken breeds that lay green eggs are hybrid breeds crossed with Araucana or Ameraucana chickens. In those breeds the gene for green-eggshells is not passed down dominant, so their offspring often lay eggs with other colors. Hybrid breeds that lay green eggs are: Lavender Araucana, Easter Eggers, Ice Cream Bar, Isbar, Favaucana, the Olive Eggers and Schijndelaar chickens.
These exotic green egg layers add another dimension to egg breeding that makes for exciting research and discussions. This article will address the origin of these chickens, why they produce green eggs, and if they taste different from other eggs.
Contents
Araucana Chickens
Araucana eggs are not only strikingly green, but the chickens themselves also look different. Their lack of tail feathers and ear tuft feathers make them look quite distinct. Their eggs have a green-blue shell and usually weigh 50 grams.
They are considered hardy and peaceful chickens, laying up to 180 eggs a year.
Chickens That Lay Green Eggs
Hybrid chickens are not pure-bred chickens, but crossbreeds. Pure-bred chickens do not lay green eggs. The exciting hybrid chickens that produce green eggs are the Easter Eggers, Ice Cream Bar, Isbar, Favaucana, and Oliver eggers.
The eggs vary in shades of green, and their names derive from the green hue they best represent, namely mint green, pale green, bright green, olive green, pale sage, and mossy green.
The Six Hybrid Chickens That Lay Green Eggs
Hybrid means mixed, and we will be discussing the five hybrid chickens that lay green eggs, what to expect, their mix and how easy it is to keep them.
1. Easter Egger Chickens
Easter Eggers are a mix between random chickens and either an Araucana or Ameraucana.
This hybrid breed is a firm favorite in America for producing colored eggs with unique looks, pretty colors, and mild temperament.
They are easy to keep and will produce four eggs per week. However, these chickens are smaller than others, and at 4 – 5lbs, they need to be protected from more aggressive breeds.
2. Ice Cream Bar Chickens
Ice Cream Bar chickens are not very kid-friendly, but are great foragers and incredibly smart.
These chickens are excellent layers and are available in assorted colors. They are half Swedish Ice Bar and half Cream Legbar, making them hybrid chickens that produce green eggs. These chickens are easy to keep and maintain.
They lay up to 4 eggs a week and about 200 eggs a year.
3. Isbar Chickens
Isbar chickens are more petite and hardier than most, and they have their origins in Sweden. This hybrid is a mix between the Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire and a descendant of the Cream Legbar. They are excellent foragers and produce beautiful green eggs even in chilly weather.
4. Favaucana Chickens
Favaucana chickens have sweet temperaments, are exceptional foragers, and manage cold well, making them easy to keep. This cross between Faverolles and Ameraucana is also called a designer breed because of their looks. They lay an array of sage green eggs.
5. Olive Egger Chickens
Olive Eggers lay green olive-colored eggs, and they stem from the Araucana that carries a blue egg gene. Therefore, breeding a blue egg layer with a brown egg layer results in beautiful olive-green eggs for the Olive Eggers. Ameraucanas, Marans, Legbars and Welsummers can all be traced as ancestors of Olive Eggers. They are easy to tend, have good temperaments, and lay frequently.
Olive Egger lay 3 to 4 eggs a week, giving them 140 to 200 eggs a year.
6. Schijndelaar
Schijndelaar are a newly bred chicken breed from the Netherlands.
The goal was to create a breed of chickens that lay green eggs like the Araucana, but unlike them have tail and crested feathers. For this purpose Araucana were crossed with Leghorn, Australorps, Brabantern and other chickens.
Why Do Certain Chickens Lay Green Eggs?
When a chicken that lays brown eggs gets cross-bred with a chicken that lays blue eggs, the combination of colors will produce a green egg.
The insertion of a retrovirus causes blue-colored eggs into the chicken genome. The retrovirus activates a gene involved in the production of blue eggs. Oocyan (O) is the gene that causes the blue color in blue eggshells.
The breeds infected with this retrovirus included the Araucana, Dongxiang, and Lushi chickens, all produced blue eggs.
How are the green eggshells formed?
Whether a chicken lays green, brown, white or blue eggs depends on her genes.
The shell is formed by shell glands, which are also responsible for the incorporation of pigments. The incorporated pigments are mainly breakdown products of blood.
In white eggs are no pigments incorporated, brown eggs in comparison contain a lot of pigment.
In green and blue eggs, pigments are incorporated whose degradation process is not yet completely finished and thus have a different slightly green or blue color.
Do Green Eggs Taste Different To Other Eggs?
All chicken eggs taste the same, no matter the color of their shells. The only thing that could influence the taste of eggs is the chicken’s diet and the egg’s freshness. For example, if you were to crack open a green egg, you would find that they look the same inside as a brown or white egg, namely the white and yellow egg yolk.
Are green eggs healthier?
A common myth is that green eggs from Araucana chickens are healthier because they are said to contain higher protein and less cholesterol.
This has been disproved by recent studies: Green-shelled eggs do not differ in their ingredients from other eggs.
Cholesterol content differs between different chickens and does not seem to depend on the breed of chicken
Tips On Caring For Egg Layer Chickens
Hens start laying from the age of 6 months old and can keep on producing eggs for five to ten years. To ensure you get the best production from your hens, we have compiled a list of essential things to do to succeed in this endeavor.
- When deciding on a breed you would like to invest in that lays green eggs, it would be wise to consider the Ameraucana. These chickens are available in an array of assorted colors. They are known for their long-term egg production, and the fact that they are tolerant to all climates makes them easy to keep. This breed is also known for being easy to manage.
- It is essential to oversee their diet. Chickens tend to eat any and everything. To keep chickens in optimum health, they need prepared meals. These meals need to contain proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Laying hens should also enjoy ground oyster shells that assist with egg production and grit to ensure gut health.
- Coops are essential to protect chickens from predators and the weather. Nesting boxes high above the ground are necessary for egg-laying. Four to five hens can share a nesting box. Ensure there is enough ventilation in the coop. And depending on how cold it gets in the winter, you may need to provide extra insulation or heat sources.
- Each bird needs at least 3 to 5sqm space in the coop and room to move outdoors.
- Chickens are easy prey for predators. Therefore, it is crucial to fix all holes in the coop to protect them from being caught.
- Chickens need care daily. Breeders must gather eggs twice a day, and the chickens need to be released from their coops in the morning and returned by dusk.
- Cleaning the coop every week is essential to control odors and maintain sanitation.
Following these tips will ensure happy, healthy, egg-laying chickens and make chicken breeding and egg farming worth your while.
Conclusion
Who would have guessed that an article on chicken breeds that lay green eggs could be this interesting? Enjoy growing your chicken flock and all the beautiful colored eggs they produce.
