Easter Eggers aren't an APA breed - they're any chicken carrying the blue-egg gene crossed with brown-egg parents. The result: a flock where each hen lays a different color (blue, green, olive, pink, brown). The 'rainbow basket' chicken. FastPoultry takes free quote requests for Easter Egger as hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and started pullets and matches each one with NPIP-certified breeders within 1 business day.
| Origin | United States - hatchery development since the 1980s |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | Not applicable (not a breed) |
| Also called | EE, Olive Egger ancestor, Americana (hatchery name) |
| Adult weight | Roosters 5 lb, Hens 4 lb |
| Size class | Standard |
| Eggs per year | ~200 |
| Egg color | Various (Blue/Green/Olive/Pink/Brown) |
| Egg size | Medium |
| Broodiness | Low |
| Cold hardiness | Good |
| Heat tolerance | Good |
| Noise level | Quiet |
| Flight tendency | Light flight |
| Beginner friendly | Yes |
Easter Eggers emerged from US hatcheries blending Araucana/Ameraucana stock with brown-egg layers to produce affordable blue-egg chickens. They're sold under many names: 'Americana', 'Easter Egger', 'Rainbow Layer', 'Ameraucana' (incorrectly). The blue-egg gene (O) is dominant in some Ameraucana lines; when crossed with brown-egg layers carrying the brown pigment gene, the offspring lay green or olive eggs. EEs are popular precisely BECAUSE their colors vary - the 'mystery basket' draws backyard buyers.
Best for: colorful eggs, beginner, kids, mixed flocks
Each hen lays ONE color her whole life - but every hen in a flock might lay differently.
| Indoor coop space | 4 sq ft per bird |
|---|---|
| Run space | 10 sq ft per bird |
| Roost bar | 8 in per bird |
Space: Standard chicken care. Most carry pea-comb genes so good in cold.
Feeding: Standard layer feed.
Health: Hybrid vigor - generally hardy.
Climate: Zones 3-10. Most carry Ameraucana cold-hardiness traits.
You can request Easter Egger through FastPoultry, which matches buyer requests with breeders. Choose from 3 request pages for hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and started pullets, then tell us your quantity, preferred age, and delivery state in the form on this page. Matched breeder options arrive within 1 business day, and you arrange payment, pickup, or shipping directly with the breeder you choose.
Prices for Easter Egger are set by each breeder and change with season, line quality, age, and quantity, so FastPoultry does not publish a fixed price. Submitting a request is free. Matched breeders reply with current pricing, and you should ask whether the quote includes boxing, shipping, and vaccinations before you pay the breeder directly.
A Easter Egger hen lays roughly 200 eggs a year, and the eggs are medium and various (blue/green/olive/pink/brown). Each hen lays ONE color her whole life - but every hen in a flock might lay differently. Broodiness is rated low. Real production depends on strain, hen age, season, and daylight, so ask breeders about the laying record of their parent stock.
Yes. The Easter Egger is rated beginner friendly. Temperament: friendly, curious, active, docile; cold hardiness: good; heat tolerance: good; noise level: quiet. It is best for colorful eggs, beginner, kids, and mixed flocks. Check local rules on roosters and flock size before you buy.
The USDA NPIP state importation table (May 20, 2026) lists VS Form 9-3 as required for shipments into 44 of 50 states, and 31 states list a permit, approval number, or other entry requirement, so check your state's location page before you order. VS Form 9-3 is the NPIP report of sales that the shipping breeder completes, and some states add a permit number, a Pullorum-Typhoid or avian influenza clean-flock rule, or a health certificate. FastPoultry does not ship to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands through standard requests.
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