Easter Eggers

Easter Eggers have only ONE rule... they are non-pure chickens with the blue egg gene!

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They can literally have ANY trait from whatever is in their mix. That means they can have beard/muffs, or they can have no beard/muffs. They can be clean legged or have feather legs. Crest, no crest. Naked neck, feather neck. Pea comb, single comb, rose comb, cushion comb, ANY comb. White skin, yellow skin. Black, slate, willow (green), white or yellow legs. Heck they can even have SPOTTED legs! 4 toes, 5 toes, any number of toes! Brown, bay, or pearl eyes. Skinny, fat, tall, round. The one and only unifying trait is the blue egg gene.

When the blue egg gene combines with brown egg genes, eggs will range in shades from light green, to olive, and even bronze! When no brown egg genes are involved, eggs are blue. Because of the way the blue egg gene inherits, you can hatch regular barnyard mixes from two easter egger, but two regular barnyard mixes cannot produce an easter egger.

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Before you say, "but such-and-such hatchery/breeder said easter eggers lay any color," let me tell you this. For decades hatcheries have lied to the general public so that people don't complain that their Easter Eggers lay brown eggs. If you follow the excuse that Easter Eggers can lay any color egg, then anyone can mix a Wyandotte with a Barred Rock and call it an Easter Egger. Yes, Easter Eggers are a type of Barnyard mix. But, they are Barnyard mixes with the blue egg Gene. Any random Barnyard mix is not Easter egg though, because they do not have the blue egg Gene.

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So remember, when someone says that your chicken is an Easter Egger because it has muffs, remember this post. Many breeds of chickens have muffs including D'Uccle, Faverolle, silkies, polish, and more. If someone says that your chicken cannot be an Easter Egger because it doesn't have green eggs, remember this article. EE's don't have a set standard. If a seller says that their Easter Eggers lay all colors of eggs, remember that it's just a cop-out for selling you birds that may or may not lay blue and green eggs. You're probably going to end up with brown egg layers. And if you want a chicken that is guaranteed to lay blue or green eggs, look for an actual breed. Because Easter Eggers absolutely do not breed true.

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pictures coming soon