The Flock · A field guide
Chickens that lay
blue eggs.
Compare the breeds behind a blue egg basket.
5common breeds
to compare
6rarer breeds
in the records
Choosing your flock
Know the breeds behind the shell.
Blue is the one eggshell colour that goes all the way through the shell rather than being painted on the surface, and it comes from a single dominant gene carried by a short list of breeds. Everything else marketed as "blue" is really a green or olive egg — a blue-gene bird crossed onto a brown layer — which is a fine egg but a different thing.
These 11 breeds lay a true blue egg. Ameraucana, Araucana and Cream Legbar are the ones you can readily buy; the Whiting lines and Prairie Bluebell Egger round out the common list. If you want the deep teal of an "Easter egger" basket, pair one of these with the green and olive layers on the sister page — the mix is what fills a carton with colour.
The breed records
Compare the breeds.
5 breeds, with the details that matter for this guide.
Swipe across the table to see every detail.
| Breed | Egg colour | Eggs / year | Temperament | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiting True Blue | Blue | 280–320 | Active, friendly | Standard |
| Prairie Bluebell Egger | Blue | 240–260 | Active, athletic | Standard |
| Cream Legbar | Blue | 180–230 | Active, friendly | Standard |
| Ameraucana | Blue | 150–200 | Friendly, active | Standard |
| Araucana | Blue | 150–180 | Active, friendly | Standard |
Rarer breeds that also fit
These match too, but few or no US hatcheries stock them — expect a breeder waitlist.
British Araucana · Rumpless Araucana · Dongxiang Blue-shelled · Canela-Preta · Collonca · Collonca de Aretes
Put it to work
Keep exploring.
Breed facts from our open chicken-breed database, cross-checked against US hatchery listings, the Livestock Conservancy’s 2026 priority list and the American Poultry Association. Lay rates are a healthy hen’s good year, not a guarantee.