Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Few people know, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, it was possible to breed such breeds of chickens that lay eggs of unusual colors. Of course, there are not so many of them, but each has its own characteristics and gives eggs of various colors. The most common are blue and green, they are also called “Easter eggs”.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

How is the colored shell formed?

Breeders these days never cease to amaze with their discoveries, one of the most interesting and unusual results of their many years of painstaking work was the breeding of breeds of chickens that lay eggs of green and blue hues. Some farmers willingly started breeding such birds.

We all have long been accustomed to the fact that the shell of chicken eggs can be either white or painted in one of the shades of brown. The fact is that the shell is 95-98% calcium carbonate, so it initially has a whitish color.

It can acquire brownish shades as the egg moves along the bird’s oviduct. – its inner surface is dotted with papillae, which, when laying eggs, secrete a special pigment protoporphyrin. Its saturation largely depends on the breed of chickens and the speed of egg movement: the slower it moves, the more pigment it receives, respectively, the darker it will be at the exit.

It should be noted that protoporphyrin covers only the outer shell, the inner side of the shell always remains white.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Scientists have found that the appearance of such an unusual coloring directly depends on the presence of special enzymes in the body of the chicken and the nature of their interaction with each other. For example, the retrovirus genome, embedded in the DNA structure, gives rise to the production of biliverdin (which is a derivative of bile), and depending on its amount, eggs can turn blue, purple and gray. If, in addition to biliverdin, protoporphyrin is present in the body of females, then an olive color of the shell is obtained.

The bright blue eggs are the result of the action of bilirubin, which is secreted by the spleen. All these pigments penetrate into the structure of the shell even at the stage of its formation, so the shell is colored both from the outside and from the inside.

There is a version that eggs of such an unusual color appeared in chickens after the tribes of South American Indians crossed one of the common breeds with a pheasant, however, this hypothesis has not found any scientific confirmation.

By the way, the saturation of the shade largely depends on the season: for example, in the warm months the shell is often bright, and in the cold season the shade is less pronounced. This fact has a logical explanation – the fact is that under the influence of sunlight, the production of biliverdin and other pigments increases.

There is an opinion that it is possible to predict the color of eggs by the appearance of the chicken, in particular, by the lobes of her ears: if they are whitish, then the shell will turn out white, and if they are reddish, then you will get brown eggs. Such “fortune-telling” really works, but only on simple village chickens. On laying hens laying eggs of blue and greenish colors, they do not apply in any way.

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude: the only factor that determines the color of the eggshell is genetics, that is, eggs of certain colors are laid by chickens of certain breeds and nothing else. All other points (keeping conditions, weather, age of the animal, the presence of stress in the life of a bird, as well as the speed of passage of an egg through the oviduct) can only affect the saturation and intensity of the shade, but not the color as such.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Famous breeds

There are very few breeds of chickens that lay colored eggs. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Araukana

It is generally accepted that the very first mention of chickens laying colorful eggs dates back to the time when Christopher Columbus discovered America, however, such birds were introduced in the countries of the Old World only in 1920. It was a breed of Araucan that got its name from the Indian tribe in which it was found.

Representatives of the breed are characterized by rather small size and low weight: for example, a rooster weighs only 2,5 kg, and the weight of a chicken does not exceed 2 kg. This breed of bird does not have a tail, this is due to the absence of several vertebrae. But there is a beard, crest and tassels. One of the distinguishing features of the breed is chic sideburns. The body of the chicken has a rounded shape, the back is elongated, the shoulders are strong, well developed, the abdomen and lumbar region are clearly defined.

The maturity of the laying hen occurs at about six months. This breed is more likely to be classified as decorative, since the egg production rates are low: subject to the most comfortable conditions, the laying hen lays no more than 170-180 eggs per year, depending on weather conditions, they can have blue, green and turquoise shades.

In addition, such birds are quite difficult to breed: due to the lack of a coccyx during the mating process, roosters and hens are not able to move feathers around their genitals, so breeders are forced to resort to various tricks, in particular, to intimate haircuts of birds.

Legbar

The breed was bred at the Cambridge Genetic Institute as a result of crossing Araucans and Leghorns. These chickens are classified as meat and egg breeds. In a year, laying hens lay 210-250 eggs, each weighing 55-60 g. The weight of a male reaches 3,5 kg, and females – 2,5 kg. Legbars retain high egg production until the age of two.

These are rather funny birds: they have a round, dense body, thanks to which they look like funny koloboks. These birds move on shortened limbs, but despite this, they still retain their unique charm. On the head of such pets there is a small crest, a red comb and matching earrings.

Usually, egg laying in such chickens begins at 4-6 months, but there are individuals who begin to lay eggs only by 10 months. The fact is that birds of this breed have a genetic predisposition to obesity, which often causes a delay in sexual development. So it would be wrong to count on getting testicles of an unusual blue color soon.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Ameraukana

This is a universal breed that belongs to the egg and meat direction. Ameraucana has gained great popularity among farmers due to its increased productivity and great taste of meat. In the people, this bird is often called the “Easter” chicken, this definition is due to the fact that laying hens are able to lay eggs of different colors, including blue ones.

These birds usually start laying eggs by 5 months. Some confuse Ameraucana with Araucans, but in fact they are two different breeds, and Ameraucana was obtained by crossing Araucans with the most common American chickens.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Eggers

This breed has two main genes – blue and dark, so the hen can produce eggs of several colors. In a biological sense, Eggers is not a separate breed, but a hybrid. These chickens are conditionally divided into two subspecies – Easter and olive. Easter hens lay eggs in shades of blue, pink, and blue. Olive, as the name implies, boasts olive or dark green eggs.

Productivity is rather average – such chickens carry 150-170 small eggs per year (from 45 to 55 g). As a rule, laying begins at the age of 7-8 months, while the instinct of incubation in this bird is completely absent.

Such chickens are extremely unpretentious. They can eat almost anything they can get their hands on. The plumage is quite lush, the color is most often brown, but there are individuals of dark gray and almost black. Eggers limbs are four-fingered, bare, rather high. The body is massive, the comb, earrings and beard are bright scarlet.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Dominant

These chickens were bred in the Czech Republic. The birds are distinguished by a rather attractive appearance: they have a massive body, shortened legs, an elegant small head, decorated with earrings and a scallop of a rich burgundy hue. The plumage is presented in a rich color palette.

These chickens rightfully hold the title of champions in egg production – they lay eggs as early as 5 months old, maintaining productivity for 4 years. Each bird lays about 300 eggs a year, each weighing 70-80 g. The egg shell is usually painted in light green or pale green shades.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Lacedanzi and Uheyilui

These are Chinese breeds of chickens that lay green eggs. No one knows for sure when exactly these breeds were bred, but there are facts indicating that they already existed during the Ming era (XIV-XVII centuries). They appeared without the participation of breeders by crossing an ordinary village chicken with a pheasant. For a long time, the breeds were considered extinct, until at the end of the last century, several surviving individuals were found in one of the Chinese villages.

All attempts to cross birds and get a new breed were not crowned with the slightest success, because in this case the birds simply did not give offspring. Thanks to the inclusion in the state animal protection program, the number of such birds was eventually increased to 100; today, collectors are mainly breeding chickens that lay green eggs in China.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Palatability

Now that we have been able to deal with the shell, it is necessary to clarify such an important issue as the taste of the product. There are several versions here, however, the vast majority of consumers claim that “Easter eggs” do not differ in taste, smell, or cooking features from ordinary white eggs. The fact is that the taste of eggs depends solely on the feeding habits of birds, but not on the color of the shell.

The only exception, perhaps, are blue eggs obtained from Araucan chickens – they are much tastier than all the others due to the increased yolk content.

But the nutritional value of such an “Easter egg” is not subject to the slightest doubt – colored eggs contain all the necessary vitamins, macro- and microelements. These products are rich in amino acids that are not synthesized by the human body on their own, as well as vitamins of groups B, A and E, potassium, which is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, iodine, which is important for people living in unfavorable environmental conditions, as well as important to strengthen the immune system with zinc, magnesium and selenium.

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

Breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs

That is why they are widely used to provide good nutrition, prevention and concomitant therapy of many diseases. Keep in mind that eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, so you should not abuse this product, regardless of the color of the shell.

Nutritionists have established a standard for egg consumption: for example, adults need 1-2 eggs 4 times a week, and children under 5 years old can be given 1 egg twice a week. It is best to boil them hard-boiled, because blue chicken eggs are often prone to salmonellosis, and infection can occur with insufficient heat treatment.

Since the taste and quality of green and blue eggs are no different from their white and beige “brothers” that are familiar to all of us, the most traditional dishes can be prepared from such products, for example, scrambled eggs, fried eggs or simply boiled. Blue and green eggs can be cut into salads, added to pastries and minced meat products.

If you want to impress your household with gourmet cuisine, then you should try to cook poached egg. They cook it without a shell, for this, a “whirlpool” is created in water brought to a boil and the contents of the egg are carefully poured into it – both protein and yolk, and then boiled until tender.

Blue and green eggs are an unusual and, of course, spectacular natural product that is ideal for those who prefer the most useful ingredients in the kitchen.

About the features of the Araucan chicken breed, which lays blue eggs, see the following video.

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Anna Evans

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