You should always give credit where it’s blue, and Ameraucana chickens really are good eggs…and they lay lots of good eggs too!
Ameraucana chickens are known for their famous party trick: popping out lots and lots of lovely blue booty bombs🪺. They’re not the only chicken breed that can lay blue eggs, but I think it’s fair to say that they do it best.
These big-breasted birds are dual-purpose poultry and can be used for their meat as well as their egg-septional eggs. They make kid-friendly pets and are suitable for beginners, so long as you have the space they need and you’re not wanting to breed them.
There are nine cracking color varieties and bantams to pick from. Mixed flocks look stunning, but everyone has their favorite (White, you’ll always have my heart, you stunning snow queen).
Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and Easter Eggers are constantly confusing the chicken community. Now, I’d love to say that it’s not intentional that these breeds are often confused, but sometimes, it is! Oohhhh, a chicken scandal!
I’m going to unscramble everything Ameraucana, from bile-blue eggs (yup…I’ll explain) to the blue-egged-breed conspiracy. Next up, I’ll eggs-plain how to find, keep, and care for Ameraucana chickens.
Looking for something in particular? Hope straight to it…
How To Pronounce Ameraucana?
Why Are Ameraucana Chickens So Popular?
Which Breeds of Chicken Lay Blue Eggs?
How Many Eggs Do Ameraucanas Lay?
Are Blue Chicken Eggs Low in Cholesterol?
The Ameraucana Chicken Breed Standard?
What Are the Recognized Varieties of Ameraucana Chickens?
What’s The Difference Between Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas?
What’s The Difference Between Ameraucanas and Araucanas?
Where Did the Ameraucana Chicken Come From?
Where Can I Buy Ameraucana Chickens?
How To Pronounce Ameraucana?
It’s okay! I wasn’t sure either. It’s Americ – (as in America)- Arr-Na.
Why Are Ameraucana Chickens So Popular?
Ameraucanas are famous for their bountiful blue eggs - which are arguably more green than blue - but let’s not complicate things.
Which Breeds of Chicken Lay Blue Eggs?
There are eight chicken ‘breeds’ that lay blue eggs. You’ll have heard of the first four, but maybe not the rarer ones:
- The Ameraucana Chicken
- The Araucana Chicken
- Cream Legbar Chickens
- Easter Egg Chicken (also known as Easter Eggers, and technically not a breed)
- Arkansas Blue Chicken
- Whiting True Blue Chicken
- Lushi Chicken
- Dongxiang Chicken
How Many Eggs Do Ameraucanas Lay?
Ameraucana hens lay 200 -250 beautiful blue-green eggs a year. That’s what I call a full-time job! 👌🏼
Whilst Ameraucana hens are late bloomers and don’t start laying until they’re 4-7 months old, once they pop they can’t stop! They’ll lay a substantial 5-6 eggs a week in their first year and slow to 4-5 eggs a week in subsequent years. Ameraucanas live for 6-8 years and will lay eggs until they retire at around 5 years old.
Lots of sources will quote that Ameraucanas lay 150 – 200 eggs, but I interviewed over 100 Amaeraucana mamas and papas and asked them if their hens were really ‘all that’ when it came to eggs. It seems these girls are hardcore:
70% of Ameraucana owners said they enjoy 6 eggs a week, and 15% said they were scooping up seven of these blue-shelled beauties!
Here are just a few of the things these proud Ameraucana keepers had to say about their favorite hens. Just so much love in the room:
"She lays every day! She is my most reliable layer. In Winter and during molt it may not be daily, but she has been consistent like this for over 2 years and I can always count on her for 300+ eggs per year"
“Rarely Misses a Day”
“I get 4-5 eggs every week”
Are Blue Chicken Eggs Low in Cholesterol?
Blue chicken eggs are no different from any other chicken eggs: they taste the same and they have the same nutritional value. Why do people think they’re any different? Marketing. Hatcheries used to advertise unusual blue eggs as a superior, low-cholesterol, and – surprise, surprise - more expensive alternative to brown eggs.
What’s The Ameraucana Chicken Breed Standard?
The Ameraucana chicken was accepted by the APA in 1984, so you could say it’s a relatively new breed in chicken history. In 1989 the APB accepted the first Ameraucana bantam.
Here’s what the APA wants to see in an Ameraucana chicken:
- Red pea comb
- Red wattles if present: these may be small or not existent at all
- Beards & muffs on the face
- Reddish eyes
- Slate blue or black legs depending on the color variant
- Upright tails which sit at a 45-degree angle from the body
- 4 toes per foot
- Clean shanks
- White soles
What Are the Recognized Varieties of Ameraucana Chickens?
There are eight recognized varieties in bantams, and nine in large fowl:
- Black
- Blue
- Blue Wheaten
- Brown Red
- Buff
- Silver
- Wheaten
- White.
- Self-blue, or speckled, is a color variety accepted only for the large fowls.
What’s The Difference Between Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas?
Ameraucana chickens are a breed of chicken, and Easter Eggers aren’t. The term Easter Egger is given to any American hybrid chicken that carries the gene to lays blue eggs, which doesn’t mean it only lays blue eggs. Ameraucanas were derived from Easter Eggers and are a recognized breed that always lay blue eggs and breeds true. They’re also a bit podgier than Easter Eggers, as they were bred to be dual purpose.
“Even if a bird meets an Ameraucana standard breed description, but doesn't meet a variety description or breed true at least 50% of the time it is considered an Easter Egg chicken. By definition, an Easter Egger is not a breed of chicken.”(The Ameraucana Alliance)
What’s The Difference Between Ameraucanas and Araucanas?
Araucanas have no tail (or rump) and have fluffy ear tufts called peduncles. The gene that results in ear tufts is an evil little gene that causes very high mortality in embryos. Araucanas aren’t as friendly as Ameraucanas, but they do lay more eggs.
Ameraucanas don’t carry this dangerous gene, so don’t have ear tufts. They always have tails and always have fluffy little beards and muffs, so they look a little bit like chipmunks, and a little bit like hawks. That sounds weirder than it looks. Ameraucana chickens always breed true.
Just like the chickens themselves, the name ‘Ameraucana’ is an amalgamation of America and Araucana. The Americans bred various American chicken breeds with blue-egg-laying chickens to retain the blue-egg-skills of the Araucana but without the deadly gene.
In America, ‘true’ tufted Araucanas are very rare as their survival rate is very low. Most Araucana chicks that survive only manage to do so because they’re genetically impure…luckily for them! They always produce a mix of tufted and clean-faced chicks.
In the UK and Australia, and quite a few other countries, Araucanas and Ameraucanas are accepted as the same breed: tail or no tail. No wonder this chick stuff scrambles our brains.
Where Did the Ameraucana Chicken Come From?
It’s a common misconception that the Ameraucana chicken was bred from the Aurucana chicken to retain those beautiful blue eggs but ditch the deadly ear fluff. It’s a good theory and makes perfect sense, but according to the eggs-perts at The Ameraucana Alliance, it’s not true.
The inspiration to develop the Ameraucana certainly came from the Aurucana, but they explain that the Ameraucana was bred from Easter Eggers (any American blue-egg laying chicken) and other American chicken breeds.
“Ameraucanas weren't bred up from Araucanas and Araucanas weren't bred up from Ameraucanas. Both were created from Easter Eggers.” (Ameraucana Alliance)
Are Ameraucana Chickens Friendly?
Ameraucana chickens are friendly, docile, and approachable but can be a bit skittish and nervy. They probably won’t be your cuddliest chicken companion, but they’re right little characters and are super-engaging to watch…and film!😍
How Big Are Ameraucana Chickens?
Ameraucana hens weigh 5.5lbs on average, and Ameraucana roosters are a similar 6.5 lbs in weight.
How Big Are Bantam Ameraucana Chickens?
Bantam Ameraucana hens weigh 1.63 lbs and bantam Ameraucana roosters weigh 1.88 lbs.
Can Ameraucanas be Used as Meat Birds?
Ameraucanas are dual-purpose, big-breasted birds, and can be used for meat. If it’s only meat you’re looking for though, there are better breeds that mature faster like the Cornish Cross or the Jersey Giant.
Do Ameraucana Chickens Go Broody?
Ameraucanas aren’t very broody birds. They very rarely sit. I wonder if those blue eggs freak them out a bit?
Can Ameraucana Chickens Survive Free-Range?
Ameraucana chickens are predator savvy! They look the business with their hawk-like beaks and keepers say they seem totally in tune, aware of hazards, and are always on form with their evasion tactics. If their skittish ways do bug you from time to time, just remember that this characteristic is keeping your prize poultry safe from harm.
How To Care for Ameraucana Chickens
Ameraucanas are happiest when they’re free ranging, but if you’re not able to offer that, then make sure they have ample space to stretch their wings each day. They get flightier and more anxious if they don’t have room to forage and roam.
As they’re hardy birds with no breed-specific ailments to complain about they’re easy to care for. Just watch out for the usual parasites and make sure their coop offers shelter from the heat or extreme cold.
Are Ameraucana Chickens Suitable for Beginners?
Because Ameraucana chickens are friendly, docile, hardy, and have no specific requirements or health issues, they’re a great beginners’ choice.
If you’re looking for a breed to begin your hatching journey with, then they’re not the one to get you started: a mama Ameraucana doesn’t do hatching, darling. You could try your luck with an Easter Egger?
Do Ameraucana Chicken Keepers Rate the Breed?
I asked 101 Ameraucana keepers if they would choose to keep the breed again. When they had finished boasting about their bountiful blue eggs, 91% said yes.
How Can I Tell an Ameraucana Chicken from an Easter Egger Chicken?
Easter Eggers are lovely chickens, and they’ll treat you to bundles of beautiful eggs. Their eggs though, might not be blue. Easter Eggers aren’t a true breed and don’t breed true, so you may be finding olive, brown or white eggs in your nest box.
HOT TIP:To end on a tale of caution: typos aren’t always typos! You might spot hatcheries advertising ‘Americanas’ or ‘Americaunas’. This can be a cheeky way of advertising Easter Eggers with the intention of capturing the interest of buyers hoping for Ameraucana chicks. Good thing you read this before your shopping trip.
Where Can I Buy Ameraucana Chickens?
As buying this breed is a risky business you should trust the eggs-perts. The Ameraucana Association maintains a list of reputable dealers.
WARNING: Blue Content May Follow:
Let’s see your Ameraucana eggs. Show us your minty greens, your baby blues, and your awesome aquas…
If you’re seduced by the thought of powder-blue poultry eggs in your basket, and it’s just got to be blue for you, then you’ve probably found your breed in the Ameraucana. These friendly, funny, generous layers are the best bet for blue eggs.
Eggs matter, sure, but unless it’s business rather than pleasure, then personality pips eggs to the poultry post. You need a chicken whose needs you can meet and vice versa.
It’s a poultry pick ‘n’ mix out there. There are so many chicken breeds to pick from, and then hundreds more hybrids. Never settle on a breed without doing your home(stead)work first.
Chickenpedia is like a people-poultry match-making machine: they have an awesome course to help you find the right breed for you. Once you've met your match, then you’ll need to nurture that relationship. Chickenpedia is a one-stop shop for everything you’ll ever need along your chicken journey: unlimited access to all information, tips, and support. Check it out here, Don’t wing it alone!
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