Choosing Chicks for a Colorful Egg Basket
Raising chickens is one of the most rewarding parts of having a little homestead and it’s amazing to see the beauty God created for us in nature by collecting a basket of fresh, colorful eggs every day!Â
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Fresh eggs are so nutritious and tasty, they’re a necessity on any little homestead. Â And you can always tell if eggs come from truly free ranged, home raised hens by looking at the yolks – they’re bright yellowish orange, indicative of a carotenoid rich diet. Â So pretty! Â But this post is mainly about the pretty colors of the egg shells of different breeds.
[free range egg + avocado toast with balsamic]
You can get these pretty, nutritious orange yolks from any kind of laying hen, the color of the egg shell doesn’t affect the nutrition or taste at all!
However, I personally think collecting a basket full of colorful eggs is one of the most fun and rewarding parts of having a little homestead – especially for kids. Â Mine look so forward to gathering eggs each day to line them up and examine them different spots, speckles, blooms, and shades.
[speckled & bloomed eggs]
[all of these were laid by the same hen over a week’s time]
There are many type of chickens to choose from to have a good variety of colored egg layers. Â But in this post I’m just going to share some of my favorites and a few new types I’m ordering this year to add some beautiful, new colors to our egg collection.
Note: Â Buying chicks for a colorful egg basket will be more pricey, and they may not be quite as productive (although several of my colored egg layers do lay daily) – so if you’re just wanting efficiency, high production, readily available, heritage breeds are probably the best bet. Â They’re cheap to buy at local farm supply stores and produce reliably!
My picks for a fun variety of pretty hens by egg color
All hatcheries linked
Tinted – Silver Dorkings, Double Silver Laced Barnevelder, Silkies
Blues – Lavender Ameraucana, Alchemist Blue, Easter Egger
Bright Blue – Azure Egger
Greens – Olive Egger, Moss Egger, Sage Egger, Isbar
Light Browns – Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte’s, Barred Rock, Naked Necks, Buff Orpington
Dark Browns – French Black Copper Marans, Wellsummer
Chocolate – Coco Egger
Just pick one or two breeds from each color in the list and you’re all set! Â I’ll be rounding out our flock this spring with some new chicks. Â And I can’t wait to see what pretty colorful eggs we get from the new additions!
-Steph
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