Peloquin Homestead

A hen that lays blue eggs. This is not a marketing gimmick, but a real description of the egg breed of chickens – Ameraucana. In addition to the spectacular blue shell, the breed has many advantages.

Origin of the breed
The Ameraucana chicken breed was developed in the USA in the 1970s. Local breeds were used as the basis for selection, selecting birds based on egg production, large egg weight and unusual shell color. Ameraucana chickens amazed everyone, and for the unusual blue and turquoise shade of their eggs, they are often called Easter chickens in the USA and North America.

Appearance of Ameraucana chickens
They are characterized by lush sideburns and the presence of a beard in both roosters and hens. The eyes are red, the beak is slightly curved. The breed standard is a pea-shaped red comb, red earlobes. It is the shape of the comb and dense plumage that allows the bird to easily withstand subzero temperatures. Unlike the leaf comb, the pea-shaped comb does not freeze. The most characteristic and unusual feature of the breed is the color of the eggshell. The standard is considered to be blue, gray-blue, turquoise, green. A pink shell is acceptable, but is already considered a minus for such chickens.
The presence of other colors or spots does not fit into the breed standards. Ameraucana chickens are representatives of the egg direction. With a good level of feeding, roosters reach a weight of 3.5 kg, laying hens – 1.5 kg. There is also a dwarf variety in the breed. In it, the weight of hens rarely reaches 1 kg, roosters – up to 2 kg.

Poultry experts say that the main advantages of Ameraucana are:

Unusual and beautiful eggs;
Tasty, tender meat;
High egg production;
Unpretentiousness to the conditions of keeping. Chickens easily withstand frosts in a dry chicken coop;
Unpretentiousness in nutrition;
Early maturation. It is not uncommon for hens to begin laying eggs at 5 months or earlier.

The main advantage of the breed is its high egg production for two years. They produce 200-250 eggs per year with an average weight of 70 g. Despite its small weight, the meat of the Ameraucana is very tasty, white in color and tastes like quail.