Who lays bluer eggs: Ameraucanas or Cream Legbars?

[doughouse]

My family is starting to think about getting three or four more chickens in the spring, and one thing we're all excited about is getting a blue egg layer. Although we can look at egg pictures online all day, I'm curious to hear from people who have in-person experience with both breeds and their eggs, since pictures on a screen aren't always true to life. Who, in your experience, lays the bluer, more striking eggs? Who has the better temperament?

For reference, we've ordered from Meyer Hatchery in the past and likely will again, although I'm always willing to hear suggestions for other hatcheries if you've got them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I'm curious to hear from people who have in-person experience with both breeds and their eggs, since pictures on a screen aren't always true to life. Who, in your experience, lays the bluer, more striking eggs? Who has the better temperament?

First and foremost as someone who bred Ameraucana to the SOP blue is a shade that can range widely INcluding hues of green and varies majorly according to individual.. Get a load of the egg color chart used by the Ameraucana breeders club.. from google..

Folks who insist green eggs aren't from pure breeds don't understand the complications of breeding OR the standard of perfection as it's written. Noting shade is darkest early in the lay cycle and can fade slightly towards the end of the season and even a little during the normal cycle.. being darkest the first day or two after day off for example.

To get the MOST striking color out of your eggs.. HAVE a variety for comparison.. white, brown, blue, etc... and carton or presentation color of the container matters also..

Now $3-4 birds are Easter Eggers.. some of my favorite. No two ever look or act exactly alike! Though they may be similar. The blue and green eggs in my examples here are both feed store hatchery Easter Eggers.

Ameraucana.. usually close to $20.. are also good birds.. but usually sold in standard colors.. like blue, black, lavender, wheaten, etc. Good birds, hearty, active foragers. Fun birds, just not the wide variety of patterns. The better temperament for MY preference would probably be the EE/Am.. with regards to hanging out with kids

Cream Legbars.. kinda cute, more flighty or reactive/nervous than EE/AM.. generally speaking not withstanding difference in individual personalities. Sometimes eggs can verge on white.. individual line matters.. LOOK at photos of their birds and their eggs.. sometimes the evidence is right there! I have NOT kept CCL, per your request from prior keepers.

I think I prefer bearded birds over crested.. and I'm not crazy about how cresting wrinkles the straight comb.. but then again pea comb isn't my favorite so.. GET BOTH! Or rather get all 3 (EE, Am, CCL) and decide for yourself!

CCL are tending hyper.. I'd lean calmer.. breed wise.. but some individuals do stand out regardless. And although I prefer more approachable birds.. one Leghorn really showed that they can still be endearing while not being lap birds.

I have ordered from Meyer.. and have really good luck with their shipping. Their birds are decent hatchery quality birds as well as fair prices. I also have gotten good birds at fair (straight run) prices from Cackle who I think is also offering true Ameraucana.

Collecting blue eggs and others makes me feel like a child again, it brings joy.. It also actually helps to know who is laying or not when you have a variety and easier to identify if anyone is having an issue that needs help.

Many hatcheries are working on hybrids that are able to lay more often.. colored eggs take longer than white to get their pigment layer.. One example would be the Super Blue Egg Layer.. so there might be other blue layer to consider.

Hope this helps a little with food for thought.. your really can't go wrong!

Happy adventures!

ETA: In Boston.. I'd also go with the EE/Am for the pea comb and cold hardiness.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

I have true Ameraucanas, EEs, and Legbars (creams and whites). Only my EEs and Legbars are laying, and the Legbars have given me the bluest eggs I have ever seen. Two of my EEs lay green eggs, one lays a tan egg.

The EEs have the best temperament, they are friendly and like to be held. All of my legbars are flighty, but they do lay a lot (5 eggs a week). The Ameraucanas are also really flighty. I have heard most Ameraucanas are friendly, so mine are probably weird for being really flighty.

If friendliness is the most important, I would go with EE. For guaranteed blue eggs, Legbars are probably better (plus autosexing, so guaranteed a pullet). Ameraucanas are also guaranteed blue/green eggs, and are most likely friendlier than a legbar.

If you really want true blue eggs, I would try to find a breeder instead of a hatchery. If you are fine with possibly getting a more greenish egg, hatchery birds are good.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I had four ameraucana's that I raised from a day old they were super friendly I loved them so much! Unfortunatly they all ended up being roosters so I can tell you about egg color. Both cream legbars and ameraucana's have their bonus, for example cream legbars are auto sexing, but ameraucana's are super friendly and have adorable chubby cheeks. If you are ordering ameraucana's from a hatchery you will probably get an easter egger, you are more likely to get ameraucana's from breeders, but that is just my experience. I would agree and get some of both!

 

[RevlisRemmah]

First and foremost as someone who bred Ameraucana to the SOP blue is a shade that can range widely INcluding hues of green and varies majorly according to individual.. Get a load of the egg color chart used by the Ameraucana breeders club.. from google..
View attachment 2409766

Folks who insist green eggs aren't from pure breeds don't understand the complications of breeding OR the standard of perfection as it's written. Noting shade is darkest early in the lay cycle and can fade slightly towards the end of the season and even a little during the normal cycle.. being darkest the first day or two after day off for example.

To get the MOST striking color out of your eggs.. HAVE a variety for comparison.. white, brown, blue, etc... and carton or presentation color of the container matters also..
View attachment 2409771View attachment 2409772

Now $3-4 birds are Easter Eggers.. some of my favorite. No two ever look or act exactly alike! Though they may be similar. The blue and green eggs in my examples here are both feed store hatchery Easter Eggers.

Ameraucana.. usually close to $20.. are also good birds.. but usually sold in standard colors.. like blue, black, lavender, wheaten, etc. Good birds, hearty, active foragers. Fun birds, just not the wide variety of patterns. The better temperament for MY preference would probably be the EE/Am.. with regards to hanging out with kids

Cream Legbars.. kinda cute, more flighty or reactive/nervous than EE/AM.. generally speaking not withstanding difference in individual personalities. Sometimes eggs can verge on white.. individual line matters.. LOOK at photos of their birds and their eggs.. sometimes the evidence is right there! I have NOT kept CCL, per your request from prior keepers.

I think I prefer bearded birds over crested.. and I'm not crazy about how cresting wrinkles the straight comb.. but then again pea comb isn't my favorite so.. GET BOTH! Or rather get all 3 (EE, Am, CCL) and decide for yourself!

CCL are tending hyper.. I'd lean calmer.. breed wise.. but some individuals do stand out regardless. And although I prefer more approachable birds.. one Leghorn really showed that they can still be endearing while not being lap birds.

I have ordered from Meyer.. and have really good luck with their shipping. Their birds are decent hatchery quality birds as well as fair prices. I also have gotten good birds at fair (straight run) prices from Cackle who I think is also offering true Ameraucana.

Collecting blue eggs and others makes me feel like a child again, it brings joy.. It also actually helps to know who is laying or not when you have a variety and easier to identify if anyone is having an issue that needs help.

Many hatcheries are working on hybrids that are able to lay more often.. colored eggs take longer than white to get their pigment layer.. One example would be the Super Blue Egg Layer.. so there might be other blue layer to consider.

Hope this helps a little with food for thought.. your really can't go wrong!

Happy adventures!

ETA: In Boston.. I'd also go with the EE/Am for the pea comb and cold hardiness.

That dark chocolate egg gives me egg envy! It’s gorgeous!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Or rather get all 3 (EE, Am, CCL) and decide for yourself!

I like that kind of advice.

@EggSighted4Life , has the APA approved Cream Legbar as a breed? Last I heard they had not and the consortium trying to get them approved was leaning toward allowing either green or blue egg shell colors. Maybe you've kept up with this. I have not.

I got some Ameraucana from a breeder and those eggs were really blue. She was paying attention to egg shell color. Then I crossed them with other breeds and made my own EE's. Some EE eggs were blue, some were green. If they laid a brown egg I did not keep them.

For the reasons ES4L mentioned and some other reasons not every Ameraucana, EE, or Legbar will lay the same color, let alone the same shade. Some people will look at an egg and say that is blue. Others see the same egg as green. Some people like olive colored eggs, some like blue. My favorite is a mint green. We all have our preferences. It's a lot of fun. Just go with it and enjoy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

has the APA approved Cream Legbar as a breed?

I didn't actually realize that, but do remember reading something about it now that you mention it. I have not followed them since despite going back and forth I had not been able to sell myself on them for the price they were going for AND also putting my extra in the freezer.

I ALMOST got some to cross with Bielefelder (also not on the APA list that I know of) for autosexing sage egger, but after running myself ragged with project color breedings and such.. that whole silly crested comb thing.. the big girl inside me.. put the brakes on and got rid of the Bielefelder instead!

Auto-sexing is only a bonus if you are breeding. CCL have lost their auto sexing ability in SOME lines.. diminishing THAT as being a gender guarantee when ordering... they *MAY* still be vent sexing. (not sure about Meyers)

I have always thought the partridge pattern was pretty on hens. The blue is beautiful in the Ameraucana. Black has it's own beauty and sheen..

True Ameraucana are available at several hatcheries these days.. always sold under their color variety. Everything that once was more rare is now more readily available.. do NOT buy CHICKS from a breeder if dealing with cockerels is not part of your game plan.. And never bring in grown birds (even if not especially vaccinated) unless possibly facing respiratory or other disease for the residing flock is not a consideration.

I gathered that you were adding to an existing flock, layers only, and blue eggs.. with no eating or breeding.. Ya, I still say get them ALL and see which thrives most in YOUR set up!

Oh, I got it.. You said 4 birds next spring.. give them a fair shake.. 2 EE and 1 each CCL and blue Am!

 

[doughouse]

Or rather get all 3 (EE, Am, CCL) and decide for yourself!

I would agree and get some of both!

Ya, I still say get them ALL and see which thrives most in YOUR set up!

Aw man, y'all are really pushing our chicken math! The family already has their eye on adding two or three polish to the mix. I'm the one campaigning for some colorful egg layers, and you've given me more of an uphill battle to keep us at no more than four chickens! But hey, that's a battle I'll gladly wade into.

 

[WVBirdsAndBees]

Aw man, y'all are really pushing our chicken math! The family already has their eye on adding two or three polish to the mix. I'm the one campaigning for some colorful egg layers, and you've given me more of an uphill battle to keep us at no more than four chickens! But hey, that's a battle I'll gladly wade into.

Chicken math is the real deal! Getting a variety is always good advice.

Our CLs lay beautiful blue and they're our favorites. That said, I might lean towards the Ameraucana (or EE) for you due to temperament. Cream legbars can be a bit strong willed and flighty. We enjoy the cute crests and value the autosexing for breeding but ours aren't eager to be handled (as opposed to the orpingtons that follow me around for attention). I know you had the issue with the olive egger and I wouldn't want you and the kids to get attached to a CL and it act crazy. Don't get me wrong. Female CL don't have a reputation for being aggressive. They're just not always super social. Our oldest from Meyer loves ranging, lays 4 or 5 blue eggs a week, and couldn't care less about humans - even after being the runt and getting extra attention as a chick. Still amazing birds.

There are no wrong options, though. The CL might actually be good mates for Polish since both have crests.

Ugh. Decisions. Just buy all the chickens

 

[Vickischics]

Here is a quick and easy chart.
I like visual. Lol