Blue and Green Eggs

Our good friends, Lynne and Joe Yurkiewicz, raise Araucana chickens. We are on their list for fresh eggs. I buy only brown eggs at the store, but when a guy can get fresh blue or green eggs, how can one resist?

Araucanas have a most interesting and controversial history, having originated in a remote area of Chile ruled by fierce Araucana Indians who resisted European domination until the 1880’s. The distinctive traits of blue egg, tufts and rumplessness originally were found in two distinct breeds from this region. The first breed, named “Collonocas”, laid blue eggs and was rumpless. The second breed, called “Quetros”, had unusual tufts, but was tailed and laid brown eggs.

Where did these unusual traits come from? The true answer is lost in the mists of time. However, there is circumstantial evidence that the blue egg color came from crosses of chickens with pheasants. While most hybrids are sterile, a small percentage is not. And the motive for crossing the two was the belief that the offspring made superior game fighting stock. The novelty of a blue egg meant that these rare fertile hens were used for breeding. The first written evidence of the existence of blue eggs in Chile was in 1883, and by 1914 they were commonly found throughout South and Central America.

Araucanas lay beautiful colored eggs of blue-green shades from turquoise to deep olive.