Free Range Eggs are eggs produced by chickens that have access to the outdoors. Simply put, if you’re getting eggs from your backyard chickens, chances are they’re free-range! There is a slight distinction between free-range and cage-free, as cage-free chickens mkay spend their entire lives indoors.

Most people keep backyard chickens for the constant supply of fresh eggs that they provide. Whether you’re a newbie to chicken keeping or a seasoned pro, this guide will help explain the ins and outs of choosing the right breed, which chickens lay blue eggs, handling and storage, and more so you can make the most eggucated choices for your ladies!

Quick Jump

When choosing the right breed of chicken to supply your eggs, you’ll want to know how many you want or need. Some chickens, such as the Australorp and Plymouth Rock breeds, can lay nearly an egg a day, while breeds like the Red Jungle Fowl may only give you an egg a week.

Regardless of which breed you choose, you’ll want to make sure you’re collecting your eggs at least twice a day to make sure they’re clean and at peak freshness.

Luckily, it’s not all guesswork, and below we have provided a list of the 12 best egg-laying chickens available.

<p><strong>Please include attribution to MileFour.com with this graphic.</strong><br><br><a href="https://milefour.com/blogs/learn/free-range-eggs"><img src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/2276/9776/files/Best_Layers_600px_401bb41f-1405-4318-bcbd-bcaffc199576.jpg?12989" alt="Best Egg-Laying Chickens" width="600px" border="0"></a></p>

Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs

Blue eggs have become more and more popular over the last few years. Not always a popular item, many chicken keepers have found themselves flocking to get the following breeds to produce blue eggs.

Ameraucana

Derived from the Araucana chickens, the Ameraucana was developed in (you guessed it) America in the 1970s. It was bred specifically to keep the blue eggs of the Araucana, without the breeding problems that are inherent to Araucana’s.

Ameraucana’s will start producing eggs later than the average breed, so expect to wait up to seven months to see any eggs, but once they start producing, you’ll see around three to four medium-sized eggs a week.

Easter Egger

The Easter Egger is not a specific breed of chicken, per se, but is the distinction used for chickens that lay blue eggs and do not meet any of the breed standards set out by the American Poultry Association (APA).

An extremely friendly breed, Easter Eggers will start laying at around seven months, and will generally lay around four large eggs a week.

The Easter Egger would be the perfect addition to a family flock and even better for beginners. Their friendliness, in addition to their laying abilities, would make this chicken an excellent pet for years!

Araucana

The Araucana is the chicken that started the entire blue egg trend. Not to be confused with the Ameraucana, the Araucana originated in Chile and was the precursor for its hybrid cousin.

If you want to welcome an Araucana into your backyard, you’ll have to find a dedicated breeder. As we mentioned earlier, the Ameraucana was bred to eliminate the health problems that are inherent to Araucana’s.

The tufts that grow out from the side of their cheeks cause some chicks to die while being incubated. This means that they’re quite a hard breed to find at a standard hatchery.

The Araucana will lay you around three medium-sized eggs per week and would easily become a welcome part of a family flock with their friendly and high-energy temperament.

Cream Legbar

Somewhat rare (but growing in popularity) in the United States, this British chicken is sure to add some color to your eggs! The Cream Legbar was bred specifically for excellent egg production, and with some reporting their Legbars laying more than 200 a year, you can see that it worked!

Despite being a generally friendly breed, the Cream Legbar has been known to be highly strung and doesn’t like being cooped up too much.

The Cream Legbar will lay medium-sized eggs at a rate of around four per week. These birds are smart, too! They adapt well to a backyard farm but flourish in a free-range setting, and do well to avoid predators in both scenarios

Egg Color Guide

Chickens and their eggs come in all shapes and sizes, but if you’re choosing breeds specifically for their egg color alone, our graphic below will help you pick the right chickens to build your flock.

Share This Image On Your Site