Breed profile
Ameraucana
The standardized blue-egg breed. Unlike the Easter Egger, the Ameraucana is a recognized APA breed with a fixed recipe: pea comb, beard and muffs, and blue eggs in various shades. The extension chart lumps the blue-egg group at 180 to 200 eggs a year. The hatchery description adds the trait beginners care most about: extremely hardy birds that come in a wonderful combination of feather colors.
The egg numbers
| Eggs per year (first laying year) | 180–200 |
|---|---|
| In-lay rate | ≈3–4 a week |
| Strain note | The extension chart lists Ameraucana/Easter Eggers together at 180-200. The standard describes blue eggs in various shades; hatchery lines are called tinted egg layers. |
| Egg color | blue |
| Egg size | large |
| Starts laying | 20–26 weeks |
Body and climate
| Form | standard |
|---|---|
| Strain | production strain |
| APA class | All Other Standard Breeds |
| Comb | pea |
| Leg feathering | clean |
| Leg color | green |
| Distinguishing features | tailed, muffed and bearded, unlike the rumpless Araucana |
| Bird size | large |
| Skin color | dark |
| Recognized varieties | Eight APA-recognized colors: black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten and white. |
| Weeks to maturity | 22 |
| Mature hen weight | 5 lb |
| Mature rooster weight | 6 lb |
| Weight note | Standard range: females 4.5-5.5 lb, males 5.5-6.5 lb. The hatchery line runs hens 4 lb, roosters 7 lb. |
| Cold hardiness | excellent |
| Heat tolerance | good |
| Climate note | The hatchery description: mature Ameraucanas are medium-sized birds with pea combs and are extremely hardy. |
Character
| Temperament | Docile and hardy; come in many feather colors and patterns. |
|---|---|
| Disposition | good |
| Free range | good |
| Meat production | better |
| Broodiness | low |
| Broody note | Sources disagree: one spec table rates Ameraucanas not very likely to sit, while another hatchery's page lists Broody: Yes. |
| Good first breed | Yes |
What this means for your setup
Medium-size birds around 5 pounds keep the coop math easy. Two details worth knowing before you order. First, egg shade: the standard calls for blue, but hatchery lines are described as tinted layers, so hatchery-grade Ameraucanas may not match show stock on shell color. Second, that pea comb is cold-country equipment, another point in the breed's favor for northern coops.
Gear that fits this breed
Coop Size Calculator
turn 5-lb hens into coop, run and roost numbers
Egg Calculator
turn the 180–200 egg-a-year range into a hen count
Best Coops for Cold Climates
a cold-excellent breed earns the winter-spec picks
Ameraucana FAQ
How many eggs do Ameraucanas lay a year?
The extension laying chart lists the Ameraucana/Easter Egger group at 180-200 eggs a year.
Do Ameraucanas lay blue eggs?
The standard describes blue eggs in various shades, though hatchery strains vary; hatchery lines are described as tinted egg layers.
Are Ameraucanas cold-hardy?
The hatchery description calls them extremely hardy, and the pea comb handles freezing weather better than a tall single comb.