Are you thinking of getting a beautiful blue chicken but don’t know what breeds are out there? If so, we’ve got you covered! We’ve found the 18 best blue chicken breeds that will make a wonderful addition to any backyard coop.
Along with marveling at their beautiful coloring, we’ll also check out some key info such as what they are used for, how easy they are to keep, and their temperament. Read on to find out more!
18 Best Blue Chicken Breeds
Want to find the best blue chicken breed? We start our list with what many people see as the cutest blue chicken of them all.
1. Silkie
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Bantam
- Egg Laying: 3 small eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 10/10
The Silkie is a wonderful chicken that comes in a wide variety of different colors, including blue. If you are looking at getting a pet chicken, then you’ll find no better. Not only are they small and cute, but they are incredibly soft to the touch too.
Their nature is known to be very sweet, and you’ll fall in love with this little fluffball. “Bantam” is the name given to the smallest of chickens, so you won’t need much space when keeping them. However, as you can probably guess, their eggs are also very small, and you’ll get around 3 per week.
2. Old English (Blue Breasted Red)
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Bantam
- Egg Laying: 3 small eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 5/10
As with the Silkie, and most other birds on this list, the Old English can come in many colors. Also, as with the Silkie, these are a bantam breed. The egg situation is similar as you’ll get around three small eggs per week, so keeping them for egg production is a non-starter.
They are usually friendly but are the descendants of a breed that was made for cockfighting. Due to this, they can be a little feisty, but their size means you don’t need to worry too much. They have delightful personalities and are loved for their alert nature and unique appearance.
3. Rosecomb Bantam
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Bantam
- Egg Laying: 1 small egg per week
- Backyard Rating: 4/10
Another bantam breed, the Rosecomb Bantam is perhaps one of the worst egg layers in all of the chicken world! But no one keeps them for that reason. These are ornamental birds that many love keeping in their coops.
They get a lower backyard rating as these chickens can’t handle cold or hot weather very well, and aren’t the easiest to raise. Mainly found in colors of black, white, and blue, these beautiful chickens are mainly kept solely for exhibitions.
4. Plymouth Rock
- Use: Dual
- Size: Large
- Egg Laying: 4 large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 7
The Plymouth Rock is one of the most popular chickens in the world. That’s because they are dual-purpose, meaning they can be used for both eggs and meat. Added to that, they can also be a great addition to small backyard coops.
Their most famous color variant is the striking “Barred Rocks” which have barred black and white on their feathers, but there are beautiful blue versions too. They are friendly and with them being such good layers, they are great additions for those who want to be more sustainable.
5. Ameraucana
- Use: Eggs
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 3 medium eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 8/10
It’s easy to love the Ameraucana for both their appearance and personality. The blue variants are stunning and have large muffs, making their heads very fluffy! They are quite hardy and sweet in their nature, making them easy to keep.
If you love the color, there is an added bonus with the Ameraucana, as their eggs are blue too! This breed is often confused with the Easter Egger but they are different breeds. The Ameraucana is a wonderful option if you want a productive chicken that has a unique appearance.
6. Wyandotte (Blue Laced Red)
- Use: Dual purpose
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4 medium eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 6/10
As with the Plymouth Rock, the Wyandotte is another famous chicken breed for its dual-purpose productivity. The Blue Laced Red has breathtaking coloring which is a mix of vivid orange-reds along with a beautiful blue.
These are large chickens that need a lot of space and will give you four medium eggs every week. Along with these great features, they are also quite easy to keep and are friendly to humans. Another great option for those looking for a more sustainable life.
7. Andalusian
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 3 medium eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 6/10
Most chicken breeds on this list chickens come in a wide variety of colors, including blue. However, the Andalusian is a blue chicken full stop. This pale blue coloring is often paired with beautiful black tips on their feathers.
They lay white eggs at a rate of three per week, but these chickens are usually kept for ornamental reasons. As they are friendly and curious, they can be a great addition to backyard coops but will need plenty of space to forage.
8. Sumatra
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Small
- Egg Laying: 2 small eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 2/10
The Sumatra is a breed purely kept for ornamental reasons and it’s easy to see why with their dazzlingly long tails. Many of them are black in color but some of them come in a stunningly rich and dark blue.
They only like warmer temperatures and are terrible egg layers, giving you just two small eggs per week. Due to those tails, they need a lot more space than other chickens and this can make them a challenge to keep, hence the low backyard rating.
9. Sapphire Olive Egger
- Use: Eggs
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4 medium eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 7/10
The Sapphire Olive Egger is a hybrid, meaning it was created by parents of different breeds. They were created mainly for their egg laying, often giving you over 200 per year. The eggs they lay are also a beautiful green color.
They are a good addition to backyard coops but not if you want to breed chickens, as you can’t breed hybrids without diluting their lineage. But these are enjoyable chickens to keep and cope with in a wide range of different environments.
10. White Crested Blue Polish
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 2 small eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 5/10
The White Crested Blue Polish is a beautiful and unique bird. It has lovely blue coloring on its body and, as the name suggests, a large white crest on the top of its head. Their crest can sometimes get so large that it blocks their vision!
Their behavior can be a little nervous at times, which contributes to it not having the highest backyard ratings. They can also be bullied when kept with other breeds but when in a flock of their own, they can be charming chickens to keep.
11. Bresse Gauloise
- Use: Meat
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4 large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 3/10
The Bresse is known for its delicious meat and is bred for this reason, even though they are also good layers. True Bresse chickens are only those born in the Bresse region of France but when bred outside that area, they are given the name of Bresse Gauloise.
Traditionally white in color, there are now some beautiful blue variants of the Bresse Gauloise. These chickens aren’t unfriendly as such, but they don’t like too much human contact and don’t like confinement. Due to this, they aren’t the easiest to keep.
12. Delaware
- Use: Dual purpose
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4 large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 8/10
As with the Bresse, the Delaware chicken was famous as a meat producer. However, for a while now, its popularity has been on the decline. That’s because the breeders have long preferred Cornish chickens for producing meat.
That means their numbers have declined sharply but they are still good dual-purpose chickens and will give you over 200 large eggs per year. Most of them are white but the blue Delaware is a stunning color variety that many love to keep due to them being friendly and content with confinement.
13. Australorp
- Use: Dual-purpose
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4/5 large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 8/10
Available in colors of black, blue, and white, the Australorp is a calm bird and a fantastic egg layer. This makes them the perfect choice for anyone who wants a prolific egg layer in the backyard. Not only will you get 4 to 5 per week, but they are very large eggs too.
Added to that, they have plenty of meat. It makes them a great breed but they are active and will need plenty of space. However, they aren’t good fliers so you wouldn’t need to worry too much about fencing.
14. Whiting True Blue
- Use: Dual purpose
- Size: Medium
- Egg Laying: 4/5 large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 6/10
Many people love keeping Whiting True Blue due to the color of the eggs that they lay, which are also blue! Aside from the color, these are fantastic layers as their eggs are large and you’re likely to get around 250 per year.
As for being good backyard chickens, they can be a little skittish around humans. There are plenty of more docile breeds out there but a Whiting True Blue can come to trust you in time. But as a colorful egg layer, there aren’t many better chickens!
15. Cochin
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Large or Bantam
- Egg Laying: 2 tiny eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 10/10
These beautiful chickens are available in both large and bantam sizes so you can pick the one that is most suited to the space that you have. Either big or small, these are incredibly cute chickens that come in a wide variety of colors.
They are incredibly docile, making them good family pets. Added to that docile nature, they also have a sweet personality and are great around children. If you want a new family pet, then you can’t go wrong with the cochin.
16. Copper Maran
- Use: Eggs
- Size: Large
- Egg Laying: 3/4 medium eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 8/10
Traditionally black in color, the Blue Copper Maran is a beautiful chicken. Many love keeping them not only for their attractive appearance but also for the color of their eggs, which are deep chocolate color.
Their coloring is awesome as they have a blue body but a hackle (neck feathers) which are a stunning fiery orange, making an incredible contrast. Added to this beauty is the fact that these chickens have a calm and gentle demeanor, making them perfect to keep.
17. Dutch Bantam
- Use: Ornamental
- Size: Bantam
- Egg Laying: 2 small eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 5/10
The Dutch Bantam is a great idea for anyone who lives in a moderate climate and wants an adorable little chicken. We say a moderate climate as these chickens don’t cope very well in particularly cold or hot environments.
However, with their pretty blue feathers, many love keeping them. They are a true bantam breed, which means there is no larger version of them. As a bantam, they aren’t a prolific egg layer but their hens are broody, which makes them easy to breed.
18. Jersey Giant
- Use: Dual purpose
- Size: Large
- Egg Laying: 4 very large eggs per week
- Backyard Rating: 8/10
Many of the chickens we’ve looked at here are small but, as its name suggests, the Jersey Giant is massive! Also available in colors of black and white, they were originally bred for their meat but that was stopped due to their lack of cost efficiency.
That’s because this chicken is slow growing and requires a lot of food. But if you have the space, this can be a great chicken to keep. They lay humongous eggs and have very gentle personalities. If you have the space, get a Jersey Giant!
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed looking at this amazing list of 18 beautiful blue chickens! Remember, many of these chickens are from breeds that have many other color variants. So, if you wanted a blue chicken, double-check you are getting one with that coloring.
