Rainbow layer chicken breed reviews.

[Kristinadukhin]

I am considering adding a few rainbow layers to our other breeds. I'm really wanting to get some colorful eggs. Anybody have this breed? What color eggs did they lay? The worker at tractor supply told me that they can lay all sorts of colors including blue/ green. I dont want to order chicks through the mail, I would rather go pick them up at the store and that's the only breed they have that supposedly lay colorful eggs. Thoughts? Thank you!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The term "rainbow layer" is one that can have many different meanings and could be to very different answers to your question. Do you know which hatchery tractor supply is sourcing their birds from? Many hatcheries use rainbow layer as a way to label what essentially is hattery choice packages from all of their laying breeds. Because it can be 1 of any breed in that mix that is why you can get many different egg colors. It isn't actually a breed that is known as the rainbow layer.
The other possibility would be that what they are calling their rainbow layer in ascribing "any egg color" to that bird would be that there is labeling their Easter eggers as the rainbow layer.
Alternatively there are dual purpose birds that are commonly labeled as rainbow that can be used both for meat and/or eggs. Again this is not an actual breed but rather a hybrid type bird. However these rainbows are not generally going to involve any breeding from genetics that would involve egg coloring of blue or green so it is unlikely this is what they are actually selling as the rainbow layer.

 

[The Moonshiner]

In my area "rainbow layers" are just a mixed batch of different egg laying breeds.
Rainbow as in rainbow of breeds not rainbow of egg colors.
Curious what others say

 

[Kristinadukhin]

From what I was told the chicks are a mix of Americana and Easter egger.

 

[jadip4]

Love the EE's, I've had two. One gave me baby blue eggs, the other mint green.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

From what I was told the chicks are a mix of Americana and Easter egger.

So, took a look at the tsc site and, ugh....they list easter Eggers and Americana. ..the "ugh" is that is the same darn thing....amerIcana is a purposeful misspelling of AmerAUcana.... which is an actual recognized breed. A "mix of Easter egger and amerIcana" is simply a bunch of Easter eggers. Yes, they can produce blue green or brown eggs (hint, the standard for true Ameraucana dictates they lay blue, period..... anyone someone starts talking about pink, cream, etc. you know they don't have true ameraucana).
Easter eggers are lovely birds

 

[The Moonshiner]

From what I was told the chicks are a mix of Americana and Easter egger.

That statement right their would worry me.
Curious were they all or any of them muffed/bearded and/or have pea combs?
Americana is same as EEs. Its just a misspelling of ameraucana. Cleverly misspelled to mislead.
Most hatcheries sell under one or the other name not use both.
True hatchery ameraucana sell for $12 to $15 I believe so won't be any of them in the mix.
If you see a bunch of pea combs and muffs/beards then go for it.
If not expect a bunch of brown and white egg layers

 

[The Moonshiner]

@Ol Grey Mare
We are on the same page at the same time with this thread