There's no need to dye eggs this time of year when there are chickens in backyard coops throughout Minneapolis doing the job just fine. 1-2 Devon Anderson and Michael McNally of Minneapolis have three hens, including Laura, a barred rock hen who's peeking out of her coop. They collect eggs ranging in color from blue and brown to cream. 3-4 Phyllis Kahn raises hens on Nicollet Island. An Araucana chicken produced this green-hued egg; another the peach-speckled egg. 5 A cuckoo Maran kept by Dan Brady and his neighbors in northeast Minneapolis gave us the brown-speckled egg. 6 Lastly, the small, cream-colored egg is from the barred rock hen kept by Scott Horne and Margie Siegel of Minneapolis.
A blue egg from the Cheryl, an Ameraucana chicken kept by Devon Anderson and Michael McNally of Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Laura, a barred rock hen, was enticed to the window of her coop with meal worms held by Michael McNally, who built the coop for the three hens he keeps in his south Minneapolis backyard. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Laura, a Barred Rock hen, at the window of her coop in the backyard of Devon Anderson and Michael McNally. McNally built the coop himself for the three hens they keep in their south Minneapolis yard. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. An egg from the coop of ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Who needs to dye eggs this time of year when chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis already produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A brown egg from the backyard coop of Devon Anderson and Michael McNally of Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A basket of eggs from the backyard coop of Devon Anderson and Michael McNally of Minneapolis, including a blue one laid by their Ameraucana, Cheryl. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. An egg from the coop of ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Who needs to dye eggs this time of year when chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis already produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
An speckled peach-colored egg from a chicken kept in the backyard coop of Phyllis Kahn on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
An speckled brown egg from a Cuckoo Maran kept in the backyard coop of Dan Brady and his neighbors in Northeast Minneapolis. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
An green egg from an Araucana chicken kept in the backyard coop of Phyllis Kahn on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
![Laura, a Barred Rock hen, at the window of her coop in the backyard of Devon Anderson and Michael McNally. McNally built the coop himself for the three hens they keep in their south Minneapolis yard. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. An egg from the coop of ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Who need](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/U6SJM2IBWIXVEOVMCWDWA5JF54.jpg?&w=1080)
![A basket of eggs from the backyard coop of Devon Anderson and Michael McNally of Minneapolis, including a blue one laid by their Ameraucana, Cheryl. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. An egg from the coop of ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Who needs to dye eggs this time of year when chickens kept](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/ETF2HMHS2DT3GBCHG3XVKK5RNQ.jpg?&w=1080)
![An green egg from an Araucana chicken kept in the backyard coop of Phyllis Kahn on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis produce an astonishing range of egg colors. These eggs were photographed Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Minneapolis. An egg from the coop of ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Who needs to dye eggs this time of year when chickens kept in backyard coops in Minneapolis a](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/SKVNYCWUOTY4UGZJWEOF662K2I.jpg?&w=1080)
