Chicken eggs. What do you think?
By tomitomi
@tomitomi (5429)
Singapore
April 27, 2010 12:20pm CST
I'm talking about eggs. Chicken eggs to be precise. I've never been so curious until this afternoon as I bought a few. They come in quite a variety don't they? Some really look cute in relatively small a size. And they range from dark brown (shells), beige to a little off-white. I just settled for the ones that fall in between these extremes. Thought they were just perfect in terms of price and size.
It wasn't till I got home that I began to ask some of these questions. You probably think they are just silly. And if you do I beg your pardon as I seriously think it's worth a share here.
Unlike duck eggs normally in white shells, why do chicken egg-shells come in a range of colors? Is it because of the food they eat? Or what? Which is healthier: the ones with brown shells or off-white? Or they are just the same? What do you think?
6 responses
@sleepylittlerose (1648)
• United States
27 Apr 10
The grains that they eat can shade the shells to some part but the real reason for the different colored egg shells are the breed of chicken. Chickens and lay eggs that are brown, off-white, white and even green. The egg yolk inside is basically the same on matter the shade of the shell. Some belive that brown eggs are slightly more health than white eggs but there too it has something to do with the chicken vs the actual egg.
The size of the eggs are also determined by the breed of chicken and the age of the chicken. When chickens first start laying eggs they are smaller in size then as they reach mid life (full maturity) the eggs will increase in size. As the hen gets older and becomes less fertile the eggs will then decrease in size.
1 person likes this
@sleepylittlerose (1648)
• United States
27 Apr 10
Worked for a grain store while in high school and college. Sold lots of chicken feed and even a few pullets (baby chicks). Had to know what I was selling or risked giving bad information to my customers.
1 person likes this
@mokkka (881)
• Bulgaria
16 May 10
The colour of the egg has notihng to do with its qualities or taste.It is also not due to the food the hen eat.It is just something you have to know that different hens have different organisms so they give different eggs.They may be brough up together and eat the same things but have different eggs just as people's babies are different.
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
29 Apr 10
there are different species of chickens so probably they will produce different colors and sizes. but i think, they all taste the same and gives the same nutrients.
@mjanakha (479)
• United Arab Emirates
27 Apr 10
Colour of eggs and the food have no connection. It depends on the breed of the hen. There are different types of hen. A normal country hen(I dont know scientific name), another broiler one, then the third one born by artificial method and brought up like a normal one. The normal country hen will be born in a normal way keeping the eggs under the hen. But broiler ones are given birth by setting the temperature artificially in a room.
Eggs of country hens will be brown in colour and they are said to be better than the white shelled eggs. The size may depends on the age of the hen and the food they eat.
@greencard13 (317)
• Philippines
28 Apr 10
Free-range chicken that grown organically have different egg colors than the chicken grown in poultry farm. I totally agree with the first answer that it depends on the food they eat. Have fun myLotting and learning from different people. I learned a lot since I joined here.
