Brown or White, does it really matter?

[chicmom]

I have a white egg layer, her name is Petite Miss, and she's a Cream Brabanter. Lays a nice white egg nearly every day. And she's super friendly. DEMANDS TO BE HELD!

If you don't pay her the proper respects, she will fly up onto your shoulder or head.

She is very sweet!

 

[kari_dawn]

I don't have any white egg layers, but for me, it is more about the breeds of chickens I tend to prefer....alot of white egg layers tend to be less full bodied, and in general slightly more flightly, and don't usually seem to be as big of a bird. I have wanted to add white egg layers to my flock just for variations in egg color, but the white egg laying breeds just don't seem to appeal to me. I like huge, fluffy, DP birds for the most part.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Back in the late 19th C and early 20th C, eggs might be held in storage for weeks and shipped clear across the country. In New England, the heavier breeds were used on local farms, so it was assumed that brown eggs were local, fresher eggs, and white eggs came from far away.

I have brown egg layers because Barred Rocks tend to be calm, friendly, and easy to be around. So are Black Stars. I am considering some California Gray white egg layers since they are considered very calm for a white egg layer.

 

[debid]

I want a mix of egg colors because I find it visually appealing. I particularly like the look of various shades of brown and blue-green together. Obviously, when you crack the eggs, they all look the same so in the end it doesn't really matter but I still think there is some value in pretty packaging.

 

[Beekissed]

People will more readily buy the brown eggs from a small producer.....more country to them. I choose brown egg layers for this purpose and because many of the breeds I like lay brown....plus the brown is more forgiving if you've missed a smudge or two when you load your cartons.

 

[SueBaby]

When I was getting my chickens I thought egg color didn't matter to me. My friend was gushing over her EE's green eggs and I was thinking, who cares! I just want big, delicious eggs.

Fast forward a year. Now that my girls are laying I am so interested in the variation in egg colors. I wish every one of my 7 laid a different color. Partly to know who is laying on a particular day, but partly to make a pretty assortment in the egg carton.

I currently have 3 EEs that are laying olive colored eggs, one Barred Rock that lays brown, and 3 young ones that have not laid yet, but I am IMpatiently awaiting! One is a Blue Andulusian that should lay white and 2 are EEs that I hope will lay blue or green. I am already thinking about what my next round of chicks will need to be to make the variety in my egg cartons really stand out (true Ameracuana and Marans for sure).

I think a carton full of white eggs would look just like any from the store. The variety lets people know your eggs are something special.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Since the egg shells just end up in the garbage, I can't see what difference the color makes. (not literally, mine go into the compost).

However, I can see where the breed of hen would make an enormous difference and that is going to affect what color eggs you get.

 

[chickenman17]

It seems that a lot of people that buy farm fresh eggs prefer brown rather than white. If a egg seller has a carton of white eggs the buyer's usual resonse is: "I can get white eggs in town! I want farm fresh brown eggs!"

 

[johnsons-r-us]

When I got my first chicks I didn't even know what color they would lay. I chose my chicks by what I wanted on that day and what they had ready to go.

 

[StarLover21]

I don't care about the color. I think alot of people think that white eggs are less healthy for you, because most battery hens are white leghorns, which lay white eggs. The store bought white eggs ARE unhealthy, but I'm sure MY white leghorn's eggs will be just as healthy as my Red Stars...I think its just a stereo type thing.