What’s the obsession over egg shell color?

[Aunt Tat]

...don’t they all taste the same?

growing up...i am 41...we always had brown eggs and that was “weird” to my friends. they would question eating an egg that had a brown shell...now it’s common place in the grocery store as if it’s better than a white egg.

What’s the obsession over egg shell color?

When I was a child (I'm 66 now) I BEGGED mom to buy white eggs so we could dye them for easter. (we got brown eggs from the "Egg Lady" in our town.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I really enjoy a colorful egg basket, as do all the folks I give eggs to.

 

[Pentatonchix]

I personally have easter eggers and some brown layers so I can tell who lays the eggs.

 

[CassieD]

...don’t they all taste the same?

growing up...i am 41...we always had brown eggs and that was “weird” to my friends. they would question eating an egg that had a brown shell...now it’s common place in the grocery store as if it’s better than a white egg.

What’s the obsession over egg shell color?

I think a variety of colors is fun. Mainly though I prefer anything other then white so I can easily see and remove all pieces of the shell from my hard boiled eggs

 

[lolodalton]

I copied the post, couldn't figure out how to copy the link.


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digitS'
Songster
12 Years
In the early part of the 20th century, US egg production began to shift from brown-egg layers to white. By mid-century, consumer preference was strongly on the side of white, white, white.

Selective breeding has gone both ways with more efficient layers developed for either color. But, greater emphasis was placed on white egg shells.

We seem to now be in something of a change with an idea growing in the consumer's mind that brown eggs are more wholesome or fresh. The commercial flocks of brown-egg layers must be growing to meet that increasing interest.

It is interesting to see how breeds and hybrids have waxed and waned in their popularity. A lot of that has been a result of nothing more than the color of their egg shell.

I'm personally on a campaign for the creamegg shell layers

.

Steve

I have a gorgeous silver penciled Plymouth Rock that lays the cutest cream colored eggs. They are almost perfectly round-especially in comparison to the torpedoes my Orpingtons lay!

 

[Ann With A Plan]

It all comes down to looks, they all taste the same. But a lot of people love having a rainbow basket, it can give each egg its own personality (sounds stupid I know) in reality there is no difference. So if you don't care about having a rainbow basket then there is no reason to have multiple colors. It can just make an egg basket look so much more fun.

I don't think it sounds stupid at all. I like colored eggs simply because they all look cool that way.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

All my hens except one lay white or nearly white eggs. I choose my breeds for just about everything BUT egg color!
I've heard that some of the more colorful egg layers are not always as reliable/consistent. If I'm wrong, please correct me.
Here's a fun project I made for the 2020 BYC egg decorating contest, and yes I dyed some of the eggs...

View attachment 2464889

One of my green egg layers (Hoover's named - Starlight Green Egger) has been, by far, my most reliable layer since she started laying a little over a year ago. There's absolutely nothing that I dislike about her and I really wish I had more like her. I've heard from a few folks that get eggs from me, that the green eggs are their favorite and they're always beautiful on the inside and out.

 

[WaspSlayer]

White eggs are easier to candle and remove ones with meat spots or internal defects. It is likely why the grocery stores have mainly white eggs.

As to store eggs all tasting like store eggs, I do not find that to be true.

We eat with our eyes first.
The super cheap eggs are pale and watery. That is unappealing to those who have farm fresh eggs.
I personally have difficulties eating them. Not from the looks but from a physical reaction. I get intense abdominal pain from most store eggs.
I went a decade after moving back into town not eating a single egg. As soon as chickens were made legal here I was on it!
This year my hens are taking a full break. I had to buy eggs. The only ones in the stores here before Thanksgiving were the cheaper eggs. I bought them, made deviled eggs, ate ONE and spent 4 days in pain.
There definitely are differences between eggs of different brands, "free range" vs cage kept.

Going forward I will make certain I have a couple young birds going into every winter.

As to color preferences many people just like all the variety of colors readily available now.

Edited to add: I DID find one brand of store egg I can eat without a reaction. Not cheap at all but certainly superior to other in store eggs.

You should read author Joel Salatin's book, "z

White eggs are easier to candle and remove ones with meat spots or internal defects. It is likely why the grocery stores have mainly white eggs.

As to store eggs all tasting like store eggs, I do not find that to be true.

We eat with our eyes first.
The super cheap eggs are pale and watery. That is unappealing to those who have farm fresh eggs.
I personally have difficulties eating them. Not from the looks but from a physical reaction. I get intense abdominal pain from most store eggs.
I went a decade after moving back into town not eating a single egg. As soon as chickens were made legal here I was on it!
This year my hens are taking a full break. I had to buy eggs. The only ones in the stores here before Thanksgiving were the cheaper eggs. I bought them, made deviled eggs, ate ONE and spent 4 days in pain.
There definitely are differences between eggs of different brands, "free range" vs cage kept.

Going forward I will make certain I have a couple young birds going into every winter.

As to color preferences many people just like all the variety of colors readily available now.

Edited to add: I DID find one brand of store egg I can eat without a reaction. Not cheap at all but certainly superior to other in store eggs.

You are certainly onto something. Read Joel Salatin's book, "Folk's, This Ain't Normal." Very informative regarding natural food production vs. mass production.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

You
You might like spitzhauben. They lay white eggs and I think would be less skittish if I handles them more. Not flighty though, just good runners

I agree! I have one Spitzhauben and she has such a wonderful personality. I honestly thought she was a cockerel because she was that friendly and outgoing as a chick. She hasn't started laying yet but she's such a friendly girl that loves spending time with her human.

 

[Carson213]

I forgot about the candling aspect. I am raising Spitzhaubens and really appreciate ease of candling visibility in white eggs. I just began incubating this year and didn't realize what a difference white made over dark eggs.
View attachment 2464945

obviously...white eggs are easier to read. no brainer