What’s the obsession over egg shell color?

[Carson213]

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

i did brown egg layers (dominant coppers) in respect to my grandpa...but next time all white. easier to see imperfections, candle, etc. white shells are easier.

my current eggs are from d

 

[CarolMc]

I have 7 different breeds of hens. I like knowing who is laying and who on a break. When they are out free ranging, I will move rocks and find extra earth worms for the girls who are currently laying or who seem to need a bit more fluff in their feathers. Also, seven different colors, when they are all laying, makes me happy when I open the carton.

 

[Shezadandy]

I breed for both egg color and egg production and longevity. Naturally they all look the same once you crack them into a pan, but my favorite moment is finding out what color a pullet is going to lay - like Christmas multiple times a year.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I just like the novelty of it.
I love taking pictures, so different colors mean more fun in taking pictures of the eggs. We just ordered a dark egg layer for that reason.

Same here. I tell the kids that gathering eggs is like collecting treasure to me. It literally never gets old. I think I’d get bored if they were all one color.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

First of all, not all eggs taste the same, ever since I have had my own chicken ( and eggs) I only eat eggs from my chickens, if they are taking a break, boho, no eggs here! My hubby isn´t that picky, but even he says that he doesn´t like commercial eggs anymore ! Also, with the multi coloured eggs, it is easier for me to know which hen laid which egg , I am kind of obsessive in that regard, I have a little notebook, in which I write down which hen laid which egg, and how heavy, so when I set eggs, of course I only put the eggs of hens under that have a good record There is a fable going around that green eggs have lower cholesterol than regular eggs, so all my green eggs are "spoken for", in that regard, I could triple my hen flock and still not have enough eggs for customers, but since it is only a hobby, and I sell what eggs are surplus, the customers has to wait I enjoy having a colourful egg basket and I never run out of customers. The reason I don´t have more chickens is that my coop is just about large enough for the hens I have right now, if I have more chickens, I have the feeling it would get crowded, and I started keeping chickens to eat "eggs from happy chicken" , so there it is

 

[sailrnest]

So yes or no? Are your color-egg layers good producers?

I have a new flock, my last old girl had stopped laying so I started over with 2 White Plymouth Rocks, 2 Delaware, 2 olive eggers, 2 Black Jersey giants, 2 Hampshire, 2 RIR in June all 6-10s. When the breeder hatched Easter Eggers I ordered 2 and 2 more Olive Eggers all were 6 weeks when I got them early Aug. All 16 are laying and I average 10-12 eggs per day with 3-5 being blue,light green or dark olive. To be honest I am very surprised to be gewtting so many eggs in Dec. So this long story short they are keeping up with the other girls they are suppose to lay about 200 per year. Olive eggers 180-200 yr compared to the RIR lay 280- 300 per yr.

 

[sailrnest]

Yes! If they had an Australorp parent. I started with pinkish-brown egg laying Australorps from Dare-To-Dream Farms in SoCal in 2015. I added the blue egg gene into the flock with an EE cockerel and EE hens.

*The daughters that produced the most biggest green eggs had an Australorp parent and an EE parent.*

My understanding of the genetics:

Blue eggs=blue layer + blue layer.
Green eggs=blue layer+brown layer.
Maybe someone can post a chart if you want.
Hope that helps

I to got all my girls in the new flock from Dare 2 Dream farm in June and Aug 2020. I would love a Roo but hubby and neighbors put their foot down. lol

 

[writerskramp]

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.

Certainly white eggs are easier.. meat spots do not bother me. Just means fertilized which some of your health nuts seek out.. The occasional mutant I'll toss.

Always been attracted to brown eggs, which you pay a premium in the store.

It's always disappointing, store bought eggs.. SALE! Crack one and it covers the entirety of your 10" pan.. It is my understanding store bought factory farm eggs are a minimum 30 days old before they reach your store shelves and as old as 60 days.. still considered FRESH by law.

Have a similar physical reaction myself.. but what doesn't anymore.

There is a difference in flavor from free range to pen raised. I have done both.. Free range has a darker yellow yoke and better consistency.. and FLAVOR!

The best I have ever eaten was a goose egg given to me by a most impressive spinster lady farmer and former schoolmarm of a one room school house.. It was Fantastic! It was huge and a fork literally stood up in the yoke!

I have many colored eggs from chickens my grand kids adopt at the farm store, then I end up with them.. Which is fine.. keeps me busy.

I have recently gotten into food preservation.. self taught. Canning to a commercial dehydrator to a $3500 freeze dryer.

I freeze dry the raw eggs to powder.. and very recently tried out pickling. Haven't come up with a preferential recipe yet.. The Amish style beet juice are too sweet. Just seems wrong.. The spicy aren't spicy enough, but I'll get it.

Be prepared.

 

[Serenityintheverse]

There is nothing more beautiful than a diverse color palette!

 

[SPedigrees]

>brown shelled eggs are kinda "newer" in the mainstream

Not here in New England. Most store bought eggs here have always been brown, coming from Rhode Island or NH reds and barred rock hens, the original chickens of the colonies.