As a little girl growing up on my dad”s farm we had laying hens. There were around 300 white, Leghorn chickens laying dozens of white eggs daily. Most of these eggs went to an egg packing company and thus ended up on store shelves.
But we also had neighbors dropping by to buy eggs. Every time I hear the questions about the different colored eggs ie, “Are brown eggs healthier than white?” “What is the difference between brown and white eggs; this certain sweet, elderly lady comes to my mind. (I remember her as a sweet lady possibly because she brought candy!) Anyway, one evening this lady asks, Don’t you have brown eggs? I like brown eggs better than white.”
My dad replied, “Do you eat the shells?
I think what my dad was actually saying was, There’s no difference between those eggs except for the color.
And, My dad was right!
The reason some eggs are brown is because brown hens laid them, while white chickens lay white eggs! So simple!
Health wise….it all depends on how the chicken is raised and fed. Eggs that come from chickens living out on the pasture, given a fresh spot of grass everyday, and fed a non GMO ration have a far greater balanced nutrient content than the eggs coming from confined chickens.
Why do brown eggs cost more in the stores?
The reason for that is…. brown hens are a larger bird than white and thus require more feed.
A note on “free range eggs” in the store
Did you know that most of those chickens which laid those eggs have never even touched grass? Yes, I know it is shocking!
So, how can they be called free range?
Well, these chickens are kept in a shelter ( a couple thousand to a shelter) and they have a small door where they have access to the outdoors. The majority of these chickens never venture out that door, but the companies may label their eggs free range all because of that one small door!
This is why it’s so important to know your farmer….and thus …know your food!
Blessings, Louise
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Have you ever ended up with “henpecked” hard-boiled eggs after peeling them? Try this method!