Egg Facts

Eggs are considered a perfect food, because they’re one of the best sources of protein. And they contain all the essential amino acids. Not to mention there are supposedly 100 ways to cook them. Apparently that’s why chef’s hats have all of the folds they have, for all the numbers of ways to cook an egg. And that’s just a couple of egg facts. But I have more that you might not be aware of.

Eggshell Colors

There are 3 common eggshell colors, which are white, brown, and blue. However the uncommon ones are dark brown, pink, olive, and cream.

Also, shell color depends on the breed of the hen that laid the egg. But shell color doesn’t determine how healthy the egg is.

Additionally, in grocery stores, brown eggs are more expensive than white eggs. And that’s because hens that produce brown eggs are typically larger than their white egg-laying counterparts. Thus bigger birds equal more feed and thus more costs, which get passed onto the customer.

Biggest Egg Fans

Japan consumes the most eggs, with an average of 320 eggs eaten per person in 2020. And they also import most of their eggs. However the average American eats almost 300 eggs annually.

Top Egg Producer

In the United States Iowa produces the most eggs with 17.1 billion eggs in 2019!

Biggest Egg

In 2010 Harriet the hen, from the U.K., laid an egg weighing ~7 ounces. And it measured ~8 inches in circumference. Additionally, when it was cracked, there was another egg inside!

It takes 24-26 hours for a hen to produce an egg. And within half an hour of laying the egg, the process starts all over again.

Also, some chickens lay eggs every day, while others lay only every other day. And then there are some hens, for show mainly, that will only lay an egg once or twice a week. But sometimes a hen could even lay twice in the same day. Although that’s rare.

Yolk Color

What’s the deal with yolk color? Well, yolk color tells you about the hen’s diet primarily. And if you buy eggs from a farmer, it’s a great indicator of their environment and health. Also, eggs that have a richer color taste better. Some store-bought eggs can have a darker yolk, but that could be because the hens are being given marigold to produce the darker color. But a true pasture raised hen will forage, eating grass and bugs, and not just the feed alone. Thus her egg yolks are naturally rich.

Are Eggs Fertilized

I get this question a lot. And no, chickens don’t need a rooster to lay eggs. So eggs from the grocery store should be unfertilized. Besides the majority of the hens are in cages, therefore they wouldn’t be mixing with each other anyway.

Eggs Have a Long Shelf Life

Eggs don’t have an expiration date in grocery stores. However store bought eggs can last up to a month. But if you purchase eggs from a farmer, they can last months as long as they haven’t been washed, due to something called bloom.

Furthermore you can tell how old an egg is based on its buoyancy. So if you have an egg that’s questionable, just put it in a cup or bowl of water. And if it floats, it’s old. But if it sinks, or stays at the bottom of the cup or bowl, then it’s fresh.

I hope you enjoyed these egg facts, and thanks for reading! Feel free to comment or ask a question.