Submitted by VOODOO__ECONOMICS t3_yairp4 in explainlikeimfive
In Australia, I have only ever bought or seen eggs a variety of fleshy/beige colours, however in American (US) media that I see, they are almost always bright white. L
Comments
MikeOKurias t1_itba0gd wrote
Also, US requires their eggs to have been thoroughly prewashed requiring them to be refrigerated. Outside the states, many countries sell eggs at room temperature.
Sunhating101hateit t1_itbdp9u wrote
Because the eggs don’t need to be washed. There’s a protective layer that is removed by washing. With the layer, the refrigeration is not necessary
travelinmatt76 t1_itbdoiv wrote
Is this true though? Both white and brown eggs are equally available at the grocery store. The only difference seems to be that white eggs are cheaper.
keirawynn t1_itbefj7 wrote
Retailers will up the price of variations to convince customers they're better in some way. And if most producers provide white eggs, the market would pay less for them, since a greater supply is available.
AutoBat t1_itbsbvs wrote
IIRC the variety that lays white eggs eats a little less than the brown egg laying one, leading to lower cost
Kirstemis t1_itbechq wrote
In the UK most shop-bought eggs are brown because they sell better. They're seen as wholesome. In the US, they're seen as dirty and white eggs are seen as cleaner.
travelinmatt76 t1_itc2s6c wrote
I've never heard anybody saying that brown eggs are dirty.
beautifulpanda850 t1_itb90dn wrote
Different chicken breeds lay different colored eggs. Brown eggs are usually laid by red hens, and white eggs are usually laid by white hens.
Hamilfton t1_itbi4va wrote
Fun fact, there are breeds that lay blue and even green eggs.
M8asonmiller t1_itcaneg wrote
My neighbors have friends with chickens and every few weeks they give me a few cartons of green eggs
sterlingphoenix t1_itbgn6n wrote
As some has mentioned, this is a false premise. The US tends to have a mix of white and brown, and. uh, "higher end" grocery stores can have multicoloured eggs. For example, I have a carton of eggs in my fridge right now with white, brown, blue, and green eggs!
Chula60050 t1_itbmkrg wrote
The food the chickens eat also affect the color. Those with more organic food will produce light blue and green eggs. Source: grew up on a farm.
GovernorSan t1_itbwtej wrote
That's more a function of their breed than their feed. Specific breeds produce the different shell colors, such as Americanas, Araucanas and mixed breed Easter Eggers. I used to raise chickens as a hobby, my Americana hen was the only one of them to lay green eggs. All of them got the same feed and foraged in the yard eating bugs and various plants. There was an effect on the clearness of the whites and the color of the yolks, the yolks having a darker orange color, possibly from pigments from their foraging.
Interestingly enough, it seems that the egg color gene is passed by the rooster rather than the hen, because none of the daughters of my Americana hen ever laid any green eggs. That, or the brown egg color gene is just more dominant.
sfvproject t1_itey1ya wrote
Source: You made this up
The eggs depend on the breed of the chicken, not the nutrients themselves.
Chula60050 t1_itfoop6 wrote
No, I always thought it was the feed actually! Learned something new today!
Kirstemis t1_itb9g53 wrote
Shell colour depends on the breed of hen they come from. US customers prefer white eggs. UK customers prefer brown eggs.