Why do chickens lay brown eggs.?

Question

Organically raised and free range raised chickens lay eggs that the egg shell color is only brown; whereas non-organically and non-free range raised chickens lay eggs that the egg shell is either white or brown..
Why is that?

Answer 1

This is the best answer I have ever found on that subject. I live in Rhode Island so the issue of brown vs. white egges is always a topic. For those who don't know the state bird of Rhode Island is the Rhode Island Red (a chicken) which is famous for laying brown eggs. However, organically raised free range chickens can have white or brown eggs - please read below:

"The color of eggs comes exclusively from the pigment in the outer layer of the shell and may range from an almost pure white to a deep brown, with many shades in between. The only determinant of egg color is the breed of the chicken. Because white eggs are preferred in almost every region of the country, the Single-Comb White Leghorn has become by far the favorite egg-layer in the United States. The Leghorn is prized for many reasons: it reaches maturity earlier than most pullets; it uhlizes its feed efficiently; it is relatively small (an important consideration when most chickens are kept in cages even smaller than New York City studio apartments); it is hardy, adapting well to different climates; and most important, it produces a large number of eggs. If more consumers went along with New England's preference for brown eggs, more breeds such as the Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, and Plymouth Rock would be provided to produce them. A simple test to determine the color of a hen's eggs is to look at her earlobes. If the earlobes are white, the hen will lay white eggs. If the earlobes are red, she will produce brown eggs. Although many people are literally afraid to try brown eggs, they are no more or less nutritious or healthy than white ones. In fact, brown eggs have some cachet among health-food aficionados, which guarantees their higher cost, if not greater benefits. Egg yolks also range dramatically in color, but yolk variations are caused by dietary differences rather than genetic ones. Yolk color is influenced primarily by the pigments in the chicken feed. If the hen gets plenty of yellow-orange plant pigments known as xanthophylls, the pigments will be deposited in the yolk. Hens receiving mash with yellow corn and alfalfa meal will lay eggs with medium yellow yolks. Those fed on wheat or barley produce lighter yolks. A totally colorless diet, such as white corn, will yield a colorless yolk. For cosmetic reasons alone, farmers avoid giving chickens a colorless diet, because consumers prefer a yellowish hue to their yolks."

Answer 2

What Chickens Lay Brown Eggs

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why do chickens lay brown eggs.?
Organically raised and free range raised chickens lay eggs that the egg shell color is only brown; whereas non-organically and non-free range raised chickens lay eggs that the egg shell is either white or brown..
Why is that?

Answer 4

Not every chicken lays brown eggs, if you go to spain or turkey (& possibly many other countries) they have white eggs!!

Answer 5

Actually, all of what you said is incorrect. It is as simple as this: white chickens lay white eggs, and brown chickens lay brown eggs. It has nothing at all to do with their diet.

Answer 6

How do you store brown eggs

Answer 7

It has nothing to do with how the chicken is raised.... the color and size of the egg varies with different breeds of chickens. A better question would be ...Why do roosters lay hens????

Answer 8

Breed of chicken determines egg shell color.

Answer 9

Just what they are feed. A free range chickens pecks in everything. Grass, bugs, dirt, whatever is out there. The farm raised ones just eat what they are given.

Answer 10

You don't want to know. You'll stop eating eggs.