Are Chicken Eggs Naturally White? The Science Behind Egg Color
Chicken eggs come in a rainbow of colors, from brown and white to blue and green. This leads many people to wonder – are chicken eggs naturally white?
The short answer is no. Chicken eggs are not inherently white. The color of an egg depends entirely on the breed of hen that laid it. Genetics is the key factor that determines shell pigmentation.
To understand why, let’s first look at what gives eggs their colorful shells.
The Science of Egg Color
An eggshell consists mostly of calcium carbonate. This mineral is naturally white in color.
Brown eggs get their hue from a pigment called protoporphyrin. It’s produced from heme, the same compound that makes blood red. The more protoporphyrin deposited on the shell, the darker the brown color.
Blue eggs like those from Ameraucanas contain a pigment called biliverdin. It’s the same pigment that can give bruises a blue-green tint
When a hen’s genes cause her to produce both protoporphyrin and biliverdin, she lays olive or green eggs.
Other factors like diet, environment, age and stress levels can slightly alter the intensity of shell color. But genetics remains the key determinant.
A hen of a particular breed will always lay the same egg color throughout her life. She cannot switch to laying a different color.
The Chicken Breed Dictates Egg Color
There are over 200 chicken breeds, and each has genes coding for a specific egg shade.
Below are some common breeds and the egg colors they lay:
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White eggs – Leghorns, Minorcas, Anconas
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Brown eggs – Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks
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Blue eggs – Ameraucanas, Araucanas, Easter Eggers
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Green eggs – Favaucanas, Olive Eggers
Since white-feathered chickens like Leghorns lay white eggs, people often assume white eggs are the natural default for all chickens.
In reality, there’s no universal or “natural” egg color for all chickens. Each breed is genetically preprogrammed for its own signature egg shade.
A Plymouth Rock can’t lay white eggs any more than a Leghorn can lay brown eggs. Every breed has its own egg color encoded in its DNA.
The History of Chicken Egg Colorss have influenced chicken genetics for over 8,000 years through selective breeding.
Originally, chickens produced only white eggs. The earliest domesticated chickens may have descended from wild Red Junglefowls that laid cream or tinted eggs.
As early farmers selectively bred chickens, they noticed some breeds started mutating genes for brown eggshells. Brown egg layers became popular across Asia and Europe.
White egg layers saw more commercial success in America in the 1920s-40s. The White Leghorn excelled in large-scale production for its high egg yields.
Over time, other breeds arose through mutations for blue and green egg pigments. By choosing chickens with these traits, humans shaped the colorful egg rainbow we see today.
Common Myths About Egg Color
There are many misconceptions about whether egg color indicates quality, taste or nutrition. Let’s bust some myths:
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White eggs are NOT bleached – the shells are naturally white.
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Brown eggs do NOT taste better or are healthier than white eggs.
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Egg color does NOT affect nutritional value – it’s just pigment.
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Darker yolks do NOT mean higher nutrition. Yolk color depends on the hen’s diet.
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Organic eggs can be white or brown – color is not related to organic status.
The bottom line? Shell color itself doesn’t matter nutritionally. It’s purely genetics. Focus instead on factors like pasture access and diet quality when choosing the healthiest eggs.
Do brown and white eggs taste different?
While some consumers may believe that brown or white eggs taste better, there is no difference from a scientific perspective.
Are brown eggs healthier than white eggs?
There are no nutritional differences between brown or white eggs. Eggs are a natural, nutritionally dense food containing vitamins, minerals, and high-quality protein, in less than 80 calories, whatever the colour.
Comparing Different Egg Yolks | Wiseman Health
FAQ
Do chickens lay white eggs naturally?
Yes, white eggs are naturally laid by certain breeds of chickens. It’s a genetic trait, not a result of bleaching or artificial coloring, according to multiple sources.
What is the real color of a chicken egg?
While most eggs are white or brown, they also come in colors like cream, pink, blue and green. In addition — and this is no “yolk” — some are even speckled. According to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service poultry specialist, many factors can impact a hen’s egg-making process.Apr 1, 2025
Why are eggs so white in America?
In the United States, white eggs are commonly seen in supermarkets due to a combination of factors including breed preference, historical trends, and cost considerations. While it’s a misconception that all American eggs are white, the Leghorn breed is frequently used in commercial egg production, and this breed lays white eggs.
Are brown eggs better than white eggs?
No, there is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs.
Are chicken eggs white?
Contrary to popular belief, chicken eggs come in a wide range of colors. While white is undoubtedly the most common color, chickens can lay eggs that are brown, blue, green, or even speckled. The natural variety of eggshell colors stems from the genetic characteristics of different chicken breeds. Are Chicken Eggs Naturally White?
What is the difference between white and Brown Chicken eggs?
Technically the only real difference between white and brown chicken eggs is the pigment (or lack thereof) in the shell. The color of the eggshell is dependent on the breed of chicken. There are actually many other colors of chicken eggs such as blue, green, pinkish, and speckled that are all breed specific.
Do white eggs come from brown eggs?
You might also hear “white eggs come from white chickens and brown eggs come from brown chickens,” but that’s an oversimplification. For example, some heritage breeds like Araucana chickens lay robin’s-egg-blue eggs. Olive eggers lay green eggs, but these chickens don’t have blue or green feathers! What Color Are Organic Valley Eggs?
What color are chicken eggs?
The color of a chicken’s egg entirely depends on the breed of chicken. That’s right. Like so much in life, it all comes down to genetics. The biggest misconception out there is that “all eggshells are naturally brown, and white eggs were bleached.” Buzz! Incorrect.
Can brown chickens lay white eggs?
Yes, brown chickens can lay white eggs. Eggshell color is determined by the breed and genetics, not the color of the chicken’s feathers. 3. Are all brown eggs organic?
Why are chicken eggs white?
This process results in the diverse palette of colors we observe in eggs. In the case of white eggs, the genetic combination of certain chicken breeds makes white the predominant shell color. While genetics play a significant role, external factors such as diet and environment can also affect the color of chicken eggs.