Why do some chickens lay brown eggs and some lay white eggs, and what is the difference between these two types of eggs beside shell color?

lothruin

The egg color is indicitive of the type of chicken. Certain breeds lay different color eggs. For instance, Black Beauty hens lay pale brown eggs. The Aracuna lays colored eggs ranging from olive green to turquoise. Egg shell pigment color is genetic in much the same way skin color is. Nov 10 03, 3:06 PM

lothruin

As near as I can tell, there are few other differences between eggs. Some people say that different color eggs taste differently, but most farmers accert that taste is entirely dependant on what the chicken eats, and egg color has nothing to do with it. Also, though there is a myth that brown are more nutritious, there is no difference in nutritional value between the two. Nov 10 03, 3:11 PM

griffinj

I've lived in farm country for a long time, and I've found no difference in taste between colors of eggs. Nor have I ever heard anything like that from any farmer. I think the color thing is purely a consumer thing in the grocery store. I asked my friend who is a professional chef, and he concurs. He also adds that most of the white eggs in the stores are bleached. Nov 10 03, 6:56 PM