The Difference Between Farm Eggs and Factory Eggs

It really does matter, and proof is as easy as a picture.

Eggs come in several colors–not just brown and white, but pink and even green. That’s because different breeds of chicken lay different colors of egg.

A range of shell colors

Crack them open and notice the yolk color: Farm eggs have a much more vibrant yolk than do supermarket eggs. Seeing the two of them next to each other really drives the difference home.

compare the colors of the yolks

The difference isn’t just visual, either–it’s a taste difference, too. The fresher, farm raised eggs are richer and eggier. Not to mention the health difference: the farm eggs are free of hormones and antibiotics. One supplier of farm fresh eggs to the Pittsburgh area is Silver Wheel Farm. Read more about them in the article I wrote for the East End Co-op newsletter.

6 Responses to “The Difference Between Farm Eggs and Factory Eggs”

  1. Bjorn Says:

    My cousin has chickens (I forget which kind), and when I visited him we had some of their eggs. I think the color was white, but almost pale blue. They were some of the best eggs I’ve had, and were much better than store bought eggs.

  2. Corduroy Orange » Blog Archive » Poached Egg Problem Says:

    [...] Or, search out farms in your area and see if you can get eggs straight from the farm.  Chances are they’ll cost somewhere in the range of $2-$3 per dozen, but the somewhat higher price tag is justified in terms of freshness, better treatment of the animals (visit the farm if you can and see how the chickens live, otherwise, ask questions), and flavor.  Indeed, the difference between farm and factory eggs is quickly seen, even before it is tasted. [...]

  3. Meghan Hargreaves Says:

    We recently got chickens and we can definately tell the difference in eggs between store bought and our eggs. I was wondering though…is there a scientific answer to the differences in eggs?

  4. Corduroy Orange » Blog Archive » Food:Pittsburgh::Fun:Life Says:

    [...] More than that there’s the agricultural belt that surrounds the city where you can get most any product you’d like directly from the farmer. Some info about why I like getting my eggs directly from the farm and the differences between farm eggs and factory eggs is here and some more info about the classifications of eggs and what some of the words on the carton mean is here. A little bit about the first time my friends and I made a bulk purchase of grass-fed beef is here. [...]

  5. Alex Says:

    Hi
    I am doing some reasearch for a school progect to do with cage and freerange eggs. Could you prove in any way how authenitc this is?
    Thanks

  6. jwsharrard Says:

    You should try it for yourself. Find some hens near your house. Visit, and talk to their owner about how they are fed, raised, and treated. Get some eggs, and crack them into a dish. In a second dish, crack a generic egg from an average, mass-produced dozen. Cook separately and taste.

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