Nature's different colored eggs

My brother-in-law supplies me with blue, green pink and tan chicken eggs. No duck eggs though, nor pix.

I had chickens in the past, until I got a new bird dog.....I do miss the fresh VERY GOOD tasting eggs.

I've never tried anything but chicken eggs.  What do duck eggs taste like?

Shroomgirl, I have no idea why, but in my country duckeggs are still a little suspected of being carriers of deseases like... botulism. I don't think I'm aware of a single source where we could buy these eggs. However, I frequently watch cooking programs on the English BBC where I have watched more than one chef use duckeggs. They seem to be more creamy than chicken eggs?

Is there any warning about health-issues in the US concerning duckeggs?

Why are the eggs different colors? A guest gave me some from his farm last year. They were blue, green & brown. I believe he told me that the green ones have more cholesterol. he's an old Italian w/ a VERY thick accent so I didn't push for anymore details. Thanx for reminding me of that question. And the eggs the best I ever had!

Those stone coloured ones look amazing.

I was under the impression that different coloured eggs are because of a difference in diet/feedstuffs, rather than the cholesterol level (how could he tell, I wonder?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ishbel 

(how could he tell, I wonder?)

 My thoughts exactly!

I was thinking that a difference in diet would make different colors. But wouldn't it stand to reason that the eggs should all be the same color unless he separated them and gave different types of feed? Maybe some chickens are picky eaters that only eat certain parts of the feed

I always thought that brown eggs came from brown chickens and white eggs came from white chickens.  Could be wrong.

What makes a deep rich red yolk?  Sometimes I watch Nigella but only because I love the color of her egg yolks!

Shell color depends on the breed of chicken and the color of the ear. Wish I could get farm fresh eggs.

As Mary notes, shell color is determined primarily by the breed. However, what the birds eat can effect the color of the insides, particularly the yolks. That's why range-fed chickens have yolks with a deeper, more orange color, for instance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koukouvagia 

I always thought that brown eggs came from brown chickens and white eggs came from white chickens.  Could be wrong.

 

What makes a deep rich red yolk?  Sometimes I watch Nigella but only because I love the color of her egg yolks!

KK

Rich yolk colcour?  I always have bright reddy-orange yolks, because I always buy free range, organic eggs!
 

The breed of chickens that lays the multi colored eggs are called araucana chickens. My family had about 15 or 20 of them a few years back mixed with some brown egg layers and some white egg layers. From what I remember all the eggs tasted the same (as they should) even the shell structure was near identical. I would love to try some ducks eggs and have been looking for an ostrich egg to try as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer 

As Mary notes, shell color is determined primarily by the breed. However, what the birds eat can effect the color of the insides, particularly the yolks. That's why range-fed chickens have yolks with a deeper, more orange color, for instance.

All of my birds were free range,they had 3 acres to roam around on. The whites firm and the yolks that vibrant orange/yellow. No comparison to the pale yellow yolks of a store bought egg from a factory chicken. In addition to their regular rations, The birds ate grass, seed, flowers, anything that I planted, lots of fruit, just about any veggie or food scrap went out the back door on the lawn, and would be gone within minutes. They also ate LOTS of grass hoppers in the summer, and on occasion would kill and eat mice or voles, but I think they did this more for sport than a meal.

all i really know about chickens is how to bone em and cook em, but my time at the ranch with 18 hens and chickens...minus 1....draft horse stepped on one's head the other night when the chicken was trying to stay warm during a snowstorm, has taught me a few things...1) chickens are funny creatures 2) they are definitely not picky eaters...we give them all the scraps from meals and prep with the exception of onions, meat and egg products(shells etc.) that would be a bit cannibalistic...they love steel cut oats!...the color comes from the species(breed),not specifically the diet, and the eggs, at least these here, come out soft, then harden as they are exposed to the air...i don't eat eggs per se, but cook alot of them for the guests, and they absolutely adore them...bright orange and truly farm fresh.....

joey

Joey, they love meat and eggs. I always gave them the real dirty eggs, and gave them the carcas from a roasted chicken every once in a while.......Here's a couple pics.....  Here's my rooster staring sure death in the face!..He had no fear, the dog even got him a couple of times, thought I was going to loose him, but he pulled through both times.

Thats why I love Easter Time , Grandkids make any color eggs I want !!!!!

chefbuba,

 those are some absolutely beautiful healthy looking chickens. nice of the turkeys to pose too...all ready for the grill? i'm sure chickens eat meat and eggs given the choice...the owners just don't want theirs eating it for whatever reason...nice looking farm....

joey

Aruncana eggs are beautiful. They're available at the farmers' market (NYC), but you have to ask for them. I've never seen the black or grey duck eggs though. Is it always a "novelty" factor or are there things a duck egg is significantly better for? And is the taste really that different? I've had ostrich and wasn't seeing the different taste.

They looks so good I think I'd actually feel bad cooking them. The dark, marble coloured ones look like they belong on a mantle place. Lovely!