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Brown eggs often cost more at the store, and many shoppers assume they are healthier or more natural. They are not. The Extension Foundation’s poultry program puts it simply: the difference between brown and white eggs is the color of the shell.
Where shell color comes from
Shell color is set by the breed of hen. The Extension Foundation notes that commercial chickens with white feathers and white earlobes lay white eggs, while those with red feathers and red earlobes lay brown ones. Some breeds lay blue, green or even pinkish eggs, such as Araucanas and Ameraucanas.
Brown hens tend to be larger and eat more feed, which is part of why brown eggs have historically cost more.
What does change the inside of an egg
| Factor | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Diet | Yolk color and some nutrients; strong foods can affect flavor |
| Freshness | Firmer whites, rounder yolks, better taste |
| Hen’s age | Egg size and shell strength |
| Storage | Quality drops faster outside the fridge |
The Extension Foundation also notes that diet can change taste, citing hens that eat too much garlic.
Why backyard eggs seem better
Most of the difference people notice comes from freshness. An egg from your own nest box may be a day old, while store eggs have been through packing and shipping. Hens that forage on greens also tend to lay eggs with deeper orange yolks.
Do not choose eggs by shell color. Choose by freshness, clean and uncracked shells, and proper refrigeration.
The breed selection guide compares factors beyond shell color. The egg-selling budget keeps selling prices and production expenses separate.
Questions people ask
Are brown eggs healthier than white eggs?
No. Hens fed the same diet lay nutritionally equivalent eggs regardless of shell color.
Why are brown eggs more expensive?
Brown-egg breeds tend to be larger and eat more feed, which raises production costs.
What makes egg yolks darker orange?
Mainly the hen's diet. Greens, corn and pigments added to feed deepen yolk color.
Can you tell egg color from the chicken?
Often from the earlobes: many breeds with white earlobes lay white eggs and those with red earlobes lay brown ones, though there are exceptions.
Where these figures come from
- What Is the Difference Between Brown and White Eggs? Extension Foundation, Small and Backyard Poultry · poultry.extension.org
- What's the difference between brown and white eggs? Michigan State University Extension · canr.msu.edu
Figures last checked September 2026.
