Eggs have become so expensive these days, I thought I would post something that tried to explain what the various options mean when we make our way to buy a dozen. Frankly, I find all the choices, prices, and loud advertising on the cartons overwhelming. I think you might too.
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Chicken Eggs
When I go to the grocery store, either national chains, or smaller local stores, the selection of eggs is just a mess. The refrigerated cases I see are filled with the cardboard or plastic egg cartons, each of which boast claims of humanely raised hens and with prices ranging from $2.99 USD up to $9.98 USD.
As I walk to the refrigerated dairy aisle, it is hard not to see the massive number of egg carton choices; I get overwhelmed. So I, first off, ignore all the loud marketing on the egg cartons as they are meant to catch your eye, but do not actually provide any useful information about the product. What I focus on are the lowest and highest cost, both of which I ignore but use to figure out the medium priced eggs.
- If money is a critical issue just choose the cheapest. It is possible to purchase very cheap eggs still, although these are not in smaller or health food stores. Large chains will have the cheapest eggs, but the cheapest will be factory farmed, where hens are kept in deplorable conditions. The eggs will be fragile and easy to crack, so check them individually. And remember to never cook an egg that has been cracked, toss or compost.
Among all the cartons will be various sizes of eggs, some are fertilized, some are duck eggs, so I have to narrow down my choices. So my second choice is to avoid all eggs that are not sized large, grade AA, unfertilized, and from chickens. Of course I cannot always get what I want, so will compromise.
- There is no nutritional difference between fertilized and un fertilized eggs according to the USDA.
- There ought not be an embryo in the egg, but there may be a germinal spot.
However, if since I prefer the ethical treatment of farm animals, and can afford more expensive eggs, I expect to pay a bit more than the cheapest price. So my third choice is to look at the cartons for any certification seal. My preference is to consume eggs from actual pastured raised, regenerative organic hens.
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Egg Details + Tidbits
Egg Color
Colors for chicken egg shells reflects the hen’s breed, and genetics. Do not pay more for brown eggs, thinking they are somehow better than white. Of the popular hen breeds that lay colored eggs include Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Ameraucana and Welsummer chickens. Colors can range from the typical white to tan brown, from olive to blue, and speckled to chocolate brown.
Egg Size
For eggs, and cooking, size matters. From small, average or medium, and large. If they are very large, and very expensive, plus come in a 6-pack, those are most likely duck eggs.
When I bake I tend to use large eggs, such as in my loafs, cupcakes, or pancakes.
Egg Quality
Printed on the carton, this is a quality rating.
- AA – Whites are thick and firm, yolks are high, round, and practically free from defects with clean unbroken shells.
- A – Same as AA, except the whites are “reasonably” firm. This is the quality most often sold in stores.
- B – Whites are thinner; yolks are wider and flatter. Shells unbroken, but can have slight stains. Should be cheaper.
Shell Strength
Not very scientific, but I have found that the cheapest national chain, Industrial Farmed white eggs have two conditions I do not like much: first, they have a mildly off-putting pale yolk color indicating mainly corn-fed, and second, very brittle egg shells that crack and split with little pressure. Chickens need the proper nutrition to lay eggs with appropriate hardness for the potential chicks life safety.
- PurinaMills: Hens need approximately 4 grams of calcium per day to form each eggshell. Hens that lack proper calcium levels typically produce soft or brittle eggshells.
- Sometimes an improper calcium balance can cause hens to pull calcium from their bones to produce eggshells, weakening their overall skeletal structure.
I have read online that eggs are known for being quite strong under compressional loads. One Harvard test showed that one egg shell could withstand 250 pounds.
Yolk Color
What effects the color of the yolk, from pale yellowish to bright orange, is their feed. So here is a sneaky way to tell of the eggs were really from pasturized hens:
- If a pasture-raised hen eats plants with yellowish-orange pigmentation, the yolks can take on a more orange color.
- If she eats mainly a corn- or grain-based diet, the yolk is more likely to be a pale yellow.
TasteOfHome writes that some farmers will add marigold petals to give egg yolks an orangey color boost. Nutritionally, there apparently is no deficit in lighter colored yolks. Reddish yolks can be created by adding red bell peppers or paprika into the chicken’s feed.
Double Yolk
Is a double yolk egg just good luck? I found out, from AgriLifeToday. A double yolk is a fluke that occurs when a hen ovulates too rapidly, releasing two yolks, usually about an hour apart. These yolks go into the oviduct and eventually wind up in the same shell. These usually happen, about 1 in a 1k eggs, especially with younger hens while their bodily systems are still developing.
Bottom line, however, is that they are safe to eat (1). Nutrition wise, a double yolk is about a jumbo egg’s worth of goodies for our bodies.
Fertile Eggs
Unless you choose “fertile eggs”, the eggs you buy are not fertile and are generally laid despite not having a rooster around. Most often, fertile eggs are collected from pastured hens that live with a rooster to protect them, so they “may or may not be actually fertilized. But even so, do not expect to see an actual chicken embryo, the development stops as soon as the eggs are refrigerated according to Delish.
- But there are some who have taken fertilized eggs, placed them in an incubator, and have had some of the eggs develop into chicks.
- And there are some countries (Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam) that will boil or steam, and eat, developing ducks in the shell, called Balut, according to Wikipedia.
Fertile eggs are safe to eat should you desire, you might see the beginnings of a chick forming with a smallish red or white spot in the center of the yolk. The small white circle on the yolk is called a “blastodisc”. Let us be clear, the stringy, often clear gooey stuff is normal and is part of the barrier that helps keep the egg intact during incubation. The reddish dot you can eat or remove.
The boxes for fertile eggs are not remarkably different from the other cartons, although they do print “fertilized” on them.
Certified Eggs
Certified Humane
Certified Humane comes in three levels, which I detail below, but in all cases the birds cannot be debeaked, they can only have their beaks trimmed. There is no caging of birds, and laying hens must have access to appropriate nest boxes, however, it still is a bit misleading. I am making note of this certification, but know it is iffy to me because of the loopholes I detail below.
Regular (Cage Free)
- Birds are uncaged inside barns, but that may mean they can be kept indoors all the time
- Birds must be able to nest, perch and dust-bathe
- Suppliers must follow regulations for stocking density, perch numbers, and nesting boxes
In Industrial farming facilities the density can be high, as “uncaged” means literally “not in a cage”.
Free Range
- Birds must have access to an outdoor area for at least six hours each day
- Each hen must have at least 2 square feet (288 square inches) of outdoor space
- The outdoor space doesn’t need to have any living vegetation, could be concrete only
Note a loop-hole here is “must have access to” does not mean these are actually pastured raised, but that somewhere there is a door or cutout they can use to allow a chicken to go outdoors. The outdoors can be a concrete parking lot as there is no vegetation required, or can lead to another outdoor (as in no roof) confined space.
Pasture Raised
This one matters to me and I will pay more for the eggs.
- Birds must be placed on a pasture for at least six hours each day
- Each hen must have at least 108 square feet (15,552 square inches) of pasture
- The pasture must be covered mainly with living vegetation
Organic Eggs
The USDA’s National Organic Program labels eggs “organic” only if they meet the following standards. This is a trusted certification, still some loopholes, but I imagine there always will be ways the unscrupulous will sidestep the intention of humane animal laws.
- the eggs must come from hens that weren’t raised in cages and had access to the outdoors;
- the hens were fed only organic feed from a certified organic farm;
- and the hens weren’t given hormones or antibiotics (unless it was to treat a disease).
- Additionally, force molting is not allowed on hens that lay USDA organic eggs.
- Molting naturally occurs when hens shed old feathers as new feathers grow in, and the reproductive tract rests.
Organic eggs typically cost more because of the higher cost of feed. This is one certification that does matter to me.
Vegetarian Fed Eggs
Vegetarian eggs are, supposedly, eggs that come from hens that weren’t fed animal by-products. There are no specific housing and living requirements, and though organic eggs are vegetarian eggs, a vegetarian hen’s feed does not mean organic feed. Reportedly, while hens are typically fed a prepared feed, balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein; they also need some kind of calcium and grit to digest food and produce healthy eggs.
Vegetarian as a label does not mean much to me, for pastured hens will eat little bugs and such when out foraging, as they are omnivores (1), but plant forward. Hens will eat grains, but should also get fruits, vegetables and insects. Personally, I do not know why the insistence on vegetarian feed hen’s eggs, and I would not pay more for that type of egg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Eggs
The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fish, like salmon. But these days eggs are also advertising they may contain omega-3. This happens when flax or fish oil is added to the laying hen’s diet (2). These eggs cost more due to the non-standard feed. This would matter to me, but I would just prefer consume the flax or fish oil or cook the salmon, and pay less for the eggs.
My Comments
There are many terms printed on egg cartons but they lack clear standards, or means of verification, or independent oversight. This means that farm conditions vary widely across all of the producers. In general I do not trust the labels that are just printed on the cartons, like: Free Range, Cage Free, Natural, Pasture-raised, Vegetarian Fed, or Humanely-raised. I rely on the actual certification icon to make the final determination if the producer is telling the truth.
The Cornucopia Institute is an organization that functions as a watchdog within the organic food community. One of their ongoing efforts rates egg producers, and I checked for California. Here are the highly (5 egg rating) rated egg farmers that raise pastured chickens and sell the eggs in our state.
- Pasture Fresh
- Tomales Bay Pastures
- Erewhon Regenerative
- Niki Farms
- Stueve’s Certified Organic
- Burroughs Family Farm
- Happy Hens Truly Outdoors
Many egg cartons I saw were, in fact, not rated well: Trader Joe’s brand (1 egg), Sprouts Organic (1 egg), 365 Whole Foods (1 egg), Judys Family Farm (1 egg), Kirkland Signature Pastured (2 eggs).
After all these choices, what would I choose. If I had the funds, I would prefer USDA organic certified and regenerative certified, pasture-raised hens to lay the eggs I consume.
—Patty
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