[Fowlman]

A utility strain of Leghorns are hard to beat for sheer number of eggs laid and over a longer period than most hybrids.

[Clansman]

I believe thateevidence shows there is no nutritional or taste difference between our lovely orange yolkers anx the pale supermarket offerings

I can't remember where, but I've read resarch that suggests the opposite.  'Backyard' eggs were found to be higher in various nutrients and also omega 3 than standard supermarket eggs  .

Nope there is absolutely no difference whatsoever.

I was involved in a large project with the Scottish Agricultural College where all sorts of eggs/diets/colouring etc were tested.

You can change colouring and create different tastes etc but as far as it goes nutrition wise an egg is an egg 

[chrismahon]

So just to confirm what you are saying please Clansman, because this is important to me.


There is no NUTRITIONAL difference between small keeper and commercial eggs, setting aside the effects of egg age, as I know they start to deteriorate after 3 days, hence the reducing hatchability.


You can change both the COLOURING and the TASTE. I know diet affects the colouring but do you know how the taste can be varied? Diet, breed, age of the bird, environment?

[Marches Farmer]

You could try adding fishmeal to the feed - I bet that'd come through in the egg!

[NicandChic]

Admittedly American research but does say increased vit A&E (free range v caged feeding)
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7219036

[Clansman]

Yep that was pretty much the end result.

The yolks could be coloured by adding different colouring, they had pretty much every colour from almost white through to black, (green yolks didn't look very appetising!)

I do remember beetroot being fed as a colouring agent and most of the ingredients were just normal day to day stuff but given in large quantities, there were no secret potions or dodgy stuff fed to them.

Fishmeal was indeed used for one of the taste tests, as well as liquorice, garlic, mint, sugar and a whole load of other stuff I can't remember properly (it was 25 years ago) 

But the main purpose of the testing was to check the nutrition levels across the range and there was no difference between breeds, whether commercial or pure breed, I remember both Black and white leghorns, ISA Browns, Ross Broiler breeders and a few others being used.

Neither was there any difference between housing type/system or diets fed, other than colour and taste.

I suppose its a bit like the white vs brown egg thing, we were all told brown eggs were better for us so we believe it, were as in reality there is no difference in nutrition value between them at all.

[Womble]

 
That's certainly true.  In the UK, we tend to value 'earthy, wholesome' brown eggs, whereas in the USA and Norway, supermarket eggs are usually white (because they are seen as more 'pure' I think).

[devonlad]

It is a strange one and defies all logic and I don't want to believe it really but the eggs popped out by my happy hens are no better for you than any others.  So the premium on the price is in reality paying simply for a happier hen. To me a price worth paying but I suspect few realise thank god

[Backinwellies]

KC ducks cant be beaten on quantity of eggs... size is great.... and taste fab too!

[Hevxxx99]

Well, if you're talking reeeeaaallly yummy scrummy eggs, you can't beat goose. Utterly sublime!  (but a bit seasonal to say the least)

[chrismahon]

I seem to recall the changeover to brown eggs from white and think it was something to do with the eggshell thickness keeping the eggs fresher? But my memory can't be relied on.

[Stereo]

Certainly in our flock, the more colour in the egg, the better the sell quality, but then you get less eggs. It's worth keeping in mind that a hen is hatched with a certain amount of eggs inside her, like a human. This doesn't vary much with breed. So a hybrid will fire them all out in the first couple years and then be useless. A dark egg layer like a Welsummer or Marans will lay less frequently but likely over a larger amount of years. So I think pure breeds are better as pets.

[polaris]

Sorry that was silly of me, we are interested in high egg production. Years laying isn't really a problem as I'm one if those wierdos that prefers an older roast chicken to a younger one. average size eggs really as we are also breeding pigeons and quail.
They will be free range but the ground quality is good and hard

[polaris]

The breeds that really appeal to me are Araucanas, well summers, and the light Sussex.
I must say, would people recommend the above? All seem to be well spoken of, I'm having difficulty finding birds in Scotland though.

[roddycm]

Gosh i had to check this out as I too had always believed free range would be vastly superior. I would always pick free range anyway because I like happy hens! Here is a link to a recent study showing only small differences in fat content and colour mainly... http://www.poultryscience.org/pr081511.asp?autotry=true&ULnotkn=true


Welllsummers lay a lovely dark egg which if you're selling is good but I found they didn't lay as well as the light Sussex who is also a meatier bird that you can put in the pot when you're done... Whatever you go for try to find a good utility line... Show birds tend to lay less and some are really hopeless! I'd go for the LS but I'm biased as they are a fav of mine!