Difference between White Egg and Brown Egg

Chicken eggs can have different colors and it is common to find brown and white eggs in a market. You also might have heard that brown eggs are healthier and more natural than white eggs. There is also a difference in price between the two, but do know why? Let us see how brown egg differs from the white egg!

White Egg:

In general, the egg color depends on the breed of the chicken, e.g. white-feathered chickens with white earlobes lay white-shelled eggs. These white-shelled eggs are known as white eggs. The white-feathered chickens do not produce the pigments which cause the brown colour of the eggshell. So, the white eggs have a white shell as they lack the pigment which causes the brown colour. They may be less delicious and less nutritious than brown eggs as the diet of the white-feathered breed is not as good as the diet of red-feathered breeds. In other words, the nutrition value and taste of eggs do not depend on the colour of the eggs rather it depends on the diet of the hen.

Brown Egg:

In general, red-feathered chickens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. These brown-shelled eggs are known as brown eggs. The pigment which causes the brown colour of the eggshell is called protoporphyrin IX. It is made of heme, the compound found in blood and which gives blood its red colour.

Brown eggs cost more than white eggs so people usually think they are more nutritious and delicious than white eggs but that is not the case. Brown eggs are expensive because the breeds of chicken which lay brown eggs have more weight than white-feathered chickens and require more food, space and care to stay healthy throughout the production. So, it is the higher production cost associated with the production of brown eggs which makes them expensive.

Furthermore, brown eggs may be more delicious than white eggs as the red-feathered breeds were given better feed than the white-feathered breeds.

Based on the above information, some of the key differences between brown egg and white egg are as follows:

White Eggs	Brown Eggs
They are produced by white-feathered chickens with white earlobes.	They are produced by red-feathered chickens with red earlobes.
They have a characteristic white shell.	They have a characteristic brown shell.
They lack the pigment which causes the brown colour of the eggshell.	They have the pigment which causes the brown colour of the eggshell.
They are usually cheap than brown eggs.	They cost more than white eggs due to the higher production cost associated with the production of brown eggs.
Producing white eggs is more cost-efficient and requires less maintenance.	Producing brown eggs require more capital and more maintenance.
Maybe less delicious than brown eggs as the diet of white-feathered chickens is not as good as the red-feathered chickens.	May taste better as the red-feathered chickens were given better feed.
The common breed of chickens which lays white eggs is White Leghorn.	The common breeds which lay brown eggs include Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire.