Why are Eggs Different Colors?

Colored eggs come into the spotlight come Easter. It is always a treat to see different colored eggs painted in different colors. These are artificially colored eggs. However, eggs do come in different colors naturally. We are just so used to seeing only the white and brown colored ones available in the grocery stores.

The colors of the egg are determined by the genetics of the mother. Some breeds produce dark brown eggs while some produce pristine white ones. Each breed lays a different egg color depending on the pigments that are present in the hens’ oviducts. The pigments biliverdin and zinc chelate is responsible for the green and blue color of the egg. While for eggs that have red or brown colors or spots can be attributed to the presence of protoporphyrin. It is the egg’s color is predominately white due to the calcium carbonate that makes up the egg’s shell.

It is also said that the reason why eggs that have different colors is for protection. Since the egg holds the embryo where the young is being formed, it must be protected to ensure that it survives. The markings and spots help camouflage the eggs to make it blend with the environment that it is placed. This is true for Killdeer birds whose eggs are camouflaged to look like pebbles because their nests are built on the ground. The eggs of the mallard ducks have grayish tones which make it hard to spot in a sea of green and brown grasses where the nests can be found.

There are also beliefs that chickens with white earlobes produce white eggs while those with brown lobes produce brown eggs. Be it genetics or pigments or for protection, colored eggs are truly a delight to see. It is one of Mother Nature’s ways to let you see its beauty and power of protecting its young.