Fun Facts About the Incredible Egg!

Call us biased, but we think Chip-in Farm eggs are the freshest and most delicious around. Our farm store eggs were laid the previous day by our free-running, cage-free hens and travel just 50 feet from the henhouse to the store’s refrigerated egg case.

Ready to test your egg knowledge? Read on to learn some fun and interesting facts about these nutritional powerhouses.

1. How to determine if an egg raw or hard-boiled
   Spin it. Because the liquids have been set into a solid, a hard-boiled egg will easily spin. The moving liquids in a raw egg will cause it to wobble.
2. Why are some yolks a darker orange than others?
   A hen’s diet determines the yolk’s color. The more yellow and orange pigmented grains the chicken eats, the more yellow the yolk will be!
3. Are brown eggs more nutritious than white ones?
   Different egg colors do not alter the nutritional value or taste of a chicken egg. The color of the eggshell is strictly about the breed that lays the egg.
4. How big is the largest chicken egg ever laid?
   A 6-month-old pullet named Harriet, in Britain, has held the record for the largest egg since 2010. It was 9.1 inches in circumference and 4.5 inches long which is nearly double the size of a standard extra-large egg.
5. Why are eggs sold by the dozen?
   The practice of selling eggs by the dozen is thought to date back to first century England. Under a system known as English units, which was a combination of old Anglo-Saxon and Roman systems of measurement, eggs were sold by the dozen. It made sense to sell them that way because one egg could be sold for a penny or 12 for a shilling, which was equal to 12 pennies.
6. Why is the yellow part of an egg called a yolk?
   The word “yolk” derives from an Old English word for “yellow”. Therefore, it is egg white and egg yellow.
7. How can I tell if my eggs are fresh?
   When you’re not sure about the freshness of your eggs, place them in a bowl with enough water to cover them. Eggs that sink to the bottom are fresh; ones that float are not.
8. How many eggs does one hen lay each year?
   On average, a hen lays 270 – 320 eggs annually. Their first egg is produced when a hen is around 20 weeks old.
9. How many chicken eggs are produced worldwide?
   The United States produces about 97 billion eggs each year. Annually, 1.2 trillion eggs are produced worldwide.
10. Why do eggs lose freshness over time?
    Eggshells have their own ventilation system. Eggshells contain between 7,000 and 17,000 microscopic pores that allow oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture to escape.

Thanks to these sites for the egg facts: PA eats , Backyard Poultry , NY Times , Joan Lunden Productions, and the Royal Examiner.

Believe it or not, the eggs you buy in a supermarket may be up to two months old! Read this Farmer’s Almanac article to learn more about how to determine the age of your eggs. Or stop by our Farm Store to purchase freshly laid eggs and delicious local snacks, produce and entrees.