What makes some eggs's shell brown and some white?

It’s the type of chicken. White chickens = white eggs, red/brown chickens = brown eggs.

Thanks @ARE_you_kidding_me It’s so uncomplicated.

@ARE_you_kidding_me Actually that is incorrect. It is the breed not the color of the bird. There is also zero nutritional difference between brown, white or colored eggs. I have kept chickens for years and am a former poultry leader for a 4-H group. Here ya go…a chart showcasing breed and egg color correlation. We currently have Americanas that lay blue/green eggs, and Plymouth Barred rocks, Buff Orpingtons and Black Australorpes that lay varying shades of brown, from a light beige to a deep mahogany color.

www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-color-chart-find-out-what-egg-color-your-breed-lays

Your typical white grocery store eggs are most likely the Leghorn breed.

How do some stoes get away with chaging more for the brown though?

@flo ‘Cause some people will pay EXTRA.

@flo Because brown egg production is a smaller industry than the white egg Leghorn scene. It also costs more to feed the brown egg layers as they are a larger breed compared to the smaller, lightweight Leghorns primarily used for commercial egg production.

The toll that the avian flu has taken has jacked up prices across the egg laying board because millions of birds have been euthanized.

@flo The inherent costs to produce white eggs and brown eggs vary greatly. Egg producers know people are willing to pay more for “healthier” brown eggs and as @Coloma expertly points out those breeds that produce brown eggs are a smaller population, smaller production farms and in many cases raising the “no antibiotics” “free range” eggs will also greatly increase the cost to produce those eggs hence the higher market price over the packed like sardines-less than humane production we see with white egg producers.

@Coloma Damn, every color of the chicken rainbow.

While we are on chickens
So which came first the chicken or the egg?

What happens when you mix a brown chicken with a brown cow?

White chickens = white eggs, red/brown chickens = brown eggs.

Just like cows and chocolate milk!

@Cruiser Right, I almost mentioned the fad trade of free range, organic, which is associated with the brown egg laying breeds and the public myth that brown eggs are somehow healthier and more ” organic.” @ARE_you_kidding_me You bet, the chicken breed varieties you can buy/order rival every garden catalog you can imagine. There are 100’s of breeds from all over the world to be had. The age old mystery, which came first. haha

and…Cornish game hens are the Cornish breed of chicken, that are slaughtered at 16 weeks for their tenderness, like Veal calves, they are not an extra tiny breed of chicken.

@coloma

I thought it was the color of the chickens earlobe which predicted the color of the eggshells? At least that’s what Martha says :)

@Buttonstc Some breeds yes, white ear lobes are indicative of the mediterranean breeds like Andulusions, Buttercups, etc. which are white egg layers, but many chickens ear lobes are red and there are no red egg laying breeds.