Tarra's Hen's Eggs

I know it's not Easter yet, but just look at these farm-fresh eggs that popped into my studio yesterday! Tarrah Young from Green Being Farm dropped by to deliver them for me to use in the 'Breakfast for Dinner' Chapter of the latest book I am co-authoring with Nettie Cronish.

stunning pink, blue, green, tan and brown of eggs from heritage hens

Apparently, the colour of the shell is deposited on the egg as it makes its way through the oviduct; but generally, hens with white feathers and earlobes (such as the white leghorn) mostly lay white eggs whereas brown eggs usually come from hens with red feathers and red earlobes (like Barred Rock or Cuckoo Maran). Some species with red earlobes (the Ameracauna for example) may lay blue or green eggs.

As for the colour of the yolk, pasture-raised hens that get lots of greens in their diet produce eggs that have a deep orange colour (due to an abundance of carotenoid pigments) and are naturally higher (up to 30% higher) in the omega-3 fatty acids.

Tarrah and her Ameracauna hen