Colors of Eggs From Breeds of Chickens

Despite the fact that most of the chicken eggs sold in supermarkets are white, chicken eggs actually come in a fairly wide range of colors, shapes and sizes. The color of a chicken's egg depends on its breed and diet. In addition to the commonly recognized white egg, brown, pink and blue eggs are also common.

  1. White Eggs

    • White is the most common egg color across chicken breeds. Egg sizes vary, and some breeds that lay white eggs, like the Egyptian Fayoumi and Silkies, lay white eggs with a slight brown or pink tint. The most common breed that lays white eggs is the white leghorn.

    Brown Eggs

    • Across breeds, brown eggs are the most commonly laid. Many common breeds that are hearty layers are known to lay brown eggs in shades ranging from light brown to chocolate. Orpingtons, like the very common Buff Orpington, Rhode Island chickens such as the Rhode Island Red,and Wyandottes are some of the most common brown-egg-laying breeds kept by commercial farmers and hobbyists.

    Blue Eggs

    • Only two breeds of chicken are known to lay blue eggs. The Ameraucana and Araucana are both colloquially referred to as the "Easter egg chicken" because of their ability to lay blue eggs. Between individuals and the two species, egg colors range from pastel blue and bluish-green to vibrant robin's egg blue. In rare instances, bluish-purple eggs have been reported.

    Pink Eggs

    • A chicken laying pink eggs is not uncommon, but the phenomena is more of an anomaly and harder to pin down to specific breeds. Plymouth Rocks are a common breed and, depending on diet, the chickens can lay eggs that are pinkish-brown. Pink eggs are usually the result of the crossing of two breeds, one that lays white eggs and one that lays brown eggs.