There is a general misconception that white chickens lay white eggs. This is simply not true.
White chickens are capable of laying any color egg, it’s not the color of the chicken that determines what color a chicken lays - it’s the breed of the chicken.
There are various breeds of white chickens laying just about every color egg you could think of, from brown to white and a wide spectrum of greens, blues, pinks, and a lot in between.
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Which Chicken Breeds Lay White Eggs?
White eggs are not that common on supermarket shelves, but there are quite a few breeds of chicken that lay white eggs.
Some of the most common are:
White Leghorn
It’s (non-white) hybrid Leghorns that are responsible for laying a large number of the brown eggs we see in supermarkets.
However, White Leghorns lay white eggs, and they are indeed white-feathered chickens. They’re prolific layers, if you want an egg-laying machine in your backyard flock I recommend getting White Leghorns.
Polish
I love Polish chickens (who doesn't?). They have huge crests of feathers on their heads and look like they can’t see where they’re going!
They come in a wide range of colors, with black plumage being the most popular from my experience - and they definitely lay white eggs.
Hamburg
Hamburgs are fantastic-looking chickens. The most popular variety is the Silver Spangled variety which has what looks like white feathers with black tips.
They are also excellent layers, although their eggs are on the smaller side. But are another example of chickens that are not white laying brilliant white eggs.
Silkies
It’s hard to talk about white eggs without mentioning the fan-favorite, Silkies. These cute little fuzzy chickens lay cream-white eggs.
Silkies come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, and dispel most chicken myths. They have black skin and bright blue earlobes, for example!
How You Can Tell What Color Eggs a Chicken Will Lay?
I wish there was a reliable way to tell what color egg a chicken will lay by looking at them - but there’s not.
There is a widespread misconception, even an old wives tale if you like, that the color of a chicken's earlobes determines what color eggs they lay.
This is true for a lot of breeds and a good way to make a guess as to what color eggs a chicken will lay, but it’s not 100% accurate.
For example, if you look up how earlobe color relates to egg color, you’ll see it stated that all chickens with red earlobes (which are most breeds) lay brown eggs.
If you look at Ameraucanas, Araucanas, or Easter Eggers though, they have red earlobes but lay blue or green eggs.
Or, take Silkies, they have blue earlobes and lay cream-white eggs. Another example is Penedesencas, they have white earlobes and lay dark brown or ‘chocolate’-colored eggs.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea!
Are White Chicken Eggs Different From Brown Eggs?
Another myth I commonly hear is that white eggs are different from brown eggs in some way.
At least, other than the fact that white eggs are white, and brown eggs are, of course, brown.
This is not true. There is no difference between the nutritional content, taste, or anything else to do with what’s inside or outside of an egg.
In fact, all eggs start off white in the chicken’s reproductive system. Depending on the breed of chicken, a color pigment is added to the eggshell to give it its color.
This is why if you look inside an egg after cracking it open, you’ll see that the inside of the shell is white!
The reason why most eggs on the shelves are brown is simply that that’s what people have become accustomed to seeing.
It’s also the most cost-effective way to get eggs on the shelves as the industry is built around brown egg layers.
Still, if you get the opportunity to buy white eggs from different breeds, especially at local farmer’s markets, I recommend doing so.
I always buy white, blue, and other colored eggs, just to support those businesses and chickens producing different colored eggs.
Plus, while the color of an egg doesn’t affect the taste, the way the hen that laid it and was treated has a huge impact on taste.
I always look for eggs from pasture-raised, organic, and free-range chickens - whatever the color of the egg.
You can’t beat the taste, and compared to a caged chicken egg it’s night and day.
Some White-Chicken FAQs
Do White Chickens Lay Colored Eggs?
It’s possible for white chickens to lay colored eggs. ‘Easter Eggers’ is basically a mixed-breed of chicken crossed with Araucanas or Ameraucanas to have the colored egg-laying gene.
Can a White Chicken Lay a Brown Egg?
There are plenty of white chicken breeds and varieties that lay brown eggs. White Rocks, White Rhode Island Reds, and White Sussex chickens are a few examples.
Have White Eggs Been Bleached?
This is one of the more wild questions (for me at least) I see asked from time to time. White eggs are not brown eggs that have been bleached, they pop out of the hen white!
In Summary
Hopefully, you now know more than you ever thought you wanted to know about different colored chickens and the different colored eggs they lay.
The bottom line is that white chickens are capable of laying any color egg.
It’s the breed of chicken that determines what color eggs they lay, and most breeds are available in loads of different colors.
