We are delighted to appear in the September 2021 edition of the RANGER magazine, in an article titled, The Economics of Egg Size.

Research from BFREPA has shown that consumers are buying large eggs rather than medium or mixed weight boxes, despite the fact that a medium and a large egg have the same size yolk, which is where the main nutritional value is contained, just a larger quantity of white.

In this article RANGER discuss the welfare, environmental and financial implications of buying large eggs.

You can read our contribution to the article below, or click here to download the full article.

Why egg size matters

Martin Humphrey explained the thoughts behind the company’s decision to produce their ‘Why egg size matters’ website. “The aim of the website is to support producers who are under pressure to increase their production of large eggs. They can link to this site from their own, to help educate the public that ‘bigger isn’t better’. Hens lay a range of egg size throughout their life – this is natural and should be backed up by what is available on the supermarket shelves.”

The website provides consumers with information on how eggs develop in a chicken, detailing the formation of the yolk, white, membranes and shell. Humphrey Feeds & Pullets are keen to make the point that egg quality is completely unrelated to egg size. Martin stressed, “as producers are well aware, a good quality egg depends on several factors, including the health of the laying hen, the hen’s welfare (particularly if she is stressed), the suitability of her feed and degree to which it is tailored to her needs.” The public are advised that ‘the best way to ensure your eggs are high quality is therefore to buy from a supplier whom you trust to treat their hens properly and focus on their health and welfare.’

Alison Colville-Hyde, South West Poultry Specialist at Humphrey Feeds & Pullets believes it is important for consumers and producers alike to understand that too many large eggs can harm a hen. “We know that naturally a laying hen will produce a range of egg sizes over her lifetime. However, if only the larger eggs sell, there is pressure on producers to disrupt this natural cycle and encourage their flocks to produce a larger egg than is usual for their age and breed.” As a hen’s reproductive system changes with age, the eggs she lays naturally become larger. Maximum egg size can be expected when birds are around one year old.

“However, physiological factors such as bird genetics, pullet quality, age, feed; and environmental factors such as lighting and temperature, can also play a role. By tweaking some of these factors a flock can be encouraged to produce a greater proportion of larger eggs within the constraints of the supplier’s breed targets.”

She stated that it is not just the hen that can suffer as egg size increases, as larger eggs tend to have thinner shells. “There is a limit to the amount of calcium carbonate a hen can access from her diet and bones (around 4g) so there is a finite quantity of shell she can produce for each egg. If she lays larger eggs for any reason, the shell must stretch more thinly, making the egg less robust. This will increase the number of seconds, causing waste as well as financial loss to the egg producer.”

Egg practicalities

Martin postulated that, “the fact that ‘large eggs’ are now stipulated in many recipes, rather than a total weight of eggs (a more accurate measure) may be behind this false demand for large eggs.” BFREPA have highlighted that the demand for large eggs is having a major impact on poultry farmers by devaluing the smaller egg. They wrote to celebrity chefs last year, asking them to stop their obsession with large egg and several have come out in support of the campaign.

Research into the effects of the pandemic on the egg market showed that at the height of lockdown consumers would buy any egg they could find on supermarket shelves, regardless of size or colour. About 13 billion eggs are eaten in Britain every year and consumers have generally always bought more large eggs than medium. If consumers were to buy more mixed weight boxes, this would support what the hen lays naturally; a trend that appeared in consumer surveys as a result of COVID 19.

Martin believes that education is key to helping people understand that eggs naturally vary in size. “Eggs can be easily weighed if quantity is important, and the distinction between a medium egg of 62g and a large egg of 63g does not make it a better egg, just a bit bigger.” He also thinks people would benefit from a guide of which eggs to use for what purpose. “Just as potatoes are now sold as ‘for baking, roasting or salads’, savvy packers such as St Ewes are marketing larger eggs for breakfast boiling, medium ‘all-rounders’ for kids and baking, and ‘flavourful mixed size eggs’ as a natural selection box. With the right help it is likely that consumers would understand that they needn’t always buy large eggs – especially if this will help laying flocks lead healthier lives.”