About 280 million laying hens produce approximately 60 billion dozen eggs per year in the United States. That's roughly one hen for every man, woman and child in the country.
A hen requires 24-26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again.
An average hen lays 300 to 325 eggs a year. A hen starts laying eggs at 19 weeks of age.
Young female chickens, called pullets, become hens at about 19 weeks of age. A pullet's career as a lying hen lasts about two years.
Hens with white feathers and ear lobes produce white shelled eggs. Hens with red feathers and red ear lobes produce brown shelled eggs.
Eggs contain the highest quality food protein known. It is second only to mother's milk for human nutrition.
Egg yolk is the major source of the egg's vitamins and minerals.
Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance colors. Artificial color additives are not permitted.
The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing eggs in the carton helps keep them fresh.
As a hen grows older she produces larger eggs.
It is believed that Christopher Columbus' ships carried to this country in 1493, the first of the chickens related to those now in egg production.
To tell if an egg is raw or hard-cooked, spin it! If the egg spins easily, it is hard-cooked but if it wobbles, it is raw.
For additional egg facts:
The incredible edible eggTM
Nebraska's laying hen population of approximately 10 million birds produces over 3 billion eggs annually.
Currently, Nebraska ranks 8th in the nation in commercial egg production. Commercial egg production in the state comes from three major sources: M. G. Waldbaum (Michael Foods) in Wakefield, Nebraska; Henningsen Foods, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska; and TWJ Farms in Carroll, Nebraska.
Nebraska is a leading state nationally in the production of further processed egg products, due to the success of further processed egg companies, M.G. Waldbaum and Henningsen Foods, Inc. The majority of these products are used commercially in food service operations around the world.
The M. G. Waldbaum Company is a subsidiary of Michael Foods, Inc., the largest further processed egg company in the world.
Nebraska's egg industry contributes approximately $95 million to the state's economy.
For additional egg statistical information:
The incredible edible eggTM
The above statistics are courtesy of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the American Egg Board.