An Eggciting Activity: Where do the eggs we eat come from?

Large, medium, small…white, cream, brown, even blue…chicken eggs come in many shapes and colors. The biggest difference between one egg and another, however, is whether an egg is fertilized or unfertilized.

Each egg begins as a yellow yolk developing inside a hen’s ovary. At any given time, the ovary will contain a number of yolks of a variety of sizes and at many stages of development. Once a yolk is big enough, it leaves the ovary and moves through a tube called the oviduct. As it travels, it becomes surrounded by the egg white, or albumen, and then by a hard shell.

After about 24 hours, all the parts of the egg are in place and it is ready to exit the hen’s body.

All yolks have a tiny white speck on one side. This little cluster of cells is the beginning of a chick. In an unfertilized egg, the speck remains a speck—one that you can spot on the yolk if you examine the yolk carefully after cracking the egg open. If the hen has mated with a rooster, however, the cells begin to multiply and grow.

Several layers of cells form before a fertilized egg is laid. These cells will not continue to grow if they cool down, so the hen sits on her eggs to incubate them or keep them warm. Over the next 21 days, the cells develop into the parts of a chick, turning into bones, muscles, and feathers. Once the chick is fully formed and ready to hatch, it uses a bump on the end of its beak called an egg tooth to crack out of its shell.

Each part of a fertilized egg has an important function. The tough shell protects the developing chick. The yellow yolk, which is full of fats and proteins, serves as a food source to nourish the growing embryo. The white albumen both cushions the chick and provides an additional source of protein.

Eggs are not only a good food source for chicks. They are also a great food for people to eat. Along with fats and high-quality protein, eggs contain calcium, iron, and important vitamins such as Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Why not scramble up a few eggs for a tasty meal today?

Scrambled Eggs Recipe

Supplies (to serve 4):

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• Optional: additional ingredients of your choice, such as chopped tomatoes, chopped and caramelized mushrooms and onions, sautéed onions, shredded cheese, herbs such as basil or oregano, fried potatoes, chopped and cooked bacon, cooked and crumbled sausage, or diced ham

Instructions:

1. Crack and whisk the eggs together in a glass mixing bowl. The more you whisk the eggs, the more air is incorporated into the mixture and the fluffier and more delicious your scrambled eggs will be!
2. Whisk in the milk.
3. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
4. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan at medium-low heat.
5. Pour your mixture into the pan and let it sit for about a minute.
6. Turn the heat to low and use a rubber spatula to flip the egg mixture carefully so that all the parts cook. This should take about four minutes. Try not to break up the forming curds too much.
7. While cooking the eggs, add in any additional ingredients.
8. Once the eggs are cooked but moist and yellow—not brown!—gently dump them onto a plate and serve.

Eggstremely Eggcellent Eggs