A: It seems as if turkey eggs, being larger than chicken eggs, would be a prized item for grocery stores. So why aren’t the dairy aisles packed with ‘em? Well, there are several reasons why they're not common. First of all, chickens are much more efficient egg-producers than turkeys. Not to pick on the turkey, but chickens start laying at 19 weeks of age, while turkeys hold off until they're a far more mature 32 weeks old.
Second, because of their large size, turkeys would require much more nesting room than chickens, which would make commercial coops less cost-efficient. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, turkeys are far more maternal than chickens. Generations of egg farming have made chicken hens rather nonchalant about their offspring. They lay eggs and show no interest in their outcome. Turkeys, on the other hand, aggressively protect their eggs and prefer to incubate them.
Article comments
1 - Howard Dratch
Here in Mexico someone who raises chickens and turkeys, mostly chickens as the turkeys are usually scrawny locally, offered me turkey eggs. I would have tried some but the expression that went with the offer made me decide that people should stick to chickens and maybe duck eggs.
Somewhere, like Australia perhaps, ostrich eggs might be offered. I wouldn't mind trying one. Has Mental Floss addressed the question of Ostrich egg study yet?
2 - Stinkey
How would you get Ostrich eggs to fit into those chicken egg containers?
3 - psychicguitar
there are websites that offer ostrich eggs (along with ostrich meat), but mysteriously I havent seen any selling turkey eggs.
4 - psychicguitar
I wonder why we eat fish eggs and fowl eggs but not the eggs of amphibians or reptiles.
I wonder if snake eggs would be good.
5 - SonnyD
When you cook eggs larger than chicken eggs, duck, turkey, etc., the whites become very firm and rubbery. Not too appetising. I've used duck eggs in cooking and baking. Scrambled, with a little milk or water added, they are not too bad.
6 - Nancy
Non-chicken eggs tend to be gamier (so to speak) than the fairly bland & mild chicken egg. Even duck eggs have a different taste, as do quail, pheasant, turkey, alligator, ostrich (not very good, IMO), & turtle. Those are the only ones I've had - & frankly I don't think there's much market, either, except for duck in the orient where it's the preferred egg. Ostrich eggs are useful more for their shells than the contents. Pass on turkey & the others & stick w/chicken.
7 - douglas gray
Goose eggs are supposed to taste very good, and can sometimes be found online or at farmer's markets.
8 - alison
I keep turkeys who have just started laying eggs they tend to lay 1 every other day, i have also used their eggs for cooking and they are a high quality egg, just like a chicken egg but larger and possible lighter in texture making them excellent for baking cakes or boiled eggs and they have large yolks and the whites are not tough at all.
9 - Joe Anonymous
Sea Turtle eggs are delicious.