Two very different hens
Farm eggs (farmi anday) come from commercial hybrid layer hens, usually kept in cages or crowded sheds and fed a standard ration to lay as many eggs as possible.
Desi eggs come from native desi hens, and at Zareen Farms also Golden Misri, that roam outdoors, peck at greens and insects, and lay fewer, slower eggs.
Taste, yolk and texture
- Yolk: deep orange-gold in desi eggs, from greens and sunlight; paler yellow in farm eggs.
- White: firmer and stands taller when fresh.
- Taste: richer and "eggier", which is why desi eggs are loved for halwa and omelettes.
- Size: desi eggs are smaller, with a light-brown or cream shell.
Nutrition
Every egg is a good source of protein, vitamin B12, choline and selenium. Studies of hens raised outdoors on pasture have found their eggs richer in omega-3 fats and vitamins A, D and E than eggs from caged hens on standard feed.
Our hens also eat 100% vegetarian, antibiotic-free feed, with no fishmeal, so you get no fishy smell.
Freshness matters more than you think
A shop egg can be a week or two old before you buy it. Ours are collected three times a day and reach Islamabad and Rawalpindi homes within 24 hours of being laid. A fresh egg has a tight, round yolk and a thick white that doesn't spread.
So, are desi eggs worth it?
If you eat eggs every day, the difference in taste and freshness is easy to notice. At Rs 40 an egg, with 10% off a tray of 30 or a weekly subscription, real desi eggs cost a little more because the hens live a better, slower life.
