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NZ Egg Industry Key Statistics
Information & FAQs

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About the EPF
NZ Egg Farming
NZ Egg Industry Key Statistics
Information & FAQs

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About the EPF
NZ Egg Farming
NZ Egg Industry Key Statistics
Information & FAQs

Quick Facts & FAQ’s

Home » Quick Facts & FAQ’s

Fun facts about eggs & hens

About one in a thousand eggs are ‘double yolkers’.
It’s rare, but a tiny egg in its shell can be found inside a normal size egg.
A layer hen can lay more than 300 eggs a year.
A large hen lays eggs about 7cm long, and a small hen lays eggs about 5.5cm long.
A large egg weighs about 80 grams and a small egg weighs about 50 grams.
There is no difference (apart from shell colour) between white and brown eggs.
Chickens with brown feathers lay brown eggs and chickens with white feathers lay white eggs.
It takes a hen 26 hours to produce an egg.
Captain Cook introduced poultry to New Zealand on his second voyage in 1773.
The first recorded farming of poultry was by missionaries in the Bay of Islands in 1814.
From eight to 18 weeks of age a female chicken is called a ‘pullet’.
Chickens have very good eyesight and a wide view of vision of about 300 degrees.
Chicken manure is great fertiliser.
The world’s biggest chicken was 10kg.
Eggs are one of the most affordable sources of high-quality protein.
New Zealand egg farmers produce around 1 billion eggs every year.
On average each year, Kiwis eat around 212 eggs each (estimate as at April 2024).
Egg yolks are one of the few foods to naturally contain Vitamin D!

Latest News

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MPI Media Release: December 24, 2024

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About the Egg Producers Federation

The Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand Inc.
(EPF) represents the interests of all the commercial
egg farmers and producers in New Zealand.

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+64 09 520 4300
+64 09 520 1553
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Helpful Links

NZ Eggs/I Love Eggs
Ministry for Primary Industries
NZ Feed Manufacturers Association
Poultry Industry Association New Zealand
WorkSafe New Zealand

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