Eggs with thick shells but pale yolks - any good?

[Taedareth]

We bought the "organic" eggs at the local health food co-op (we can't afford pasture-fed eggs at $3/dozen - yowza!). They have good strong shells, but the yolks are strangely pale. A light, lemony color. Do you think these eggs are nutritious?

[EENS]

Originally Posted by Taedareth

We bought the "organic" eggs at the local health food co-op (we can't afford pasture-fed eggs at $3/dozen - yowza!). They have good strong shells, but the yolks are strangely pale. A light, lemony color. Do you think these eggs are nutritious?

They sound like they are old, probably have been sitting around a while. I'm sure there is some nutrition in them.

[Taedareth]

No, the yolks still stand up and retain their shape when the egg is cracked. Old eggs have flattened yolks.

[Rani]

I know that the color of the yolk also depends on what they have been fed - so when you switch to organic they will seem light in comparison?

[Pam_and_Abigail]

The yolks from our eggs are pale when our birds don't have access to bugs, so at this time of the year they are paler. The eggs are still probably better than supermarket eggs.

[MamaTessa]

Most organic eggs are from chickens in concentrate animal feed operations, (CAFO's) and just eat grain. If the yolk is that yellow, I would definitely say they are indoor only grain fed chickens. My local co-op carries "cage free" eggs, which just means that the chickens are not in cages, but are not let outside at all, and the yolks are the same color you describe.

I have bought them in a pinch when I couldn't get pastured eggs, I do think that organic is better than not, but definitely not nearly as good as pastured eggs. I just found that our little tiny gas station/deli down the road from out house started carrying pastured eggs, and I was happy to see that they were "only" $2.99 a dozen. I was paying $2.50 this summer and driving 30 miles each way to get them. They are a nice bright orange so I know the chickens are getting plenty of grass time, which is amazing with a foot of snow on the ground!