History

Eggs from many species of fowl have doubtless been consumed since the very beginning of humankind’s stay on earth. In historical times, ancient Romans ate peafowl eggs, and the Chinese were fond of pigeon eggs. Ostrich eggs have been eaten since the days of the Phoenicians, whereas quail eggs, as hard-cooked, shelf-stable, packaged products, are now featured on many gourmet food counters in the United States and Japan. Other eggs consumed by various ethnic groups include those from plovers, partridges, gulls, turkeys, pelicans, ducks, and geese. Turtle eggs have been highly prized, and in starvation situations, any eggs, even those of alligators, have been relied upon.

In this chapter, however, only avian eggs (and these mostly from the chicken) are discussed. Avian eggs in themselves constitute a huge subject: In 1949, A. L. Romanoff and A. J. Romanoff published a book in which they attempted to compile all the facts known, at the time, about the eggs of birds. It contained over 2,400 reference citations.

It is almost obligatory in writing about eggs to first deal with that age-old question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Those who believe in creationism rely on holy books, like the Bible, which specify that animals were created. Thus, the chicken came first. But, as Harold McGee has pointed out, the eggs of reptiles preceded by far the evolution of the first birds; consequently, “[e]ggs … are millions of years older than birds.” He added that “Gallus domesticus, the chicken, more or less as we know it, is only 4 to 5 thousand years old, a latecomer even among the domesticated animals” (1984: 55).