Did you learn anything new today?

I've, off and on, wondered why some eggs in the carton marked "Large" are smallish, as in no way near as large as the others in the large carton.

So off I went searching for an answer... thinking of course, that there must be some measurement being used to determine the size of an egg.

Yeah, I was wrong. Turns out the net weight of a dozen eggs has to be approximately 24 ounces (2 ounces per egg) for it to be dozen "Large" eggs, but that no egg has to be 2 ounces.

In other words, it isn't the diameter of each egg, or the weight of each egg, but the total weight of a dozen eggs that determines the "size" of that dozen eggs.

You're welcome 😁.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

Convivial · 26-30, F

I'm guessing with the variability in individual sizes it makes sense... Thank you for your intrepid investigation lol

Ontheroad · M

@Convivial It does make sense, but I pictured in my mind a row of people with calipers measuring each egg... kind of like a cartoonish sizing assembly line 🤷‍♂️🤣

Convivial · 26-30, F

@Ontheroad lol..

Here I think the eggs are graded by size... They fall through holes of the required size to sort them... But you have me wondering now

assemblingaknob · 26-30, F

@Convivial [quote]fall through holes[/quote]
How do they survive 🫠

OogieBoogie · F

@Convivial @assemblingaknob years ago when I was in primary school we went to an egg farm (it was depressing)...but we got to see the whole production line.
And things may have changed since then.
But the eggs roll along a fitted chanel that basically has gates in the bottom that have other channels like curved ramps that run underneath the main one.
The opening to these ramps are sized, and in the bottom of the main chanel, and start off small and gradually get larger.
I think there are multiple ramps for each size (I coukd be wrong).
Until only the large eggs are left traveling the original track .

Mind you, this was a small country farm and is possibly VERY different to larger manufacturers .
(Terrible sketch of egg sorting thingy )

Convivial · 26-30, F

@OogieBoogie sounds like what I've seen also... And no need for calipers lol