Eggs from hens fed flax, chia, or fish oil have more healthy omega-3 fats, making them a good option for people who don’t eat fish but still want these nutrients.

Eggs from hens fed a specific diet with 6% alpha-linolenic acid contain more omega-3 fatty acids and can replace fish as a source of these fats in the human diet.

When the feed for laying hens is adjusted to contain more alpha-linolenic acid, the eggs produced contain higher levels of omega-3 long-chain fatty acids including EPA and DHA.

Laying hens fed a diet where 6% of the energy comes from alpha-linolenic acid produce eggs with nine times more omega-3 fatty acids and a much lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio than hens fed a diet with 0.3% alpha-linolenic acid.

When breeder hens eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the eggs they lay contain more omega-3 fats, and the chicks that hatch from those eggs have higher omega-3 and lower omega-6 fatty acid levels in their heart, liver, brain, and lung tissues.

When laying hens are fed feed with less linoleic acid, their eggs contain more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids because the hens convert more of the alpha-linolenic acid in their diet into these fatty acids.