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Trial 1 tested the effects of ground vs whole flaxseed at dietary levels of 5, 10, or 15% compared to a corn-soybean or fish oil control on egg production of Leghorn hens over a period of 8 wk. Dietary flaxseed decreased feed consumption, weight gain, and egg weights compared to the control diets; however, flaxseed and fish oil significantly improved egg production (88.9 and 93.0%, respectively) compared to the control (83.1%). Incorporation of linolenic acid (C_18:3n-3) into the egg increased linearly as the level of dietary flaxseed increased (2.31, 4.18, or 6.83% of the yolk fatty acids for 5, 10, and 15% flaxseed diets, respectively). In Trial 1, flaxseed and fish oil significantly increased percentage white and decreased percentage yolk compared to the control treatment but had no effects on egg cholesterol. Trial 2 was a factorial design of varieties of flaxseed (brown vs golden), types (ground vs whole), levels of …