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How to make yolks more yellow?

post #1 of 8
Thread Starter 

I bought 10 coturnix quail in June, and ended up with 4 hens and 6 roos.  The hens started laying last week, but I'm disappointed in their yolk color.  I'm sure it's because I'm feeding Startena, along with oyster shells.  They need something else in their diet to get the color-  any suggestions?  I don't have a lawn for grass, but can possibly feed some weeds.  I also have a bunch of apple trees, but that's a seasonal treat.  Has anybody tried the omega 3 boosters for chickens?  Any other ideas?

post #2 of 8

Try  Prime Quality Gamebird feed.  The yolks in my quail and chicken eggs is a bit darker, though the color does not matter as much as the taste.

SQ Rose comb RIRs, SQ Silver Penciled rocks, SQ white/bbs bearded silkies , hatchery Reds, Buff Orps, coturnix quail and 2 cats.  Member of American Silkie Bantam Club
 

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SQ Rose comb RIRs, SQ Silver Penciled rocks, SQ white/bbs bearded silkies , hatchery Reds, Buff Orps, coturnix quail and 2 cats.  Member of American Silkie Bantam Club
 

Swap Page   http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=97667-swap-page

 

My website is now up and running.
http://RCPoultry.webs.com

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post #3 of 8
Thread Starter 

I don't have a lot of choices in gamebird feed-  Purina (which is what I'm feeding) and I think that the feed store might be able to get nutrena for me, but I don't know what the quality of the nutrena is out here for game bird feed.  TSC also has Home Grown, but I think that's just Purina, and it's for older game birds so it's lower protein than the Startena.  

 

The person I got them from was feeding them organic chicken feed and the lower protein scared me after what I read, but I can go back to that if it won't hurt them.

 

ETA-  I have chickens, I could mix some of their feed in, would that help?  The chickens are pretty much free range so they get all sorts of other stuff to eat too.  I sell the eggs and I know that my customers like dark yolks.


Edited by cmtigger - 7/31/12 at 9:39pm
post #4 of 8

Greens make yolks color up brighter. Try adding green veggies to their diet like broccoli, peas, potted up grass, even alfalfa hay leaves will work. Quail love to dig thru hay looking for seeds and they will readily eat alfalfa hay leaves. All of these will add color to pale egg yolks. 

Of all the things I have ever lost, I miss my mind the most. 

Keep one eye on the past, one eye on the future and both eyes on the present. ~ a Raven ~

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Of all the things I have ever lost, I miss my mind the most. 

Keep one eye on the past, one eye on the future and both eyes on the present. ~ a Raven ~

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post #5 of 8

Lutein and Zeaxathin is added to milled pellets here in UK, they are found in and extracted from marigold and maize extracts

 

and also Citranaxanthin, that is found naturally in citrus fruits

5 Red Star, 1 Speckledy, 3 Col Blacktails, 3 White Star [Leghorn]  1 Amber Star - All Hybrid Pullets, 1 French Copper Marans - Roo, 2 Lavender Araucanas - Roos, 3 Cream Legbars - 2 Pullets & 1 Roo

 

Formerly Silverfox0786

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5 Red Star, 1 Speckledy, 3 Col Blacktails, 3 White Star [Leghorn]  1 Amber Star - All Hybrid Pullets, 1 French Copper Marans - Roo, 2 Lavender Araucanas - Roos, 3 Cream Legbars - 2 Pullets & 1 Roo

 

Formerly Silverfox0786

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post #6 of 8

Mom always said it was sunshine...cva34

post #7 of 8
Thread Starter 

Well, I offered them kale scraps yesterday when I was giving them to the guinea pigs in the same shed.  So far they looked at them like they were poison.  This is going to be tricky!  I'll try some alfalfa hay, and if they won't eat that, then I'll look for alfalfa meal, or grind up some pellets and mix it into their food....

 

Do they like to peck at alfalfa blocks?

post #8 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmtigger View Post

Well, I offered them kale scraps yesterday when I was giving them to the guinea pigs in the same shed.  So far they looked at them like they were poison.  This is going to be tricky!  I'll try some alfalfa hay, and if they won't eat that, then I'll look for alfalfa meal, or grind up some pellets and mix it into their food....

 

Do they like to peck at alfalfa blocks?


I gave my grass clipping and lettuce leaves.

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