How do you get that deep yellow/orange yolk?

[chickstofeed]

corn

 

[GarlicEater]

I'm using commercial layer pellets and that's working out great but, as an example since I was buzzing around here doing stuff my gals got:

Squash seeds cut in half and some walnuts too - both grown/gathered by me
Oh, are there worms under these boards? Yeah! And pillbugs too..... let's check ALL the boards and give 'em to the gals!
Wild Lettuce, there's more than I thought in here (cornrowing the corn field) let's save it up for the gals - and some young dock
Hey wait someone on BYC said chix like yoghurt, that sounds too funny not to try .... they do!

 

[Chris09]

Carotenoid (Beta carotene), and Xanthophyll—both are natural plant pigments. When hens are able to eat green plant material or yellow corn the beta carotene concentrates in the yolk making it dark, sometimes even orange.


Chris

 

[BlackBart]

Calendula petals in their feed

 

[halo]

Quote:
Im not saying you're wrong, but this doesnt make much sense to me, since most commercial feeds are mostly corn, and commercial egg laying operations feeds are corn based, I think.

 

[Badbaby05]

Come on green grass

 

[rcentner]

I find that my leghorns have pale yolks compared to my brahmas and barred rocks. Someone once suggested it had to do with the fact that the leghorns are small birds that lay an enormous egg. Seemed like a good thought.

My yolks are nice and orange (except the leghorns) and they get a very small amount of greens in the winter, which leads me to think it's the high quality Layena food or the corn. My flock gets corn and Layena or Flock Raiser.

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

Bugs, grass, weeds and whatever they find when they forage themselves. All that stuff helps increase the omega 3's in the eggs.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Im not saying you're wrong, but this doesnt make much sense to me, since most commercial feeds are mostly corn, and commercial egg laying operations feeds are corn based, I think.

Yes there is a lot of corn in commercial feeds but there is also a lot of soybean meal (bean meal) in commercial feeds also.
If I'm not mistaken bean meal is low in Carotenoid (Beta carotene) and then will counter act the amount of Beta carotene that corn has.

To me the best form of Carotenoid (Beta carotene) that can be used in a feed mix is Alfalfa meal and a feed that has Alfalfa meal, Corn, and Animal protein in it will tend to give you darker yolk eggs than one that is Soy based with no Alfalfa meal or Animal protein.


Chris

 

[HogbackMtnChickns]

Quote:
Alpine Farm - would you share your recipe for suet cakes? I would like to make those for my girls next winter (I don't have any hens yet - chicks coming soon!), and for the wild birds too!

Thanks.