4 Cooped up hen's yolks are all getting a little paler...what should I feed them?

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm with the excellent posts by both @Ridgerunner and @HollowOfWisps . The only thing I will add is that if you are feeding Layer, it is almost certain you don't need supplimental oyster shell as well.

Feeding feeds high in wheat tends to result in paler eggs - even though wheat has a lot to recommend it as a chicken feed ingredient. Feeding feeds high in corn (the usual, here in the US) tends to result in typical yellow yolks (subject to variations in breed and individual, bird, of course). Feeding birds feeds high in "food coloring" may or may not be good indicators or particular nutritional factors, but certainly results in more "yellow/orange" yolks. Marigold, crustaceans (shrimp and crab meal, particularly, but also the colorant they use for farm-raised salmon), various carotenoids.

Yes, we "eat with our eyes", but if you haven't realized "your eyes deceive you" you have looked without actually seeing,

 

[Altairsky]

Egg yolk color does not indicate the level of nutrients of the egg.
If the chicken is fed layer feed with or without artificial or natural dye, the egg yolk is not an indicator of the nutrients in the egg.

However if the chickens free range, and therefore lay eggs with an orange yolk, that means their eggs are more nutritious than the eggs produced by chickens that are fed solely with industrial feed regardless of the yolk color.
Greens, wild herbs, fruit and vegetables are a source of important micro-nutrients, vitamins, polyphenols that are not found in the feed. These nutrients do pass to the eggs and we can benefit from them.
https://www.feedstrategy.com/animal-nutrition/article/15435540/using-flax-for-omega-3-enriched-eggs

Also remember all the cases of chicks who failed to thrive because their egg had a vitamin deficiency. Not all eggs are nutritionally equal.

If a chicken free ranges, it will lay more nutritious eggs than a chicken who is permanently on layer pellets.
Chickens who free range tends to have more orange yolk due to the high content in betacarotene of the greens they eat.
Chickens on layer feed will lay paler eggs unless the feed contain dyes, which however won't make the egg more nutritious.

I would suggest OP to feed their chickens green vegetables and colorful fruit as a treat to improve the color of the yolks and make the eggs nutritionally more similar to the eggs from free range chickens. Try carrots (though my chickens do not eat carrots so it depends on the tastes of your flock) or red peppers (again, mine won't eat peppers), or red tomatoes.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Avoid kale and spinach

Why avoid spinach?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Kale and spinach both contain oxalates, which can inhibit calcium absorption. Likewise other, similar, cruciferous veggies to varying degrees.

For most birds, in most flocks, its unlikely they will eat a nutritionally significant amount of these plants. They aren't favored. Even if you find an exception, most backyard birds on layer formulations get more Calcium than they need, so its not an issue. If you feed an "All Flock" plus free choice oyster, they can self regulate Calcium intake to compensate for any oxalate-based Calcium binding which may occur.

This is another example of "everybody knows" where a widely reported truth - oxalates can bind calcium - becomes completely unmoored from the details (like dosage) that actually matter. In this case, I think this grew legs in the late 80s or early 90s when the news was telling people with history of kidney stones or daily blood thinner use (i.e., warfarins) that they should avoid spinach as their veg of choice with dinner. In short, its was a crazy food fad applicable, perhaps, to a very tiny subset of the population but sold to the American populace at large. I vaguely recall it being sold as food to avoid for those with Osteoporosis as well, but may be misremembering.

and of course, Spinach remains one of the most common veg in the frozen food aisle, and is chock full of good things. But also things of potential concern in extreme amounts. Just like Everything Else.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Note that LOTS of common foods have relatively high levels of oxalates - but as is common with these diet trends - it becomes more about a single "superfood" or magic ingredient avoidance trick than the underlying biology and chemistry. Its been "dumbed down" for public consumption in a sound bite.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Kale and spinach both contain oxalates, which can inhibit calcium absorption. Likewise other, similar, cruciferous veggies to varying degrees.

This is a very helpful reply for a newbie like me.
I see how it is all relative.

My 6 live in the coop/run, they are almost 18 weeks old, and no one has laid yet, so they are not getting extra calcium.

Sometimes I buy them a head of lettuce, but this week fresh baby spinach was on sale. I was going to throw the whole package in.
Probably too much!
I think we'll eat it.
Thanks!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Kale and spinach both contain oxalates, which can inhibit calcium absorption. Likewise other, similar, cruciferous veggies to varying degrees.

For most birds, in most flocks, its unlikely they will eat a nutritionally significant amount of these plants. They aren't favored. Even if you find an exception, most backyard birds on layer formulations get more Calcium than they need, so its not an issue. If you feed an "All Flock" plus free choice oyster, they can self regulate Calcium intake to compensate for any oxalate-based Calcium binding which may occur.

This is another example of "everybody knows" where a widely reported truth - oxalates can bind calcium - becomes completely unmoored from the details (like dosage) that actually matter. In this case, I think this grew legs in the late 80s or early 90s when the news was telling people with history of kidney stones or daily blood thinner use (i.e., warfarins) that they should avoid spinach as their veg of choice with dinner. In short, its was a crazy food fad applicable, perhaps, to a very tiny subset of the population but sold to the American populace at large. I vaguely recall it being sold as food to avoid for those with Osteoporosis as well, but may be misremembering.

and of course, Spinach remains one of the most common veg in the frozen food aisle, and is chock full of good things. But also things of potential concern in extreme amounts. Just like Everything Else.

1000% this^ Anything given a high enough dose has the potential to cause bodily damage or even be lethal. Vitamin A for example, if given too much can cause the liver and spleen to become enlarged. It also can cause jaundice, permanent birth defects, brain pressure and swelling (the list goes on). However, we don’t go around telling people to avoid eating or feeding their animals foods that contains vitamin A. If you drink too much water you can drown from the inside out. So should we stop giving animals water or stop drinking it ourselves? No. Why? Because everything must be considered and taken with balance.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This is a very helpful reply for a newbie like me.
I see how it is all relative.

My 6 live in the coop/run, they are almost 18 weeks old, and no one has laid yet, so they are not getting extra calcium.

Sometimes I buy them a head of lettuce, but this week fresh baby spinach was on sale. I was going to throw the whole package in.
Probably too much!
I think we'll eat it.
Thanks!

You can safely throw them a couple yellow or browning leaves. Chances are, they will peck at them and walk away. But for a moment, you've provided mental enrichment, and its cost you nothing (assuming you weren't going to eat them, of course).

I highly recommend wilted spinach salad w/ bacon bits (for yourself, of course)

 

[MichaelDJ]

They need some more greens, romaine, beet tops etc. Avoid kale and spinach

Why avoid kale? I feed kale toy chickens all the time and get nice dark yolks andy chickens are healthy and happy.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Why avoid kale? I feed kale toy chickens all the time and get nice dark yolks andy chickens are healthy and happy.

See Stormcrow's post at 11:24 am, edt.
It's all about choice.