Announcement April Fools 2016 - New Development: Chicken Feed That Changes Egg Shell Color!

[Leebeez]

As someone with a mixed flock I value my white leghorn eggs for their whiteness as much as the blue. green, brown and pink ones I get from my other birds. I personally can't see the point of feeding something that is going to make your egg basket all one colour..... just a different colour from what it is now.... I love the natural variety of egg size and colour as much as I love the variety of colour and feather pattern in my mixed flock.
In a world where we already have far too many additives, is it really necessary to be adding them to our animals' feed as well, especially for such a cosmetic reason? Maybe the next step is to turn dog poo blue or pink so that it doesn't seem so unpleasant to pick up and can be more easily seen!

I know.....There's always one party pooper isn't there!

my thoughts exactly.

some people work hard to get a "natural variation" in colors for their egg collections. So now when we sell eggs at the farmer's market, some will be labeled, "naturally colored eggs" and "artificially colored". Hmmm

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I am having quite a bit of fun reading all the posts and name ideas. But I would need to see this stuff in action first.
After all, if this stuff is legit I will have to get around to using it after I start milking my chickens. I wouldn't want to turn their milk blue.

Edited by staff

 

[ShrekDawg]

This is really exciting in the poultry industry right now, especially since brown eggs can bring in more money than white. I've heard that a lot of the major eggs farms will be transitioning to this new feed! (And it's a fully balanced, natural feed!)

I keep finding people who won't touch brown eggs!

'Cause you know... "Eggs only come in white, carrots only come in orange, tomatoes only come in red, cows can only be white with black spots... I don't know what animal this brown cow-like thing is." 

I'm the opposite, I won't eat white eggs lol well, actually, I probably would if we had them but we only buy brown eggs

Although now we don't need to buy any eggs

 

[drewskimac]

Fantastically Fascinating Feed (FFF)

=D

 

[6 littleHens]

Scrambled Shell

 

[copper2]

So if egg-dyeing science is this advanced, could feather colors be changed in the future? "Blue" chickens have been around for ages, but sky blue chickens would be rad.

The answer is yes it's called GMO chicken

 

[rIrs roost]

I am having quite a bit of fun reading all the posts and name ideas. But I would need to see this stuff in action first.
After all, if this stuff is legit I will have to get around to using it after I start milking my chickens. I wouldn't want to turn their milk blue.

Edited by staff

If you feed your hens skittles the milk comes out all different colors. WARNING please do not feed your chickens skittles. I am joking. Hens milk doesn't change colors.

 

[copper2]

I think this feed is like a new product called robochick( example not real) that you buy since it's said to produce real eggs and it eats only junk metal. The reviews are great... Since they're fake, but you don't know that..... And when it produces it's "eggs" you'll find out there metal eggs with white paint on it. You will be disappointed or realize real chickens are better.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

If this is for real it is definitely scary, and I would call the feed "Always Easter", that is scary enough. APRIL FOOLS!!!

Kurt

Edited by staff

 

[ShrekDawg]

And to all the people saying this will impact the breeds...

I really don't think it will.

First of all, breeders and fans of the breeds are dedicated and love thei particular breed so won't just ditch the breed.

Second, yeah, egg color is a main factor but with this, you ONLY get the color by feeding feed. Eventually no one is going to want to have to keep the chicken on that feed all the time. People will still want natural colored eggs. plus it's only pale colors besides the dark brown. So just breed for darker blues pinks and greens.

Third, it only works with white layers. I don't know about you but for me, the white layers I have heard tend to be more flighty. I specifically avoided them for that reason. So for people wanting friendly or family pet birds they will still flock to the natural color laying breeds.

This sort of relates to what I said above how egg color is important. Meaning yes it is important but it is not (at least I hope not) the ONLY reason people get Ameraucana, Araucana, Easter Eggers, Marans, etc. People go for their charming personalities and beautiful feather colors. Marans I've heard can be a little mean to other birds but the others are very friendly gentle docile birds. If you have kids you're not gonna want a flighty leghorn.

And as for it going commercial, so???? I think it will be great if you can buy colorful eggs in stores. You should be able to. Especially for people in the middle of the cities who have zero access to the farmer's markets you referenced.

And speaking of those, once again I don't know about you but if I go to a farmers market or a local farm or someone selling eggs at the end of their driveway, I don't buy them for the color. Yes the color is a nice bonus and it is very cool and an awesome factor but if I'm buying local eggs I'm buying them for more than the color. I'm buying for the fact that they're... well.... local. Not factory farmed. Free range chickens or, even if confined, at least happier with way more space and access to a run instead of a cruel cage. Happy healthy chickens and fresh, healthy eggs. Not only the color. So I don't think it will affect it that much besides just the impulse buyers who see cool colors. People wjo truly want organic or farm fresh eggs will continue to buy. And in fact, you may even be able to charge MORE for non artificially colored eggs.

I say stop worrying. It likely won't have an impact and if it DOES, it will be a temporary trend.

I guarantee people had the same concerns when hybrids came along. Oh nobody will want my heritage bred birds. Guess what? Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Australorps, are still some of the most popular breeds of chickens.

People probably think the same every time a new dog breed or hybrid comes along too.

The only thing these things effect is impulse buyers. People who truly want a breeder will find a breeder.

In terms of dogs, you may lose the pet store buying or newspaper classifieds searching people but people truly dedicated to the breed and/or to a good breed specimen or who have specific purposes in mind like hunting or dog sports or therapy animal or stable temperament for kids or whatever will find you and will pay and I imagine it is the same for birds.