Bland Tasting Eggs and Pale Yolks

[Robert Kazlauski]

I have five hens that appear healthy and happy. They are a buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Golden Buff, and an Easter Egger. They are seven and a half months old. When I made deviled eggs I noticed that the yolks were much paler than those of store bought eggs. Likewise, when I ate them they seemed really bland. This has been going on since they first started laying a good month or so ago. I think when I fried the eggs, over easy, they may have been ok. Cant really remember. But can anyone tell me why they are pale and bland? All of them. I feed them the regular feed from TSC that has 20 per cent protein. Also oyster shell. I am at a loss. I want them to be tastier and have a brighter yolk. I never thought that store bought eggs would taste better. Anyone else have this problem? What should or can I do?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The store bought eggs the yolks are dyed by adding in products such as marigold to the chicken’s feed. As far as taste goes the more bugs and natural forage your chickens get the tastier the eggs will be.

 

[Robert Kazlauski]

So what can I do? Should I buy marigold plants and let them eat them? How often?

 

[aart]

I feed them the regular feed from TSC that has 20 per cent protein.

What feed exactly, brand/model?

 

[Robert Kazlauski]

Right now I am feeding them
FLOCKRAISER PURINA CRUMBLES.

LASTmonth i fed them some other brand from TSC. Cant remember the brand. And the time before that I had a different one too. But they all had 20 per cent. The same brand was not always available. They had pale eggs no matter what I fed them.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

So what can I do? Should I buy marigold plants and let them eat them? How often?

Marigold will do nothing for the taste. It will only make the yolks look nice and orange, but other than that it is useless. If you want to improve the taste let them out to forage in the grass more which will also help deepen the yolks if they are eating lots of bugs. I feed 20% flock raiser (I go between Kalmbach and purina) and my chickens free range all day. Everyone who tries my chickens eggs says they are the best tasting eggs they have ever had.