Chicken diet question...

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I asked this question in another thread but thought maybe it would make a good BYC forum topic. Here goes......



I've always heard that game like deer, elk, bear, turkeys, etc. have a different flavor of the meat based on whatever mast they've been eating. Like a deer harvested in the NorthEast will taste different from those in the South or West.

My question is....do chickens' eggs (or meat too) take on the flavor of whatever they eat if given in large amounts? Like if they're fed lot's and lot's of garlic or onions, pungent herbs, and such....

What say you?

 

[QualityPolish]

Hmm.. well if you say LARGE amounts of really potent food sources i.e. garlic I would imagine it would make it into the egg but nothing noticeable. I mean, our chickens are free range and obviously love any sort of crap and our eggs don't taste anything like that, lol. So if they were only eating garlic they'd obviously have nutrient problems but as for making it into the egg I would have to say no, or something extremely minor.

 

[laseterlass]

Onions and fish are the worst offenders. I bought some eggs before mine began laying and the fish taste was very strong.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Diet definitely affects the flavor!

 

[BlazeJester]

Onion and garlic are two things on the "don't feed your chickens" list, for flavor reasons.

The others are citrus (citric acid weakens eggshells), avocado skins, raw potato skins... and I forget the rest. That might be all. They will eat ANYTHING.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

What they eat has an effect on the flavor and the level of nutrients in the eggs, as well as their meat, if they're eaten.

The best flavor and nutrients are when they're free ranged or pastured. This effects the good fatty acids, cholesterol and several vitamins in particular. You can get off flavors in eggs from them eating garlic, onions or excessive levels of flax seed or fish.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Thanks so much for your replies, that's why I love this forum, I can always count on getting helpful information from all you nice folks!

 

[cottagechick]

I am trying to remember...I think I heard someonte said that mint made their eggs yucky..and I recall someone mentioning cat food???

 

[TN_BIRD]

Quote:
I say, YES

I've never done the garlic and/or onion thing, but when we switched feed a few weeks ago I did notice a different flavor in the eggs.