Diet to Get Darker Blue Eggs Query

[Boonie Stomper]

My pullet seemed to like it.

 

[Cryss]

In an attempt to learn more about Kavbuz I found lots of "stock" photos all of which look very similar to watermelon and seem to sll be t in e same photo, some photos and offerings of seeds for an almost red pumpkin but no mention of watermelon, AND this article that kinda sorta disproves the veracity of a watermelon-pumpkin cross. http://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/a-watermelon-pumpkin-cross/

I'm so disappointed.

 

[lazy gardener]

I was reading something that said there's no way to change the color of your eggshells via the egg-layer's diet. Yolks, yes. Shells, no.

It occurred to me that I get deep green eggs at the beginning of my EE's egg-laying cycle, and the eggs get both less brown and less blue as the year progresses. I read somewhere else that the reason for this is that she's running out of pigment. Makes sense. But if she's running out of pigment, doesn't she have to replenish it somehow? And wouldn't the pigment have to come from her diet somehow?

Some Wiki research later, I found that biliverdin (goes into eggshells to make them blue) is a byproduct of heme digestion. Heme is in iron-based blood.


So my question is this: Could a diet high in animal products make eggs hells bluer?

Interesting thought process. The brown pigment on an egg shell comes from recycled blood cells. Those blood cells, I believe are also processed by the liver to produce bile, which, when broken down, provides the pigment for the blue/green eggs.

All chicken eggs have a deeper color early in the laying cycle. As the cycle progresses, and reserves get depleted, the color becomes more washed out. Presumably, a hen who has a good quality diet will not deplete her reserves as quickly as one who is lacking. But, giving a diet high in iron could back fire, b/c chickens do not need a lot of iron in their diets. I'm guessing that if you give them more protein than their kidneys can process, you will run into renal failure over time. IMO, do all things in moderation, and enjoy the colorful eggs you do have. Give your birds a good diet, but don't go overboard trying to tweak their natural egg color.

 

[Glitterchicks]

I'd be careful with the blood. They might knock you down and attack your jugular like vampires. I'm fairly certain I read about that happening.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Wonder what blue food dye in the water might do? Besides make blue poo...

 

[sylviethecochin]

Wonder what blue food dye in the water might do? Besides make blue poo...

Possibly tint the egg yolks or whites? But I doubt any of it would go into the shell.

 

[sylviethecochin]

On a related note, my first purchased hatching eggs hatched! Blue Ameraucana chicks are absolutely adorable. (So soon I might* have more blue egg sources if I decided to experiment.)

*You know, if all five of them aren't cockerels. Which would be just my luck.

 

[BreanneRN]

@sylviethecochin , they are so cute and adorable!

 

[BreanneRN]

On a related note, my first purchased hatching eggs hatched! Blue Ameraucana chicks are absolutely adorable. (So soon I might* have more blue egg sources if I decided to experiment.)

*You know, if all five of them aren't cockerels. Which would be just my luck.

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!! Don't say that, don't jinx yourself! Is that uber cute middle blue one with the fat cheeks really as big as s/he looks? Where did you get your eggs? And were they all blue?

 

[sylviethecochin]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!! Don't say that, don't jinx yourself! Is that uber cute middle blue one with the fat cheeks really as big as s/he looks? Where did you get your eggs? And were they all blue?

She(pleasepleasepleaseplease) was the second one to hatch, and is the second-largest. About medium-size, for a peep, but because of the chipmunk cheeks, her head's nearly as big as her body is. (The peep behind is hiding, but his fluff is making her look bigger than she is.)

I got the eggs from Gypsy Hen Farms, via Ebay. (A late birthday present to myself) One chick is black, the other four are varying shades of blue The eggs were pale blue. And I think I've finally bought a purebreed that I'm going to try and keep pure.