Halfpasthen
Songster
After a year of posting on this site and reading every article I could on chicken rearing, I have finally acquired my first two hens. Given to me by a friend who is moving.
They came to me exactly one week ago today with a 50lb bag of dumor layer crumble. The very next morning I got my first 2 eggs. I was thrilled and then quickly dissapointed by the mediocre pale yellow yolks. I have been purchasing free range organic eggs at the grocery store so I was already used to a much darker yolk.
To backyard chickens I went and found lots of great explanations and not a whole lot of pictures lol.
So I decided to document my progress in enhancing the yolk color my girls produce.
I've made a few simple changes to their diet. I won't buy new feed until I've gone through the majority of this 50 lb bag, but I did immediately begin fermenting the feed before giving it to them. I've also added a small pinch of cayenne to their meal every day.
I have been allowing them to "free range" in the evenings in my suburban back yard. I'm in southern Louisiana so I have to mow grass most of the winter and we have an abundance of bugs and grubs all year.
As far as treats I've given them a few kitchen scraps, mostly greens, some carrot peels and some boiled crawfish shells. I would think all of these things have played a part in the change I have seen in their yolks.
Anyway, I haven't taken a picture of both eggs every day but at least one of them every day so I could see if there was any progress being made. After a week I think the result speak for themselves!
Very first egg
Most recent egg
And a collage of the progression
They came to me exactly one week ago today with a 50lb bag of dumor layer crumble. The very next morning I got my first 2 eggs. I was thrilled and then quickly dissapointed by the mediocre pale yellow yolks. I have been purchasing free range organic eggs at the grocery store so I was already used to a much darker yolk.
To backyard chickens I went and found lots of great explanations and not a whole lot of pictures lol.
So I decided to document my progress in enhancing the yolk color my girls produce.
I've made a few simple changes to their diet. I won't buy new feed until I've gone through the majority of this 50 lb bag, but I did immediately begin fermenting the feed before giving it to them. I've also added a small pinch of cayenne to their meal every day.
I have been allowing them to "free range" in the evenings in my suburban back yard. I'm in southern Louisiana so I have to mow grass most of the winter and we have an abundance of bugs and grubs all year.
As far as treats I've given them a few kitchen scraps, mostly greens, some carrot peels and some boiled crawfish shells. I would think all of these things have played a part in the change I have seen in their yolks.
Anyway, I haven't taken a picture of both eggs every day but at least one of them every day so I could see if there was any progress being made. After a week I think the result speak for themselves!
Very first egg
Most recent egg
And a collage of the progression
