Egg yolks not as dark yellow like they used to be

[MonicasGarden]

When my chickens first started laying eggs, the yolks were a very dark yellow, almost orange color. Now they are very light yellow. Is there something missing in their diets or is this normal?

 

[chicmom]

Hello there!

What are you feeding them? And do they get to free range at all? I believe that if they get to free range, like mine, they will have those nice, sunshine orange, yolks.

If they're strictly in a coop/run, and there's no vegetation and bugs to eat, you might have the normal yellow yolks.

Also, how's the weather where you are? Hot and sunny? Cold? Climate is also a factor, I think.

Sharon

 

[nobodyherebutuschickens]

You know, the same thing happened this morning when I made myself a scrambled egg. They're almost always a lovely deep orangey color, but this one was sort of pale yellow. I know that their diet has a lot to do with the egg yolk color. Eating lots of acorns, for example, makes the yolk green. (

) Greens (spinach, kale, etc.) are what makes the pretty deep orange, and because back yard chickens usually get lots of table scraps and can forage they get lots of greens.

 

[JodyJo]

I go with diets and free ranging...it does make a difference if they are getting lots of vegetables, IE garden scraps etc...if that has changed in their diet, that could be the cause.

 

[MonicasGarden]

We feed them mostly Layers. They do eat some Flock Raiser since we also have ducks and turkeys. We are letting them free range, and they love the compost pile...

But they are not getting a lot of greens. That might be it. It has been very hot the last couple weeks here in Southern CA. We have been trying to wet the ground around them to keep them cool and hopefully bring out more bugs, but I honestly don't see many bugs. Maybe we need to buy more mealworms, etc...

 

[JodyJo]

how about going to the market and getting some greens for them, kale, broccoli, lettuce etc...supplement till you get some greens growing on its own. I live in Southern Colorado, major drought, I have weeds growing and when mine are let out of the run to free range, they beeline it to the shade barn area and devour the weeds before anything else...try that, find something green for them and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Legaleagle422]

We were just discussing the dark color of.our eggs. The greens/scraps theory is well supported here with garden harvest remains, weeds and copious amounts of green vegetable scraps and.leftovers from our kitchen.

 

[subhanalah]

If you increase their yellow corn intake, this will help turn the yolks orange again, not that I recommend it.

 

[winteree]

well i first would say to start the ranging if you are like me and can't i would then say to start bringing them grass or let them have a party in your garden

but on a more serious note if the color of the yolk WAS the normal color and then out of the blue changed it could mean worms http://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/worming-chickens

 

[JMarch]

giving them a little scratch corn and adding paprika to their regular feed will darken the yolks a good bit, too