Feeding for Darker Yolks

[centrarchid]

Chili pepper and paprika powders also good. Even mix in a little vegetable oil to promote uptake.

 

[Krugerrand]

Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic has a bunch of potentially contributing causes, though based on the studies I've read, in a typical chicken diet, one is more likely to hit the high fat (or the high fat + high carb) levels associated with increased incidence of the sndrome before one hits the high protein levels some claim causes or contributes to fatty liver. Most people throw corn - or corn-based scratch, not cat food now at $2/lb for the dry stuff. No one I know is offering free choice fish meal or setting out piles of solvent extracted high protein soy meal...
Selenium is... interesting. Probably acts as a buffer, rather than a direct cause (i.e. Vitamin C deficiency results in rickets. Selenium deficiency results in a bunch of things, fatty liver generally isn't one of them. High Carbs, High Fat, and or High protein together with low Selenium is recipe for more frequent fatty liver than those diets with adequate seleniium level) but in any event, most people don't know the selenium content of their feed, and its not something easily adjusted by the typical BYCer.

Which leads back to your initial question - and its a good one. **IF** we were building a feed from scratch, and we had settled on a particular feed management (low nutrient, low energy - high nutrient high energy - low nutrient high energy - high nutrient low enegry) style, I'd give real thought to replacing carbs with fat to hit the desired mKE targets - particularly if I was building a feed that wasn't dependent on corn as a main ingredient.

But for the majority of people reading these threads, they aren't building feed from scratch (and shouldn't try it). The few with the knowledge don't need my posts. What the majority of people are doing is adding "stuff" to their existing feed. and since their existing feed generally doesn't list carbs, generally doesn't list mKE/kg (or similar measure of total energy per unit weight), and often has corn or unknown grain products as its first ingredient, the information just isn't there to work with. Even then, you can't just take carbs "out" of an existing feed to replace with fat on a 1:1 basis in terms of unit energy.

So however sound the theory, its not a practical approach for those dealing with a feed that's already been made.

And THAT is why I recommend the 3.5% fat target +/- for chickens, 1% higher for waterfowl, Cx are a special case.

Thank you for the detailed response!

 

[Brooks_]

Vitamin C deficiency results in rickets

Did you mean scurvy? Or did you mean vitamin D deficiency?

 

[Rurumo]

I've used red peppers and spirulina both for this. Spirulina adds a really rich red/orange color. Turmeric has been noted to improve yolk coloration in studies, but I've never feed enough to notice.

 

[SleepyChickens]

I've used red peppers and spirulina both for this. Spirulina adds a really rich red/orange color. Turmeric has been noted to improve yolk coloration in studies, but I've never feed enough to notice.

Hm.. I'm thinking of growing my own spirulina. Did you use fresh or dried spirulina?

 

[ChickenLittle201]

I also have picky chickens and live in a very cold climate. In the summer they like to eat marigolds and sunflowers. In the winter, I've learned that giving them a 'treat' around mid-day helps with their egg production & yolk color. Collard greens are their fav right now, and fairly cheap at the store. I try to introduce them to one new thing at a time, and since they've learned to look forward to their mid-day 'treat' they are more likely to try it regardless of what it is!