Food Coloring in Water?

[farmer geek]

I was wondering if adding food coloring to my chickens water would be harmful. I need to do a science fair project and was wondering if it would change the color of the eggs. Does anyone have any other science experiment ideas involving chickens? Thanks

 

[clairabean]

I don't think it would hurt. I also highly doubt that the eggs will change colour.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Interesting.

I think some people put food coloring in their waterers so they can tell how far the water has gone down.

 

[CarolAnn]

Hmm.... That doesn't make sense. If they can see the colored water they can see the water level. Right?

 

[Kassaundra]

Food grade food coloring wouldn't hurt them. Would change the poop color, but doubt it would have any effect on the egg color.

 

[andbab]

Someone told me once that red peppers will change the color of the egg yolk. I have never tried it.

 

[NellaBean]

Quote:
Carolann, that's the point.....they can see the colored water, so they can see the water level. Sometimes its hard to see "clear" water in a waterer, especially from farther away or with a quick glance.

 

[averytds]

There's some red dye stuff that can be added to the feed to darken the yolk color, but at least in my state that's illegal. No effect on the shell color.

If you want to change the egg color, you could make easter eggers. Don't know what kind of time or resources you have for your project. You can pick any kind of chicken genetics issue to present on a poster board with illustrations. Like how to create a sex-link, easter egger or how to introduce a certain trait/gene layed out on a tri-fold poster board. If you have to have something physically touchable, get a cleaned out blue eggshell, brown egg shell and green or olive shell. Show how the blue is blue inside and out, while the brown is only on the outside and the green is a mix of both.

You could do an experiment on how light affects laying.