How Dark Are Your Yolks?

[rapunzil]

My girls are fed a pelleted diet with a little scratch mixed in. I give them leftovers from the house and also free range them for a few hours a day.

When they started laying I was a bit dissapointed with yolk color. I thought they would be a much darker orange-y color.

How dark are your hens yolks and what is the feeding routine you have them on?

 

[chaim]

Do a quick search on this forum for "rich yolk color". It has been asked and answered many times.

See here for example:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1519528

 

[gritsar]

My yolks are extremely, almost neon, orange. My birds free range all day. I have one hen that has pale yolks, but she has digestive issues. I can always tell her eggs in a bowl full by the color.

 

[rapunzil]

Thank you Chaim, I will do that!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

here's a comparison pic between one of my girls' eggs and a store bought "cage free organic vegetarian fed" egg.

chickens who do normal chicken things -- eat bugs, weeds, get to dirt bathe, lie in the sunshine, flap their wings, hang out with their peeps, and get the occasional healthy treat -- will give exceptional eggs.

eta - maybe your birds need more bugs? I'll bet they wouldn't complain if you helped them find some.

eta - oh, and forgot to add, mine eat Purina Layena, with vitamins in the water, small amounts of BOSS, flax, scratch treats, and in the winter, warm oatmeal with quinoa. ok, they're spoiled.