Our eggs taste.... normal.

[BantyChooks]

What do you feed your chickens for the best tasting eggs? We were sadly underwhelmed by the taste of the first two our chickens presented to us.

We are doing Dumor layer pellets, mealworms, scratch, and occasional table scraps.

Are you free ranging? I find that effects the taste of the eggs more than anything else.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I have read that greens (grass) are good for eggs.

That is very true. I notice when I let mine free range or even just give them grass clippings or hay or other scraps, the eggs are way better haha

Sometimes I’ll buy some leafy greens just for them. Kale, chard, etc. but I don’t do that very often but sometimes.

I like to give them leaves and such to pick through too.

But they always seem to find all sorts of bugs and plant matter when free ranging.

They love going in the tall grass and picking around. I assume lots of bugs and/or seed heads in there.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Are you free ranging? I find that effects the taste of the eggs more than anything else.

I agree. I usually notice a big difference when I’m free ranging versus when I’m not.

But feed can make a difference too I find. I switched to an all flock type feed for the winter and have been underwhelmed with the egg color and taste lol eggs were super bright/deep color and amazing on the local company’s layer feed. But they’re different companies so that might be part of it

 

[Naser]

If you don't free range your eggs will taste like the supermarket eggs, try to buy any cheap/free veg and fruits for them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

If you don't free range your eggs will taste like the supermarket eggs, try to buy any cheap/free veg and fruits for them.

I have read that if you’re only feeding a commercial diet then it won’t taste better because it’s essentially the same as what the commercial birds are eating. Although I imagine the quality of the food is much better than what they are getting and these ones are also getting some treats but still. Same premise. It makes sense to me. Scraps/veggies are a great option if free ranging isn’t possible. Or even bugs. I’ve bought crickets from the pet store before and my girls loved it lol

 

[JPchicken]

If you don't free range your eggs will taste like the supermarket eggs, try to buy any cheap/free veg and fruits for them.

Thanks, Nasar, that makes sense. Perhaps I'll wait a couple months when the snow is gone and they can forage a bit more, then switch to a higher quality feed as well!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I honestly can't tell too much of a difference in the flavor of my eggs between when they're kept in the run as opposed to when they free range.
But apparently everyone else who eats them notices a big improvement in the flavor...

 

[Mamas_Looney_Farm]

Do you have recommendations for which herbs?

Sometimes I mix a little bit of spices in my chickens food, like oregano . Orengano is also a natural antibiotic , so it’s like killing 2 birds with 1 stone(but don’t actually) . I also feed my chickens LoneStar scratch, LoneStar layer PELLET as a mix. I do the pellets so they don’t waste anything. They are also free range and get a lot of protium. I crush up their eggshells and sprinkle them around the land so the can have some extra calcium. Idk about you but I can taste a VERY noticeable difference between my chickens eggs and store eggs.

 

[cmom]

I don't free range anymore due to losses from predators. I do feed my birds according to the seasons. During the summer months I lay off of the higher protein feed but the rest of the year they get it especially during molting and the breeding season. I do give them grass clipping to scratch through in the summer months and alfalfa in the winter months. The yolks are orange. I sell a lot of eggs because my customers all love the orange color of the yolks.

 

[CindyinSD]

Some folks have more sensitive taste buds than others. One thing you might want to do, especially in winter, is offer free choice kelp. If you mix it with their feed in too great a quantity it can give eggs a fishy taste but I haven’t noticed a problem when offering it free choice. It makes the yolks more orange... not sure that’s more than an esthetic difference, though. More pigment, I suppose, which is often an indicator of higher antioxidant levels in foods.

The eggs are tastier in summer than winter and (I think) improve as the hen matures. I’m eating eggs from pullets mostly at the moment. I’m not supplementing light and the days are over at 4:30 pm. Only a few of my new Buckeyes and CCLs are laying—3-4 eggs a day max.

It IS winter, but they’re in a new greenhouse with almost-green grass and also free-ranging. I’ve never heard this from anyone else, but it seems to me that the eggs get better as the hens mature.