Our eggs taste.... normal.

[cmom]

Thanks @BarnhartChickens98

I’ve done quite a lot of testing and comparing eggs.... especially with yolk colors. I also keep a lot of individuals of one breed, so I can really monitor which egg comes from which hen. Not all of them but at least 10-15 of the eggs I know right where they came from.

I’m just going to go through a few things I’ve found and thought about.

In general it’s freshness that makes eggs taste “better”. Fresh eggs taste a little better than store eggs. In many cases that may be the only thing that can set your eggs apart if you aren’t free ranging. As many have pointed out, it’s free ranging that will give you the absolute largest differences in taste and color.

Without free ranging, many times the nutrition of a backyard flock is actually LESS than commercial chickens. I hate to burst bubbles.... but when you can buy feed in bulk, it’s straight up fresher than anything a backyard producer can get their hands on, across the board. In fact many commercial farms or larger farms are actually milling the feed. Feed efficiency is a science and a huge part of profits, and it’s a well known fact that feed quality degrades rapidly. Those bags of feed we can get at the feed store have been sitting in multiple warehouses on the way to us. But now that I’m. Using in bulk, if I’m early to pickup, theyre grinding my feed right then.

so, feed additives....

You can supplement certain things into the diet, but you do need to be cautious that you don’t offset the balance of required nutrition elements. But, some things can make eggs taste a little bit richer, I have found. The best thing I’ve found is basil. It really darkens the yolks and I personally believe there’s a pleasant change to the flavor of the egg.

anything that you do add, will take 10-12 days to become noticeable in the eggs.

One of the easiest and best things you can do is a bale of alfalfa hay if you can’t do any free ranging. Just buy a bale and put it in the run. It’s a long lasting boredom buster too.

greens are only a part of the mix and the real missing piece without free ranging is bugs. I tried growing mealworms so I could free feed them without having to watch the protein ratios of dried and I haaaaaated it. I don’t know how many chickens you’ve got but two ways to drastically increase bugs safely for confined chickens is a Black Soldier Fly larvae setup or easier is just keeping a compost pile and bringing bits of fresh compost into the run.

A lot depends on circumstances. Everyone is different as well as their situations. The closest feed mill to me is a two hour drive one way. I have a feed store down the road from me. I place a weekly order of what I want and they order for me plus their regular order. They probably don't have to do it but I buy 300/400 pounds weekly. I have a friend that has a lot of birds too and he does drive to the mill probably once every couple of weeks or so. It is cheaper. He gets it in 50# bags at the mill. He probably gets around 500/600 pounds of feed. I'm an old lady and I just don't feel like making that drive so I order my feed from the store. A friend and breeder, president of the RIR club of America, a very fine and humble person and BYC member, told me about the feed I'm using now. His farm was a test farm for the feed when the company started making it. He shows his birds as I do. His birds place exceptionally well. Mine place pretty well. I have had some champions. It makes me feel good when I place good at a show then I know my breeding program is working.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Ive personally never had good luck with dumor (pale yolk thin egg shell etc) Me and my hens love nutrena naturewise layer pellets I get nice yolks and thick shells. All my girls also have nice shiny feathers. Another good feed brand would be Purina.

 

[cmom]

Years ago I used Nutrena feed. The place I bought it from closed so I now get another feed from a place that is a little closer. TSC sells Purina feed. My birds have nice shiny feathers too. Once in awhile I will take some birds to sell at our local farm swap and people will ask me what I put on the birds to make their feathers so shiny. I tell them it's not what I put on them but what I put in them, feed them.

 

[cmom]

I get the same thing with my egg customers because the yolks of the eggs are orange, not yellow, and I tell them the same thing, it's what I put in them, feed them.

 

[Bantie Barb]

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.

We feed our hens Purina Layena crumbles.They hav÷ the oyster shell mixed in and the eggs have a great taste. We give eggs to our friends and neighbors and they all brag on the taste of our eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I flat hate to buy store bought eggs! This time of year I'm using frozen eggs. My yolks are orange colored and I do notice a huge difference in our eggs. I keep different breeds of chickens so I rotate free ranging. I also offer food scraps to the flocks that don't free range that day. If you can't free range offer them food waste. Shredded carrot or pumpkin is huge an excellent health boost.

 

[Kellow1]

I’ve fed mine Purina and Nutrena products and have been happy with the results. It’s probably slightly higher quality than Dumor and might improve the taste a bit.

But my absolute favorite feed that I’ve found so far is made by Poulin Grain and since I notice you are in Massachusetts, you might be able to get it here!

I feed the Egg Production Plus feed which is 18% protein instead of 16%, soy free (which I don’t really care about much but is an added bonus to me), and I think they add marigold and stuff to it. The color and taste is great on it. I get it at my local Agway but I’m sure it’s at other stores. I’m on the south shore.

But if you can’t get that one, Nutrena actually makes a similar feed called Hearty Hen that I’ve gotten at TSC before.

But you’ll need to check the mill date on the bag because it doesn’t always sell fast and definitely not as fast as Purina. Ideally you’re looking for not older than 8 weeks but slightly older is probably fine. But sometimes TSC food is really old lol

But actually, speaking of that, you should be checking the mill dates on all the food you buy. If it’s old, the nutrients degrade fast and that could be part of the problem.

Also I would limit treats to no more than 10% of the diet. It can water down the nutrition in the feed.

That said, free ranging always helps my eggs taste way better and the birds seem to really enjoy it if you are able to do that. If not, you can perhaps gather up some leaves/dirt/weeds or kitchen scraps and stuff for them to pick through.

Anyway, I would switch to Purina or Nutrena if you are able to. They are big, established companies and make quality feeds. Purina also adds some extra stuff to their feed to improve yolk color and taste so that may help.

But I’ve found my best eggs to be with either the Poulin Grain or the Nutrena Hearty Hen.

Also, make sure they have oyster shell and grit available free choice on the side in separate containers.

I agree that Purina makes the best feed and I choose to use the Omega 3 formula because the eggs are healthier for ME and my cholesterol. Purina Feeds have well-educated nutritionists on staff as well.

 

[gtaus]

When my pullets were eating grass clippings in the chicken run late summer and early fall, the yolk of their eggs were a darker orange. Now they mainly eat commercial feed and the yolk is more yellowish. I do give my girls a half bin of barley fodder every day, but that is the extent of greens. Because it is freezing outside, I am not feeding them kitchen scraps in the coop.

When I was working in food service, they always said that taste is 90% smell and presentation. Fresh eggs smell better and an orange yolk is more visually appealing to me. If you hold your nose, an onion and an apple "taste" basically the same. In a blindfold taste test, I don't know if I would choose one egg over another consistently. But I have chickens for a number of reasons and for me, eggs are just a bonus.

 

[aart]

One of the easiest and best things you can do is a bale of alfalfa hay if you can’t do any free ranging. Just buy a bale and put it in the run.

Pure alfalfa?
I wish I knew more about hay, I do know that there can be a mix of grasses and other plants in a bale....and those with enough experience can tell by looking at it.
You're a horse guy, is it true that pure alfalfa hay can be too 'rich' for horses?

 

[Vicker]

I notice a richer "eggy" flavor when they have access to a variety of grasses, weeds and bugs.