pale yellow yolks verses deep yellow?

[Sabrinainmiss]

Is there something to add to their diet as the yolks are a pale yellow. I know I have seen deep yellow yolks before.

 

[silkiechicken]

I get yellow-orange yolks by just letting my hens free range. You can try to do that or bring the range to them. Or you can try feeding them some dandlions or marigold but I am not sure on the marigold on how good that is for them. You can toss in some flax seed and get omega 3 eggs though.

 

[MTchick]

The darker yellow is basically from natural, fresh foods. Providing them with things like pulled dandelions, leftover veggie scraps from the kitchen, etc and/or letting them free range for part of the time will make their yolks more nutritious , firmer and more orangey.

-MTchick

 

[Sabrinainmiss]

I wish I could let them free range BUT there has been a hawk around who took 3 of my 14 week old bantams the last within 20 yards of me. I quess I will try to bring the range to them.

 

[Standard Hen]

My birds free range but I have noticed something. In the winter I add cracked corn to their pellets to keep them warm and their yolks are that nice orange/yellow from it. As soon as I stop the corn I notice a difference. I just needed a new bag of pellets so I decided to mix in a bag of cracked corn even though it is summer....I love those rich colored yolks!