Research question for egg yolk color

[FirstTimeChikens]

Hey all! Im a junior in highschool applying for the regeneron scholarship. It's a research based scholarship so my research question is the proportion to which the amount of a pigment I give a chicken will change their egg yolk color.

But to get started, I need some materials. I plan to use marigold leaves to get that beautiful orange color, but how much is baseline to get the orange color? My plan is to feed a little under baseline, then baseline to achieve the color, and then over baseline.

Next, I also want to add green and red yolks. I've heard of it happening but does anyone know how to get that color naturally? If not, would food dye hurt my birds?

Please dont come after me for this research. My intent is to not harm my birds at all and to better learn their reproductive systems. Thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

It depends on the dye.
Red and marigold petals will just *dye* the yolks darker but if you want actually dark and healthy eggs, you can make sure they have access to things like Romaine lettuce to supplement the A vitamin to turn into beta carotene.
Not sure what green dye will do, nor do I see the point in using green.

 

[FirstTimeChikens]

It depends on the dye.
Red and marigold petals will just *dye* the yolks darker but if you want actually dark and healthy eggs, you can make sure they have access to things like Romaine lettuce to supplement the A vitamin to turn into beta carotene.
Not sure what green dye will do, nor do I see the point in using green.

Yeah I'm trying to do everything naturally for the sake of the report. Thought green would be fun but I may stick to just that orange color. After the experiment I will for sure supplement with the lettuce! Sounds like an amazing way to help my ladies.

 

[MysteryChicken]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...FY9RcwVK3AuUydAEIA&vet=1&docid=1Xo1nIJu4d6CVM

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Next, I also want to add green and red yolks. I've heard of it happening but does anyone know how to get that color naturally?

See items number 2 & 4 under yolk problems in the following linked article..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Item #3 under albumin quality problems in the prior link also states that high levels of riboflavin may even cause a green tint in the albumin.

I'm under the impression that it's the marigold flowers which are added into feeds meant to enrich the yolk color.

Best wishes for fun experiments!

 

[Penpal]

I would never use something to dye my eggs. The color tells you how high the yolks are in beta carotenoids.

Pale yellow are low in carotenoids. Probably a wheat based diet
Medium yellow are higher than pale yellow in carotenoids. Probably fed corn or alfalfa
Deep orange, the hen was fed a diet with more carotenoids.
Rich orange to red has the highest carotenoids and is getting xanthophyll so the hen was probably free ranging and able to eat a variety of green leaves, possibly marigold leaves.

If you use something that just dyes the yolk you are presenting a false representation of the nutritional compounds in the egg. Find out why the marigolds change the color of the egg yolks and what benefits that marigolds have for the quality of the eggs. Is there a difference between dried marigold leaves and fresh?

 

[FirstTimeChikens]

If you use something that just dyes the yolk you are presenting a false representation of the nutritional compounds in the egg.

precisely why I'm doing this! Many people that are uneducated on reproductive chicken systems dont understand why the color is the way it is and how it has no impact alone on nutritional density. I want to prove that the darker the yolk is just based on amount given of marigold leaves to a chicken.

 

[FirstTimeChikens]

Find out why the marigolds change the color of the egg yolks and what benefits that marigolds have for the quality of the eggs.

Already been done before. Can't present anything at the conference that has been done before.

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/yolk-color-changing-experiments.1610036/page-3