Very pale yolks

[fiddledeedee]

Hi all

I'm new to this chicken thing and have been trying to find some practical information about yolk colour. My chooks have just started laying and the colour of the yolks is a bit off putting. They are palest yellow and I can't bring myself to eat them as I am used to the bright orange free range eggs I used to buy from the supermarket. When I say pale yellow, I don't mean a nice bright sunny yellow, they are really really pale looking. My daughter tells me that the taste is good (I'll have to take her word for it!)

I have 3 pullets but only one has started laying. This is what they've been eating:

Barastoc Golden Yolk layer pellets freely available
Hand full of parrot mix
Handfull of cracked corn
Handful of sunflower seeds
Few veggie scraps
Free range and eat grass etc for an hour a day
Grit is available

Will the eggs darken as they get older or should I change the kind of pellets they eat to a better brand/change their diet in some other way. I must admit that these pellets are the cheapest available from the feed store.

Does the colour of the eggs improve over time naturally? I suspect that they were not fed anything except pellets or mash when I got them a few weeks ago. Will it take a while for all the nutrients in their current diet to show in the eggs?

 

[trilyn]

The quality of feed does matter-you might want to do some more research on it. I personally use Blue Seal brands and love it! Here's the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2694787#p2694787

If you cannot find Blue Seal in your area, try doing a google search for Kent. They are affiliated with Blue Seal and service the mid and western part of the country. Have fun doing your research!

 

[Happy Chooks]

My chickens have been laying for a month. My yolks are now getting darker.

I searched on here and found that beta carotene darkens yolks. If you feed them food rich in beta carotene you should get darker yolks. I don't have any spinach right now,(it's off season here) but I'm giving my chickens some parsley, swiss chard and cantaloupe.