⠀ Wanting more orange color yolks!

[Kmath]

Don't they use marigolds to yellow the yolks?

Also important about marigolds...  I believe the marigolds used in feed to yellow up the yolks are NOT the same species as your usual flower garden marigolds.   Correct me if wrong on this.. remember being surprised by this ages ago...

When my chickens were totally free range- sleep in trees, never cooped up etc.  their yolks would get very orange and even reddish(thought those were beautiful) during winter- spring, our "growing season"(summer-fall is bone dry) with lots of weeds and grasses plus bug blooms.  Over the summer the weeds would be gone and not so many bugs, their yolks would go back to yellow.

IIRC I think you can get "not yellow" yolks by lots of greens, bug protein...

Your chickens free range all day and night? If so I have questions for you if you are willing to help me. Message me if you can!

 

[Kev]

Your chickens free range all day and night? If so I have questions for you if you are willing to help me. Message me if you can!

Used to, for 30+ years... not any more for last couple years. No real reason, just didn't want to anymore and they're permanently in very large pens- they were previously used for peafowl.

btw have not gotten orange or red yolks since they were not free roaming anymore.

 

[Nupe]

I feed an 18% protein pellet, no 20% here? Hmm.. I will add scratch! Thanks

Just remember scratch is like candy with almost no nutrition so use it sparingly. Don't mix it in the feeder either or the chickens will dump it all over the floor trying to get the goodies out. Chickens need around 15-16% total protein in their diets so your 18% is fine, you just have less wiggle room for extras unless you add more with meat, fish, eggs or bugs.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Corn is mainly just filler and is not the healthiest to give to your birds. Just as a rare treat. If you want orange yokes, increase their natural protein. That is, give them some bugs and worms, maybe let them out for an hour in the evening every other day or so so they can collect those critters from around your yard. Marigolds are given to birds to make their skin more yellow as well as their yokes since city folks don't know that that is the orange yokes that indicate the health of the diet of the chicken.

I would also give kitchen scraps to vary their options a little. Just make sure that they are getting a balanced diet.

 

[Nupe]

I talked to my feedstore guy and he says in the winter he gives his chickens alfalfa pellets (for horses) to yellow their yolks.

 

[Kmath]

I talked to my feedstore guy and he says in the winter he gives his chickens alfalfa pellets (for horses) to yellow their yolks.

I'll grab some! Thanks

 

[DrMikelleRoeder]

I've heard that feeding marigolds to my hens will help pigment their yolk? Also I have heard good and bad things about switching to corn. I have way too many predators to free range here but we are now going to provide a huge run which will give them access to more bugs

One of the many reasons for raising a backyard flock is being able to see those bright-yellow eggs!

For this reason, Purina Animal Nutrition includes marigold extract in our layer feeds – Purina

Layena

and Purina

Layena

Plus Omega-3 Premium Poultry Feeds. Marigold extract contains a high level of xanthophyll, which is a coloring agent that comes from marigolds. This ingredient should help your hens provide you with rich yellow yolks. Remember to limit additional feedstuffs (including added corn as you mention) to not more than 10% of your hens’ total diet to avoid compromising the nutritional profile needed for optimal health and egg production and quality.

You can learn more about Purina

Layena

Crumbles or Pellets here.

 

[TalkALittle]

I've read that feeding shrimp, shrimp shells and/or shrimp meal will result in nice orange yolks.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Pumpkin also helps with darker yolks.

 

[City farm]

Our ducks have a darker yolk than that of our chicken's..

Love all of the ideas to help them along..