What to feed for darker yolks?

[Shrader]

I know sunflower seeds make yolks a darker orange.
Is there anything else I can feed them to make their yolks darker, richer?
Thanks.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

give them green leafy vegetables, or add Alfalfa meal to the feed when you ahve it mixed.

Jim

 

[wynedot55]

you can feed them corn.that will make their yokes super rich.an put the color in them.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
Corn takes more energy to metabolize and brings up body heat, not a good idea in warm weather.


Green leafy plants will give the yolks a darker orange color.

 

[wynedot55]

see its qs an answers like this that make BYC great.because every1 has differant opions an thoughts.ive feed corn to chickens year around.an im not scared to feed it.but most people here are an thats ok.

 

[ChinaChicks1]

Kelp Meal is also good for rich dark yolks and has lots of minerals..a little goes a very long way too.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Someone posted the other day that marigolds help with darker yolks.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Spinach and yale greens are good for dark rich yolks....

Corn or scratch is not good in the summer months holds heat and thats not good for chickens, plus they don't lay as well when a diet of corn or scratch is added alot....

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

try marigold extract tabletts in their food sparingly

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Green leafy plants that the chickens find palatable and dark orange vegetables such as pumpkins/squashes, sweet potatoes, and so on. It's the xanthylls that these foods contain that give color to egg yolks and they are basically found in any vegetable that is dark green or orange.

My range can be droughty at times so I mix pure alfalfa pellets into their grain ration such as what the goat folks use with their dairy animals. Works well to keep the yolk color up and gives them green feed when the fresh stuff may be hard to find. At the moment I'm using about one half part pellets to every four parts grain. The grain and their regular mash are fed free choice.

.....Alan.