What to feed hens to get deep orange yolks?

[Batzilla]

I add paprika (not hot or smoked) to my feed and it works great to darken up those yolks. The attached photo is a comparison to when I first got anew pullet and she had laid an egg in the shipping box, and the second photo is one of her eggs and one of my other hen’s eggs after I had been adding paprika for a few weeks.

I do find the paprika works better when I add it to fermented feed, but it also does add some color when it is just mixed in with my dry feed, just not as much. And you do need to add a decent amount to see the effects. When I add it to my feed, it turns the feed reddish orange. I buy the paprika in bulk from Amazon or Costco (~$6 for a 1lb jar) and use about 1/2 to 3/4 of a jar per month for my fermented feed, and mix it into the fermented feed right before I feed it. For my dry feed, I use about 2 lbs of paprika mixed into about 35-40 lbs of feed (because I ferment, I don’t go through as much dry feed. I do have it available at all time for the girls, though).

 

[HotPotatoGareningChannel]

I wonder if saffron water would help...

 

[LaFleche]

Carrots, either grated with a bit of added germ oil or whole to keep them busy.
Fresh broccoli works too.

 

[ChaosMom]

Carrots, either grated with a bit of added germ oil or whole to keep them busy.
Fresh broccoli works too.

I just peeled a dozen carrots for corned beef hash. The girls were supremely unimpressed.

- I’m telling myself that they must be getting all they need from their fermented feed, because other than earthworms, they’re pretty meh about anything else.

 

[LaFleche]

I just peeled a dozen carrots for corned beef hash. The girls were supremely unimpressed.

- I’m telling myself that they must be getting all they need from their fermented feed, because other than earthworms, they’re pretty meh about anything else.

My chicks get grated carrots and fresh broccoli already from a young age. The mother hens teach them how very great stuff it is, so they learn to love it and are eager to devour them whole when they get older.

If your chickens have never tasted carrots before, start with grated and add some greek yoghurt, millet and fine rolled oats on top to entice them.

 

[Toothpick]

Why do you want to change the yolk color?

 

[BDutch]

My chicks get grated carrots and fresh broccoli already from a young age. The mother hens teach them how very great stuff it is, so they learn to love it and are eager to devour them whole when they get older.

If your chickens have never tasted carrots before, start with grated and add some greek yoghurt, millet and fine rolled oats on top to entice them.

Like children who beed to learn to eat weird food.

Mine eat thin sliced and cut carrots and rasps.