Well, my question is regarding the effects of feed on feather color in poultry. I know it can influence color in wild birds, see the House Finch for definitive proof there:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/HoufinColorVariants.htm
What I am wondering is, particularly with red feathered birds, is there a similar thing that happens? If so, has anyone run any tests to see how and why?
For example, the article above states, "
In the wild, three carotenoid pigments found in natural foods give House Finches their color. Beta-carotene produces yellow to orange colors, isocryptoxanthin produces orange colors, and echinenone produces red colors."
And I know that in recent years some feed companies, Purina in particular, have added various forms of carotenoids to their feeds in order to boost the color of egg yolks, among other things. So I am wondering, would that have an effect on feather color as well? Would it make white birds have more orange feathers? Would it make red birds have more orange feathers? Is this something that is definable and provable?
And if so, could one, by not using feeds with the first two carotenoids, ensure that birds with red feathers, would keep their darker colors? And if a feed that had echinenone added was used, would it boost the red in a bird with red feathers?
But I need someone with a background in poultry feather genetics and color to answer these questions, because I just don't know.
