Yolk color and breeds

[they'reHISchickens]

Has anyone noticed a difference in the yolk colors between breeds in a mixed flock? Our single Leghorn girl ( courtesy of granddaughter's embryology project) lays eggs which are definitely lighter in yolk yellow than our orps, RIRs, and marans even though they are all together, free ranged and fed the same. All the yolks vary from time to time in shades of orange ( diet bug content?) but always the leghorn's is light/bright yellow while the other breeds' are dark yellow/orangish.
Things one notices when frying breakfast eggs!
Or should this move to the Egglaying section?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have not noticed a difference in breeds since all I have is mutts, but I have noticed a difference in individual hens, even though they are fed the same and have the same opportunities at the stuff I feed them. I'm keeping hem penned right now because of a specific predator problem, but even when they are free ranging, their can be a difference.

It's not just bugs, but the plant stuff they eat that colors the yolks. They get yolk color from the green stuff, but also from ripe tomatoes, red peppers, or marigold or zinnia flowers, whatever I get out of my garden. Sometimes it only takes a day or so of cleaning out part of my garden to see a big difference.

I think the difference in mine is partly how a hen internally processes the different nutrients she eats. I don't know if this internal processing difference is a genetic thing, which means it would probably run in breeds or strains, or if it is just something that happens, like one of my boys eating vegetables and another not eating them at all.

I've also noticed some like the tomatoes, peppers, or marigold flowers better than others. This probably makes a difference too.