Enhancing egg color?

[chickenwhisperer]

Is there a way?

Im gonna have a few different colored eggs when my hens grow up.

What causes the eggs to be colored?
What causes the speckling on some kinds?
Is there foods or treats that will enhance browns, chocolates, and greens/blues?


Im really concerned about my Welsummers, the concensus is that the hatchery birds dont lay very dark eggs, but thats what I want.
Guess Ill just have to wait and see . . .


These days, 5-6 months goes by in the blink of an eye, but when Im waiting for something, 5-6 months is like an eternitiy . . .

 

[Chicken Chaperone]

Ooo- great question!!

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Thankyou, lets see if we get any answers . . .

 

[Armageddon]

 

[skittle]

its all down to breeding mostly from the male
if u already have the colour genetics u can cross a roo from a light colourd egg (the roo should have the light gene)the light genetics will cross with lets say a green egg layer the offspring can have a lighter egg or even a cream/white egg
if u cross a roo from a dark egg(the roo shuld have thedark gene) with the same hen ull end up with a darker or brown egg from the offspring
if u have a roo with the blue gen...and cross it with the green u can end up with a lighter green or a blue egg from the offspring
neway u get the idear
however there is always throwbacks that will give u some undifind results.

also the eggs are colourd like a spray just befor there layed but an aracuna egg isnot that colour is infused into the shell
another thing is that egg colour has been linked in some birds to earlobe colour if the earlobe is white ur egg is likly to be light
if red or dark it is likly to be cream/brown

i dont kno y but i researched this 0.o a while back for no reson humm strange

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Mix Easter egg dye in their food!

 

[chickenwhisperer]

What Im asking, is there a food I can give them that would help make browns darker and such?

I know with fish and certain amphibians, I can feed them caretenoids and any orange/red/yellow color is greatly enhanced.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=278349&p=1

 

[chickenwhisperer]

WOW, thanks for that link!
That was amazing!

I found some answers, but oh so many more questions now . . .


Here is the answer to my posted question, and I think Im gonna give some of it a try.

Quote:

 

[jeremy]

Using a quality layer feed helps my girl's egg quality tremendously. Color, size, conformity, all are much better when I'm not using a "cheap" or "generic" food.

I use Layena by Purina Mills and a feed that I've found to be quite good from a local feed store here in Oakland.

Hope this helps.