Egg Colour

Not the shells, but the actual yolks.
We keep a mixed flock of pure bred Marans and Light Sussex. Both the breeds are kept in the same grass run, are fed on the same food, are both of a similar age  and are both at the same stage in their laying cycle.

This morning, the whole family sat down to a hearty breakfast of fresh pullet eggs and we noticed something straight away. The dark brown shelled Maran eggs produced a very pale yolk while contrary to what we imagined would be the case, the lighter shelled Sussex produced really deep orange coloured ones.

Has anyone else noticed this  difference between breeds  ?

The shells.





The yolks.





This was just one pan full but all the eggs went on to show this very marked difference.

I was wondering whether the pigment went into making the colour of the shell with the Marans rather than into the yolks.

i've got a similar problem - if it is a problem- I have 2 warrens, both the same age, food, environment etc, both healthy. Yet one lays "normal" coloured yolks, and the other lays ones with yolks that are so pale they are the colour of a very pale lemon curd! They taste Ok but the colour of the yolk is off putting. The whites are a normal consistency and clear same as the other hens eggs. Any ideas?