[ginaclements]

why are the yolks pale?
my ladies spend a lot of time free range on grass, they have their layer pellets, mixed corn, seed block with insects and mealworm and nettles as a treat. they've shown no interest in fresh veg treats, carrot, brocolli, tomato, cabbage, lettuce. or fruit, strawberries, blueberries, apple.
are they lacking someting else? or will the yolks deepen as they lay more? we've had about 48 eggs so far from 3 ladies.
thank you in anticipation of your help xxx

[Lindeggs]

Hello Gina,  I think as long as your chickens are healthy and happy and getting a good balanced diet, the yolk colour is something you will have to leave to sort itself out!

From your description it sounds like you are doing everything right, with layer pellets as their staple diet and plenty of opportunity to eat a good variety of greens and get some time outside in the sunshine.  That is the usual prescription for good coloured yolks.

Some people deliberately try to enhance the yolk colour by adding carotene-containing foods to their chickens' diet.  But that is just because they like the look of the oranger yolks, not for the health of the chicken or the egg.

So I say just keep up the good work and enjoy those lovely fresh eggs!

[joyfull]

there is a colour chart that farmers used to use to decide on the colour of the yolks however most ready made feeds now have things like marigold in them which helps promote a more deep golden yolk. I find though that the colour of the yolk with my hens varies depending on the time of year and the heat. Even though mine are all on the same feed they can have different coloured yolks - this may be due to them free ranging and eating different amount of feed.

[GrannieAnnie]

Most of our hens have nice deep yellow yolks, except the Bovans Whites, which are much paler, strange when you consider they are all on the same food!

[AL Hathaway]

I know dodson and Horrell have a feed that helps with strong shells and deep golden yolks it's from the  countryside range www.dodsonandhorrell.com

[ginaclements]

thank you all for your replies.
since posting this thread i've noticed the yolks have deepened slightly, and we've had a coulpe of doubles.
thanks guys

[joyfull]

I know dodson and Horrell have a feed that helps with strong shells and deep golden yolks it's from the  countryside range www.dodsonandhorrell.com

one of the ingredients is marigold 

I have tried these in the past along with garvo, bearts, and allen and page both organic and their small holders range and found I got more golden yolks from the Allen and Page organic but they are so expensive.

May just have to grow a crop of marigolds for the girls to eat 

[Lindeggs]

... May just have to grow a crop of marigolds for the girls to eat 

Mine swear by it!  One of the first things they did when I let them out in the garden was to demolish my marigold patch.    (Photo taken when I first got my wee pullets in February... I can't believe how much they've grown since then!)

[joyfull]

lovely photo 

[ginaclements]

maybe i'll grow some marigolds especially for them next year, it might keep them off my tomato plants 

[AL Hathaway]

good luck with that thought i think all chickens have heat seeking tommy finders built in. my berry bushes had fruit dont know if they were good as i never had a chance at them but my lavender araucana(sky) and my cuckoo maran (pudding) loved them. They got a work out they would jump as high as they could to snag fruit.