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Cases of bird flu are on a rampant rise. News reports have the price of a dozen ‘ordinary’ eggs skyrocketing, with bird flu to blame as over 145 million hens have already had to be killed when the highly-pathogenic virus was found in their flocks. And, as many of us know, higher-quality eggs that are certified organic or ‘pasture raised’ cost more because it costs more to produce them. But many people (myself included) greatly prefer these premium eggs.

Which leads me to wonder: is this the year that many cost-and-health-conscious ‘on the fencers’ make the move to backyard chickens? I bring this up because now is the time to prepare coops to raise baby birds into egg layers, as those baby chicks are only available in the early Spring. And then I read an article by Korin Miller that appeared in Food and Wine magazine entitled “Yes, the color of your egg yolk matters.”

It contains some great information that may sway your decision of whether or not to play chicken, and more importantly, how you then feed and raise your birds. I’ve condensed a lot of that information for space and time; if you wish to read the entire article, I’ll provide links in the written version of this question of the week (which is more of an answer this week), which you’ll find under ‘garden resources’ at the Gardens Alive/Gurney’s website.

The article begins: “We asked poultry experts to explain what’s behind the shade of egg yolks. Richard Blatchford, PhD, a poultry researcher and associate specialist in Small to Industry Scale Poultry at the UC Davis Department of Animal Science, explains that grocery store eggs usually have a bright yellow or pale orange yolk, but there are variations within these colors.

“Poultry experts and farmers keep track of yolk color. The DSM Yolk Color Fan is a 16-scale color index that distinguishes yolk color and is widely used in the poultry industry. Under the scale, each number corresponds with a different shade. Number one, for example, is a pale yellow, while 16 is a deep shade of orange. “People really tend to like the rich, dark-colored yolks,” adds Blatchford.

“There are a lot of factors that can influence egg yolk color, and most of it comes down to diet”, says Sunoh Che, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of poultry management at the University of Maryland. The biggest factors include: the amount of corn in the feed, as corn can influence how yellow a yolk is, says Blatchford. “Hens that lay grocery store eggs are usually fed a corn-based diet,” he says. “That’s why most grocery store eggs are a yellow color, but not really bright.”

“…And access to fresh pasture: “Hens with access to fresh grass and pasture tend to produce eggs with more vibrant yolk colors,” says Che. “That’s because these hens generally have a more varied diet with sources of protein from bugs and [the nutrients known as] carotenoids”.

Jen Houchins, PhD, RD, director of nutrition research at The American Egg Board’s Egg Nutrition Center, agrees: “A deeper orange color may reflect a diet that includes foraging, where hens can access different plants and insects whose pigments can impact color.”

“Yolk color doesn’t necessarily indicate that the egg is more nutritious, adds Che, “Pasture-raised hens often produce eggs with higher levels of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins due to their diverse diet, not the intensity of yolk color.”

“That said, yolk color can indicate how much carotenoids are in the egg, says Houchins. Carotenoids are linked with good eye health, along with a lowered risk of cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. Generally, says Houchins, deeper orange yolks suggest a higher concentration of carotenoids.”

And finally, do orange egg yolks taste better?

The answer appears to be a resounding yes. “The best tasting eggs come from happy hens that get to forage free-range on grass, bugs, and vegetable scraps,” says Food and Wine senior food editor Breana Killeen, who raises egg-laying hens at her farm in Shelburne, Vermont. “Chicken feed can create yolks with an orange color, but the flavor doesn’t compare to yolks from chickens that are actually foraging.”

McGrath here for the final word(s): I don’t want to over-simplify the responsibilities that come with raising chickens. The babies have to be kept warm and birds of all ages need a safe critter-proof coop in which to spend the night, protected from foxes and other predators.

By day they also need protection from above, as hawks and other raptors are a serious threat (although less so if you have a rooster or two around; I once watched a rooster chase off a red-tailed hawk that plunged right through a fabric outdoor covering.) And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Eliot Coleman’s inventive ‘chicken tractor’, a large metal cage open only on the bottom that you can use to constantly—and safely—move the birds to fresh pasture.

If you are now motivated, read your state’s Extension Bulletins on the topic. There are also a number of good books and other resources available. Oh—and one last thought: don’t do anything to attract wild birds to the area. No feeders, no roosts, no bird houses. Their poop could infect your flock with the flu.

Full article:

Does the Color of Your Egg Yolks Matter?
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