What To Feed Chickens For The Best Tasting Eggs (One Simple Solution)
If you’ve ever had eggs from a backyard chicken, you know there’s a difference in taste between those and what you buy at the store.
But you might be wondering how to get those delicious eggs, with orange yolks and lots of flavor, from your chickens.
It’s easy. Here’s what to feed your hens for the best-tasting eggs.
Hydration
Chickens need plenty of fresh water to produce the best eggs, and it’s important to keep an eye on the quality of that water. Make sure to check your chicken coop’s water supply regularly and switch out the water if it starts to look dirty or get fouled. A professional chicken waterer is a great way to ensure your chickens always have access to clean drinking water, and you can also connect a drip system or automatic waterer to help keep things running smoothly.
If that’s not in the cards, make sure to change the water and clean their watering jug daily.
High Protein
If you’re looking for a high-protein diet, you should consider feeding your chickens wheatgrass. This feed is rich in protein and can help give your eggs a nutritional boost. I’ve also added alfalfa and hay to their diet in winter, which helps keep them healthy and provides them with the protein they need.
But the very best protein source for your flock? Bugs! Lots of bug-eating is one of the biggest benefits of free-ranging your chickens.
Free-Ranging
Chickens that are allowed to roam freely produce eggs that have better flavor and nutritional value. This is because they are able to forage for seeds, wild berries, and insects in their yard. Additionally, backyard chickens that have access to a large area or the ability to roam free are healthier than those who don’t.
If you would like your flock of chickens to have free range, you should fence off brightly colored produce such as tomatoes and other vegetables. By doing this, you will protect your chickens from eating something poisonous (or destroying your hard work!) while still giving them the opportunity to find food on their own.
Herbs and Other Extras
When it comes to chicken feed, there are a number of things you can do to improve the taste and smell of your eggs. For example, adding herbs like calendula, lavender, roses, and chamomile can have a positive impact. There are also studies that show oregano and garlic have anti-disease properties for chickens.
In addition to herbs, oatmeal is necessary to break down the digestion of food in chickens. Adding alfalfa, garlic, and oregano to chicken feed can eliminate the need for artificial antibiotics. Wheatgrass is another great option for chickens–it helps them produce richer golden yolks.
All of these extras help keep chickens healthy and disease-free. Oregano and garlic help prevent infections in hens with antibiotic properties while the oatmeal provides a source of fiber in an easy-to-break-down form.
The Chicken Health Handbook, 2nd Edition: A Complete Guide to Maximizing Flock Health and Dealing with DiseaseThe Suburban Chicken: The Guide to Keeping Healthy, Thriving Chickens in Your Backyard (CompanionHouse Books) Preventative Care, Coop Styles, Breeds, Egg Production, Hatching, Optimal Diet, and MoreThe Complete Guide to Raising backyard Chickens: Everything You Need from A-Z to Maintain a Healthy Happy Flock and Produce Self-sufficient Eggs and Meat All from the Comfort of Your Own BackyardPETSFIT Nesting Boxes for Chickens, Double Nesting Box with PVC Roof, Chicken Coop Accessories, Big Duty Laying Nest Box Also for Duck and PoultryComplete Chicken Wheat Grass Fodder Grow Kit. 10×20 Grow Container, (3X) Jute Grow Medium Cloth and Wheatgrass Seeds. Harvest in 10 Days. Keto (One Pound Wheatgrass Seeds)winemana Chick Feeder 1 Lb and Waterer 1.5 L Kit, Hanging Poultry Plastic Containers for Outdoor (Size: 7
Calcium from Shells
Giving your chickens eggshells is a great way to provide them with the calcium they need. Not only does this help their bones stay healthy, but it also boosts their immune system and can even lengthen their life span! Be sure to crumble the shell prior to adding it to food so that your chickens don’t associate their eggs with diet. And if you ever see a broken or spoiled egg, it may be time for your hens to take a break from eating shells.
It’s important to be careful about what you are putting into your chicken’s mouth, as some calcium pills can be unsafe for animals. That’s why oyster shells make such a great choice – they’re a healthy, sustainable way to supplement calcium without putting your flock at risk.
Adding ground oysters or ground eggshells to the feed mix is an easy way to bolster egg production and maintain a healthy level of calcium in your flock.
Clean Nest Boxes
Good housekeeping is important when it comes to keeping your eggs clean. If you provide plenty of covered nest boxes for every four hens, they will be more likely to lay their eggs in the box instead of on the floor. The nest boxes should be easy to clean and lined with non-toxic wood shavings to cushion the eggs and absorb droppings.
Nest boxes should be cleaned out regularly to help reduce the risk of bacteria. Different types of insects can make nests in nest boxes so different types need specific cleaning methods.
Seasonal Feeding Adjustments
Warmer Weather: During warmer weather, it’s important to keep your chickens hydrated. Clean water should be available at all times. Additionally, feeding them fresh veggies and garden scraps can help keep them cool and healthy.
Cold Weather: In winter months, chickens need more energy to stay warm. Providing them with added protein and fatty acids can help maintain their body temperature and ensure they continue laying fresh eggs.
Feeding Baby Chicks
Nutritional Needs: Baby chicks require a complete feed specially formulated for their growth. As they mature, transitioning them to layers of pellets ensures they get the essential nutrients needed for becoming healthy, productive hens.
Introducing Scratch Grains and Greens: As your chicks grow, you can start introducing scratch grains and small amounts of leafy greens. This helps them develop strong digestion and prepares them for a more varied diet as adults.
Enhancing Egg Quality
Balanced Diet and Essential Nutrients: Providing a balanced diet rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins like vitamin D and vitamin E, and amino acids is key to producing healthier chickens and better eggs.
Feed Efficiency and Quality Feeds: Recent studies show that quality feeds contribute significantly to egg quality. Look for feeds that offer a complete nutrient profile and are formulated to support the health of today’s chickens.
FAQs
You’re indirectly eating what the chicken eats. If your chicken eats only corn feed, that’s what you’re consuming too.
In the end, the best way to ensure great-tasting eggs is by giving your chickens a healthy and varied diet. This will ensure that they get all the nutrients they need, which will then be passed on to their eggs.
Yes, but it takes a lot of a certain food to affect egg flavor. Too much garlic and onions can do this, and so can foods with a high sulfate content. Foods like eggs, dairy, and meat can cause an unpleasant odor when digested which leads to broken eggs in the chicken pen. Make sure you’re providing your chickens with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables instead!
An orange egg yolk means that the hen was fed a diet high in beta-carotene, which is why the yolk is orange.
The color of an egg yolk is determined by the hen’s diet. A diet high in green vegetables will produce darker yolks, while a diet with mostly yellow and orange foods will result in eggs with lighter yolks.
Foods that are rich in green vegetables give eggs with naturally darker yolks. This includes items like spinach, broccoli, and kale.
A forage-based diet allows chickens to eat fresh foods like grass clippings and insects, which can improve egg taste and overall feed efficiency. Pasture-raised chickens often produce better-tasting eggs due to their varied diet.
Yes, kitchen scraps can be a great addition to your chickens’ diet, providing healthy snacks and reducing waste. You can even feed them leftover chicken! Just be mindful to avoid foods that could cause a fishy taste in the eggs, such as fish meal.
While chicken breeds can influence egg size and color, the egg taste is primarily affected by their diet and living conditions. Ensuring they have a natural diet and access to a chicken run can lead to better-tasting eggs.
Yes, the age of an egg can impact its flavor. Fresh eggs have a more vibrant taste and texture compared to older eggs from the grocery store. Consuming eggs shortly after they are laid ensures the best flavor.
In short, if you can free-range your flock, you’ll have the best-tasting eggs. Since that isn’t an option for everyone, try feeding them bugs and greens as an alternative.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.
