How To Get Better Tasting Eggs From Your Backyard Chickens

By Elena from Ready Store

Backyard chicken eggs have the potential to be more delicious and more nutrient-dense than those you can get from the grocery store. But, did you know that with just a few adjustments to your chickens' diet, they can produce richer, tastier eggs? With a few exceptions, store bought chicken feed is not as effective and nutritious as a thought-out diet for your chickens. Here are some ideas for better eggs:

Protein Remember, protein is basically what eggs are composed of. However, chickens don't manufacture their own amino acids in their guts. (Amino acids build protein.) You want to provide the best sources for your chickens to create the best eggs. The right protein sources can increase your eggs' taste and nutrition. It can also add depth to the yolk's golden color. Try these sources of protein: - wheat grass (obviously non-GMO and organic is ideal) -alfalfa (specifically helps with darker yolk pigments) -grass hay -meal worms -earth worms -fish meal -flax seed (also adds good omegas-3 and 6) *Keep at less than 10% or it will affect the flavor of the egg. Protein should make up about 16-18% (1) of your chicken feed.

Greens/Veggies The right balance of the right vegetables is key to great eggs. A good rule to follow is to make sure you don't give them veggie scraps that take the chickens more than 20 minutes to pick through and eat. Try sources like: -tomatoes -cabbage -spinach -grass clippings -weeds -table salad scraps

Fiber Carbs are an important part of a chicken's diet. Just make sure you are feeding your chickens nutrient dense carbs with a decent fiber content. Spread whole grains on the ground so the chickens can scratch and pick. Great, fiber-rich grains are: -oatmeal -alfalfa -rye -barley

Calcium For strong shells, chickens need calcium. Crushed oyster shells are the best option for providing supplemental calcium. They stay in the digestive tracke the longest, which optimizes calcium absorption. Crushed eggshells make a good supplement in addition to crushed oyster shells.

The right diet for your chickens can produce the best eggs for your family. Just a few additions can improve your eggs significantly.

References: (1)http://www.poultryhub.org/nutrition/nutrient-requirements/nutrient-requirements-of-egg-laying-chickens/ (2)http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Summer2003/Chickens/tabid/1481/Default.aspx

8 years ago

Comments

Northwoods Cheryl

8 years ago at 6:40 AM

As it mentions above, cabbage works great. I have been feeding chopped raw cabbage to my flock since I noticed they really liked fresh vegetables, especially in the winter. It kept them laying all last winter, without the use of artificial lighting. I am in a northern Wisconsin climate, so that's saying something! i had noticed they were eating a lot of the hay I was using as nesting materials for them. So I gave them green cabbage, and they sure improved the quality of the eggs, and the number they laid.

Mark

4 years ago at 6:36 AM

Fresh pumpkin is great for the girls too .. I grow lost of pumpkins to feed them throughout the winter .

Kim

3 years ago at 11:50 AM

At the end of gardening season let your hens help with gleaning any leftover produce you don't want. They'll get so excited to eat not only the produce treats but also any insects (if you grow oganic) that may try to hide and overwinter in your garden beds. Unlike guineas (which are also very beneficial for insect control), chickens will better till the soil with their scratching to incorporate their droppings for next year's garden fertility.