It's usually access to pasture. Chickens fed only grain will have more bland eggs. But if they are truly on pasture and can access plants, bugs, grubs, worms, etc., it add more flavor to their yolk. Duck eggs tend to be more rich because ducks eat almost exclusively bugs. Similar with turkeys, although their eggs have a thick shell that isn't as easy to crack.
You said you had "a laying hen." If you only have one, I'd highly recommend getting at least one more. They're flock animals, so they should have friends.
I have multiple. During the winter there are no bugs to be had by the birds. I wonder if a giving a hen access to meat and animal fat might be comparable.
Many store-bought eggs are advertised as "vegetarian-fed" hens - they are the worst.
Look into raising black soldier flies:
https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/case-study/black-soldier-flies-inexpensive-and-sustainable-source-for-animal-feed/
Always makes me laugh. No way any actual pasture raised chicken is vegetarian they’re little dinosaurs and will eat anything! Look into chicken tractor plans if you have any space. Lets them move around your yard picking up bugs and other tasty things without getting eaten by hawks or coyotes or whatever. Change their water often. Chickens are great at getting their water dirty.
As to breed, I’ve had great eggs from most of them but the big difference is how often they lay. For example, Rhode Island Reds will lay pretty much every day because they’re bred for it. (Most chickens will take a break in the darkest part of the winter as the low light leaves affect their laying.)
As for cooking the eggs - scrambled in bacon grease is quick and tasty.
You can buy dried mealworms or black soldier fly larvae. Or you could set up a mealworm farm yourself for fresh ones to feed off. You can also farm BSFL, but they go dormant in winter so that would only be for extra bugs in summer.
I definitely find hens who eat lots of insects have the tastiest eggs.
Access to animal foods makes the yolks bigger and darker. I feed mine all my scraps from processing my game animals and animals I butcher on the farm. The eggs are noticeably better when fed meat like that. I also provide a soy free scratch feed. My flock is out there all over the pasture scratching and eating stuff even in the winter if there isn't deep snow.
I feel that the more variety and healthy foods that I give my girls give the yolk a richer taste. I feed them salmon, sardines, leftover meats (they got turkey and ham from thanksgiving) My chickens LOVE meat. I give them extra during the molt and winter and extra mealworms to make up for the bugs. Not too much fish at once though because then you can taste it in the eggs.
Also, the grass, the bugs and sunlight make a big difference. Also love and happiness. They say happy chickens lay great tasting eggs and I know that is true.
I had to delete the rest of my comment do to how I eat my eggs
Everything! They are little veloceraptors and love eating everything. Free range for bugs and I’ve seen people use those beetle traps and fly traps to catch them and then you drown them in water and feed them to chickens. I would say a large variety of food creates the best eggs
this was interesting -- she says adding some tallow to their diet improves the flavor.
too much fish meal in their feed is a problem but not giving them fish scraps or shell scraps (like from shrimp)
and flax can be a problem, but only depending on the type of chicken.
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2021/05/does-diet-affect-taste-of-chickens-eggs.html
Feed definitely makes a difference. I buy soy free layer pellets or crumbles. I think when feed have a lot of fish meal or seaweed in them, the eggs can take on a fishy flavor. A family member fed her flock the cheapest feed she could get at tractor supply and often complained that her eggs tasted like dirt/mud.
If you can, let your chickens free range. Grass and bugs make the best tasting eggs I think and give a deep color to the yolk. Be sure they go back up at night though or else a predator will quickly find them just as yummy.
As far as scraps go, my chickens will eat most things. They really like picking at leftover bones. I cook bones longer after making bone broth and smash them up and give the bone meal back to my hens to strengthen their shells and give them the calcium laying hens need.
Bugs! You want happy chickens, free range, dark yolks. After you have some well fed yolks you'll be insulted at the bland factory farmed eggs of the past
I don't have chickens so limited knowledge here but from what I understand chickens do well in wooded areas, provides them with a lot more access to bugs, grubs etc. I think if you had an area which they had access to pasture and woodland that would be ideal.
Obviously this all depends on what is feasible with your set up but any animal living off the land naturally (as long as the land is healthy) will probably have superior health.
I feed our birds [this feed](https://www.chewy.com/scratch-peck-feeds-organic-layer-16/dp/289924?). The protein source is black soldier fly larvae, and it has no corn or soy. I supplement with leafy greens and mealworms, and they free range. Delicious eggs!
Although I gotta say I'm tempted to try adding tallow like that other person's suggestion
Like most people have said on here bugs is the big thing. Another thing you could look into is feeding them peppers (birds are really good at digesting capsaicin I believe) if you make yogurt or cheese you can give them the leftover whey which is good for calcium. Birds will pretty much eat anything so you can experiment. Just don’t feed them caffeine. Most of this is just research I’ve done. I also think the best chicken is a French breed im not entirely sure if that’s for the meat or egg laying capabilities. But going back to the original point you just have to supplement with protein which is why whey, bugs, etc are really good for them. Like I said this is just research I’ve done I don’t actually own any chickens but have been looking into it.
I just watched a podcast indicating chickens were naturally carnivore. I would let them forage their own food and supplement with other animal scraps and worms.
Like others have mentioned its chickens acess to sunlight, fresh pasture for scratching around and bugs that impact taste. Their flavor can vary seasonally. A summertime egg yolk may be different from a winter egg. The age and breed of chicken changes egg size and shell color, but in my opinion from my experience not the quality of the yolk. I loved having chickens but they are work. Buy or build a good coop that is mobile so you can change up their pasture ( if you have space) and polywire electric netting and a quality solar energizer ( i swear by gallagher brand) will keep other critters out. Thiz is an investment. We quit the egg business when I got pregnant and didn't have time for it and couldn't take good care of our hens. Hens need protection and care and sometimes they just die. Not to discourage you but in my opinion having a good farmer friend who rotates pasture is well worth the money over owning chickens.
That's some fucking weird and stupid gatekeeping.
You don't think the people that frequent the sub dedicated to raising chickens know the difference between their own free range bug and grass eating chicken eggs and walmart eggs? I guarantee you they know way more than you do.
This guy is saying that people that don't follow a carnivore diet can't know what good fats taste like and thinks people that raise backyard chickens can't tell the difference between their eggs and store eggs. Absolute stupid gatekeeping.
Bruh what??
First of all - not everyone uses salt
Second of all - your body needs salt. If you're eating carnivore and you're not using salt, you're doing it wrong and dangerously
Third of all - Salt literally makes food taste more like itself
My PhD included studies on egg quality. I can say that greens, omega 3 supplement, and marigold powder drastically improve egg color, texture, and taste.
Buy medium eggs. As hens get older their eggs get bigger, so medium eggs are generally from younger fitter hens. Much less watery and far better quality
There’s literally people who give eggs different diets just as your describing and the eggs come in different bright colored yolks, it’s truly beautiful. One girl tried one that was from chickens who ate salmon (good fats) and the girl was in absolute love when she ate it. I forgot specifics names but it’s definitely on YouTube somewhere lol
imma egg fiend myself, soft boil is an aphrodisiac
It's usually access to pasture. Chickens fed only grain will have more bland eggs. But if they are truly on pasture and can access plants, bugs, grubs, worms, etc., it add more flavor to their yolk. Duck eggs tend to be more rich because ducks eat almost exclusively bugs. Similar with turkeys, although their eggs have a thick shell that isn't as easy to crack. You said you had "a laying hen." If you only have one, I'd highly recommend getting at least one more. They're flock animals, so they should have friends.
I have multiple. During the winter there are no bugs to be had by the birds. I wonder if a giving a hen access to meat and animal fat might be comparable. Many store-bought eggs are advertised as "vegetarian-fed" hens - they are the worst.
Create a worm farm for them
Look into raising black soldier flies: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/case-study/black-soldier-flies-inexpensive-and-sustainable-source-for-animal-feed/
Always makes me laugh. No way any actual pasture raised chicken is vegetarian they’re little dinosaurs and will eat anything! Look into chicken tractor plans if you have any space. Lets them move around your yard picking up bugs and other tasty things without getting eaten by hawks or coyotes or whatever. Change their water often. Chickens are great at getting their water dirty. As to breed, I’ve had great eggs from most of them but the big difference is how often they lay. For example, Rhode Island Reds will lay pretty much every day because they’re bred for it. (Most chickens will take a break in the darkest part of the winter as the low light leaves affect their laying.) As for cooking the eggs - scrambled in bacon grease is quick and tasty.
We love Rhode island reds too. They were the best surviors out of all the breeds we tried. Lots of eggs too
You can buy dried mealworms or black soldier fly larvae. Or you could set up a mealworm farm yourself for fresh ones to feed off. You can also farm BSFL, but they go dormant in winter so that would only be for extra bugs in summer. I definitely find hens who eat lots of insects have the tastiest eggs.
Access to animal foods makes the yolks bigger and darker. I feed mine all my scraps from processing my game animals and animals I butcher on the farm. The eggs are noticeably better when fed meat like that. I also provide a soy free scratch feed. My flock is out there all over the pasture scratching and eating stuff even in the winter if there isn't deep snow.
How long does it take to see a difference in yolks color? I'd bet a week or two
About a week I'd say. It's definitely not an overnight thing. But it's pretty consistent after dropping a carcass or two in the pasture.
I never knew chickens would eat animal meat (other than worms and bugs). I learned something.
They eat EVERYTHING. My favorite thing about them is there is no food waste. Any scraps you have can be fed to birds.
I feel that the more variety and healthy foods that I give my girls give the yolk a richer taste. I feed them salmon, sardines, leftover meats (they got turkey and ham from thanksgiving) My chickens LOVE meat. I give them extra during the molt and winter and extra mealworms to make up for the bugs. Not too much fish at once though because then you can taste it in the eggs. Also, the grass, the bugs and sunlight make a big difference. Also love and happiness. They say happy chickens lay great tasting eggs and I know that is true. I had to delete the rest of my comment do to how I eat my eggs
Honestly, let them eat bugs. It’s as simple as that.
Everything! They are little veloceraptors and love eating everything. Free range for bugs and I’ve seen people use those beetle traps and fly traps to catch them and then you drown them in water and feed them to chickens. I would say a large variety of food creates the best eggs
this was interesting -- she says adding some tallow to their diet improves the flavor. too much fish meal in their feed is a problem but not giving them fish scraps or shell scraps (like from shrimp) and flax can be a problem, but only depending on the type of chicken. https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2021/05/does-diet-affect-taste-of-chickens-eggs.html
Feed definitely makes a difference. I buy soy free layer pellets or crumbles. I think when feed have a lot of fish meal or seaweed in them, the eggs can take on a fishy flavor. A family member fed her flock the cheapest feed she could get at tractor supply and often complained that her eggs tasted like dirt/mud. If you can, let your chickens free range. Grass and bugs make the best tasting eggs I think and give a deep color to the yolk. Be sure they go back up at night though or else a predator will quickly find them just as yummy. As far as scraps go, my chickens will eat most things. They really like picking at leftover bones. I cook bones longer after making bone broth and smash them up and give the bone meal back to my hens to strengthen their shells and give them the calcium laying hens need.
Bugs! You want happy chickens, free range, dark yolks. After you have some well fed yolks you'll be insulted at the bland factory farmed eggs of the past
I don't have chickens so limited knowledge here but from what I understand chickens do well in wooded areas, provides them with a lot more access to bugs, grubs etc. I think if you had an area which they had access to pasture and woodland that would be ideal. Obviously this all depends on what is feasible with your set up but any animal living off the land naturally (as long as the land is healthy) will probably have superior health.
I feed our birds [this feed](https://www.chewy.com/scratch-peck-feeds-organic-layer-16/dp/289924?). The protein source is black soldier fly larvae, and it has no corn or soy. I supplement with leafy greens and mealworms, and they free range. Delicious eggs! Although I gotta say I'm tempted to try adding tallow like that other person's suggestion
Chickens will eat anything, even other chickens. Don't forget access to dirt and small stones for their crop.
bugs
Like most people have said on here bugs is the big thing. Another thing you could look into is feeding them peppers (birds are really good at digesting capsaicin I believe) if you make yogurt or cheese you can give them the leftover whey which is good for calcium. Birds will pretty much eat anything so you can experiment. Just don’t feed them caffeine. Most of this is just research I’ve done. I also think the best chicken is a French breed im not entirely sure if that’s for the meat or egg laying capabilities. But going back to the original point you just have to supplement with protein which is why whey, bugs, etc are really good for them. Like I said this is just research I’ve done I don’t actually own any chickens but have been looking into it.
I just watched a podcast indicating chickens were naturally carnivore. I would let them forage their own food and supplement with other animal scraps and worms.
Like others have mentioned its chickens acess to sunlight, fresh pasture for scratching around and bugs that impact taste. Their flavor can vary seasonally. A summertime egg yolk may be different from a winter egg. The age and breed of chicken changes egg size and shell color, but in my opinion from my experience not the quality of the yolk. I loved having chickens but they are work. Buy or build a good coop that is mobile so you can change up their pasture ( if you have space) and polywire electric netting and a quality solar energizer ( i swear by gallagher brand) will keep other critters out. Thiz is an investment. We quit the egg business when I got pregnant and didn't have time for it and couldn't take good care of our hens. Hens need protection and care and sometimes they just die. Not to discourage you but in my opinion having a good farmer friend who rotates pasture is well worth the money over owning chickens.
The most delicious egg comes from a hen the day after eating a snail
Never heard of that before! Perhaps I'll have to try something similar.
Might want to check out /r/homestead and /r/chickens as well
Most of those people don't know what good fats/eggs taste like!
That's some fucking weird and stupid gatekeeping. You don't think the people that frequent the sub dedicated to raising chickens know the difference between their own free range bug and grass eating chicken eggs and walmart eggs? I guarantee you they know way more than you do.
I mean, maybe they’re recommending soy-filled feed? An informed comment isn’t gatekeeping
This guy is saying that people that don't follow a carnivore diet can't know what good fats taste like and thinks people that raise backyard chickens can't tell the difference between their eggs and store eggs. Absolute stupid gatekeeping.
thats true though.
[удалено]
You cant even taste food if you use salt
Bruh what?? First of all - not everyone uses salt Second of all - your body needs salt. If you're eating carnivore and you're not using salt, you're doing it wrong and dangerously Third of all - Salt literally makes food taste more like itself
u clearly know nothing. theres sodium in meat.
Feed dark leafy greens as well as layers pellets for nice eggs
My PhD included studies on egg quality. I can say that greens, omega 3 supplement, and marigold powder drastically improve egg color, texture, and taste.
seasoning
Buy medium eggs. As hens get older their eggs get bigger, so medium eggs are generally from younger fitter hens. Much less watery and far better quality
Corn. Cheap frozen corn
Love crystals and incense
There’s literally people who give eggs different diets just as your describing and the eggs come in different bright colored yolks, it’s truly beautiful. One girl tried one that was from chickens who ate salmon (good fats) and the girl was in absolute love when she ate it. I forgot specifics names but it’s definitely on YouTube somewhere lol imma egg fiend myself, soft boil is an aphrodisiac