Noticed a big change in egg color after switching feed brands

I've had my Rhode Island Reds for about 8 months now. Their eggs started out as a nice medium brown, but around month 4, they got noticeably paler, more tan than brown. I thought it was just age or stress, but then I switched my feed from a generic store brand to a higher-protein layer feed three weeks ago. Now the eggs are back to that rich, dark brown color, almost like when they first started laying. It's wild how much the feed seems to impact shell color. Has anyone else seen their egg shades shift after a feed change?

2 comments

2 Comments

chen.fiona2d ago

My buddy runs a small backyard flock and had the exact same thing happen with her Barred Rocks. She switched to a soy-free feed and their eggs went from a speckled tan to a much darker brown in about two weeks. She swears it was the feed and not anything else, so your story makes total sense to me.

hugo_nelson2d ago

Wait, soy can change egg color that fast?