How colorful chicken food affects quail eggs
Improvement in the Coloration and Quality of Japanese Quail Eggs Through Supplementation with Natural Pigments
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Despite poorer feed efficiency, no other performance parameters were negatively affected.
It’s unusual for an additive to harm feed conversion without also reducing egg production or bird health—yet the abstract states performance was otherwise unchanged.
Practical Takeaways
Consumers who prefer deeply colored yolks should be aware that this may come from added pigments, not necessarily a better diet or higher nutrition.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Despite poorer feed efficiency, no other performance parameters were negatively affected.
It’s unusual for an additive to harm feed conversion without also reducing egg production or bird health—yet the abstract states performance was otherwise unchanged.
Practical Takeaways
Consumers who prefer deeply colored yolks should be aware that this may come from added pigments, not necessarily a better diet or higher nutrition.
Publication
Journal
Poultry
Year
2025
Authors
JK Valentim, Alexander Alexandre de Almeida, F. C. Serpa, Maria Fernanda de Castro Burbarelli, G. A. Félix, K. Gomes, Caio Cesar Ouros, F. R. Caldara, Silvia M. Martelli, C. Komiyama, R. G. Garcia
Related Content
Claims (5)
Farmers add paprika and marigold to chicken food to make egg yolks look more orange because people think those eggs are healthier—even if they're not.
Adding marigold flower extract to chicken feed makes egg yolks more colorful and boosts a healthy nutrient called beta-carotene, which might make eggs look better to shoppers.
Giving Japanese quails food with a little bit of paprika or marigold extract makes their egg yolks more colorful, which people usually like better.
If you feed Japanese quail a diet with 0.8% paprika, marigold, or both, they don’t turn their food into body weight or eggs as well as quail that don’t get those supplements.
Feeding quails natural plant pigments from paprika and marigolds might help keep their eggs fresher for longer by slowing down changes inside the egg as it's stored.