If you were shown three eggs with different yolk colors, could you tell which one came from the healthiest chicken? At first glance, the deep orange yolk might look like the obvious choice, but yolk color doesn’t actually tell you whether a hen is healthy. All three eggs can come from healthy chickens.

The main factor behind yolk color is the hen’s diet. Natural pigments called carotenoids are absorbed from food and stored in the yolk, creating different shades. A pale yellow yolk can result from feed containing grains such as wheat or barley, while a more golden yolk may come from diets containing yellow corn or alfalfa.

The deep orange yolk usually indicates a diet richer in carotenoids. Hens that eat plenty of greens and other plants while foraging outdoors may produce darker yolks. Similar coloring can also come from feed containing ingredients such as marigold petals, clover, or paprika. The stronger color may be associated with higher amounts of certain antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, but it doesn’t automatically mean the chicken was healthier.

So, if you chose 1, 2, or 3 based only on yolk color, there isn’t a correct answer for which hen was healthiest. Yolk color mainly tells you something about what the chicken ate, rather than its overall health. The three eggs can have broadly similar amounts of protein and fat, even though their yolks look very different. 🥚