Yolk and Gut Boost
This is one of the mixes that I add daily for our laying chickens. I mix enough to fill a 64 oz Ball jar. Adjust accordingly to the size of your flock.
Serving is one tablespoon per every 5 full size hens, mixed in food daily.
For our flock, this mix is always in their prepared breakfast. If your flock is on feed, mix based on their daily intake or if you’re doing multiple days of feed/ grains in larger feeders, mix well and adjust as needed.
Ingredient List:
Nutritional yeast: 16 oz (454 g)
Pumpkin powder: 12 oz (340 g)
Carrot powder: 10 oz (283 g)
Flax seed, ground: 10 oz (283 g)
Turmeric: 6 oz (170 g)
Ginger: 4 oz (113 g)
Marigold: 4 oz (113 g)
Whole peppercorns: 1.5 oz (43 g)
Cayenne: 0.5 oz (14 g)
Benefits:
Turmeric. Curcumin is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In poultry it supports gut lining, liver load, and immune response. It also deepens yolk color.
Peppercorn. Piperine. It is in the mix so the turmeric actually gets used. Without black pepper, most curcumin just passes through.
Pumpkin. Flesh brings fiber and beta-carotene. Seeds are the part tied to worms. Cucurbitin in the seeds is the traditional reason people add pumpkin when parasite pressure is up. Flesh alone is mostly gut fiber and color.
Carrot. Beta-carotene, which chickens convert to vitamin A. That matters for eyes, mucous membranes, respiratory lining, and reproduction. Also feeds yolk color.
Nutritional yeast. B vitamins and a little protein. Birds use B vitamins for energy, appetite, feather growth, and nerve function.
Ginger. Digestion and inflammation. It settles the gut, supports circulation, and has mild antimicrobial action. Useful in a daily mix when the pen is dusty or the birds are stressed.
Flax seed. ALA omega-3. It shows up in the egg. Also fiber. Grind it. Whole seed mostly goes out the other end.
Cayenne. Capsaicin. Small amounts stimulate appetite and circulation and have some antimicrobial effect. Too much and they back off the feed. This is a seasoning, not a dose.
Marigolds. Petals are lutein and zeaxanthin. That is the clean way to get deep orange yolks, and those carotenoids are antioxidants.
Together this is a gut health and anti-inflammation mix. If you are also mixing the Flock Parasite Defense, DO NOT add Cayenne to the Yolk and Gut Boost, it can overload their systems.