The color of an egg yolk is determined almost entirely by the hen’s diet rather than the breed or whether the eggs are “farm-raised” or “store-bought.”

Here’s why home-raised chicken yolks are often more yellow (or even deep orange):

1. Natural forage and greens

• Chickens raised at home often roam freely, eating grass, weeds, clovers, and leafy plants. These contain xanthophylls (a type of carotenoid pigment), which concentrate in the yolk and make it brighter yellow to orange.

2. Bugs and diverse diet

• Free-ranging hens eat insects, worms, and other protein sources rich in pigments and nutrients. This varied diet boosts yolk color and nutritional richness.

3. Vegetable scraps and grains

• Many backyard flocks get kitchen scraps like carrots, pumpkins, kale, or spinach—all loaded with carotenoids. These deepen the yolk color.

4. Mass production diets

• Commercial egg producers typically feed hens a standardized grain-based diet (corn, soy, wheat, supplements). While it’s balanced for production and shell strength, it lacks the natural diversity and pigment-rich plants bugs provide.

• Some commercial farms do add marigold petals, paprika, or artificial pigments to brighten yolks, but the effect is usually a more uniform pale yellow compared to the rich variability of home-raised eggs.

👉 So: the more greens and carotenoid-rich foods a chicken eats, the darker and richer the yolk color.