Feed and comb color question

[Ryguy3684]

My current flock consists of my original Buff Orpingtons, 5 pullets and 1 cockerel, that we hatched from our hens, earlier this year.
I was over at my brother-in-laws farm today, and noticed how vibrant red his Buff Orpingtons combs/wattles are. His came from our hatch in March, which we kept 3 and he got 4. All of my hens/pullets have pink combs, not dull, but not red. My hens combs look like they are dry, kind of like the white you get with dry skin. Mine already molted, and act perfectly healthy. They lay regularly, have no signs of lice/mites, they were wormed in October, and had a round of corid, once we found that to be what killed my rooster.

I have a rooster, so I feed all flock. They only have hens and feed layer feed. That's the only difference in our flocks. My hens combs have always been like this, so I'm wondering if their feed can make a difference in comb color?

 

[Yardmom]

What foods are you feeding? There are many different types of layer feed as well as all flock. I don't personally know if food can affect comb color or not.
Do your chickens have the same access to outside as your brother-in-laws? I have noticed that my brooder raised chicks have paler combs than those raised by hens. I was thinking the time outside might be affecting this, but that is just a guess.

 

[Ryguy3684]

They feed the Tractor Supply brand layer. I used to use Purina flock raiser, but switched to Kalmbach all flock a few months ago. It just occurred to me, that I have a man made dust bath, with DE. They do not. I wonder if the DE dries them out.
It's not a big deal, just curious if anyone else has noticed this sort of thing.

P.S.- This is not going to turn into a debate on using DE. Ive seen enough of those.

 

[Mosey2003]

What I've noticed (I have a new interest) is that the DuMor feeds have more methionine than many others, as well as a few other small differences. I would compare the actual feed tags between your feed and his and see what is different, that will tell you more than just, say, all flock vs layer. The levels and quality of certain nutrients may well vary quite a bit between them.

Also, do you both feed grit? As in granite grit, not oyster shell. Grit, of the right size especially, can make a difference.