Photos of chicken eggs with a dark green yolk have been doing the rounds on social media these days, puzzling both veterinary experts and the general public.

Originally thought to be the result of digital image editing, the viral photos were eventually traced back to Ak Shihabudheen, a chicken farmer from Malappuram, who confirmed that some of his poultry do in fact lay eggs with green egg yolks. To prove his claims, the young farmer even posted a video of himself cracking open an egg and revealing the dark green yolk. He recently told reporters that journalists and veterinarians from all over India have contacted him about his strange eggs in recent days, but he declares himself just as puzzled as everyone else.

Photo: Ak Shihabudheen/Facebook

“It was nine months ago that we first got such an egg with a green yolk from a hen in our small poultry farm set up along the house,” Shihabudheen told The News Minute. “We were astonished at first, and did not use the egg to consume. All the eggs which the hen laid, were this kind and so we started to incubate the eggs. Out of the six chicks which hatched from these eggs, a few have started to lay eggs and those yolks are also green in color.”

Ak Shihabudheen said that both he and his family have consumed eggs with green yolks and have had no strange symptoms. He added that they taste just like normal eggs.

Indian media reports that veterinary experts are intrigued by the strangely-colored egg yolks. Officials from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, visited Shihabudheen’s farm a few days back to see the chickens and the eggs for themselves, and have taken samples to analyze in their laboratory.

“We have started doing a few tests to find out the reason behind this. This is a rare phenomenon, and there is a high possibility that it might be because of the feed that is given to the birds,” Dr S Sankaralingam, Assistant Professor of Poultry Science, Department of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, said.

 

Shihabudheen doubts that the reason for the bizarre egg yolk coloration has anything to do with the feed, as he says he feeds all the poultry with rice and coconut oil cake, as well as organic kitchen waste from the house. He is eagerly awaiting the results of the experts’ tests.