Once the hen is of laying age, individual yolks will mature and be released into the oviduct. It takes a hen 26 hours or so to form and lay an egg.
Then about an hour after laying, another mature yolk will be released and start going through the egg formation process. Double yolk eggs or in rare cases, triple yolk eggs, are formed when the hen releases two or more yolks at once.
They move through the reproductive tract and are encased by a single shell. You may wonder how you know if your hen laid a double yolk egg. Most times those eggs will be much bigger than a standard size egg; double and even triple the size. Double yolk eggs are more likely to happen as chickens begin their laying cycle.
Double yolk eggs are not lash eggs , which are a sick chicken symptom and not really an egg at all. You may find that double yolk eggs can mimic chickens laying soft eggs.
In reality, the same amount of calcium goes into a double yolk egg shell as goes into a standard size shell. So, you may find your double yolk egg shells a little softer than normal.
Soft eggs are not always a sign of sickness, although a hen regularly laying soft shelled eggs should be monitored as this can be a sign of infectious bronchitis and oviduct issues such as salpingitis. But, most likely a soft egg is caused because of warm weather or because your hen needs more calcium in her diet. For warm weather, just make sure your hens have adequate places to get out of the direct sunlight such as under trees, shrubs or decks and have plenty of accessible fresh water. You can clean them and then crush them up into small pieces and offer them free choice in a bowl or treat container.
However, in order to get a frequent, fresh supply of eggs, keepers need to look after the chickens that lay them. There can be multiple issues that are stopping your ladies from laying which is stressful for them and for you! They have created the Eggs in Your Basket course to help you, help your ladies lay successfully. Discover crucial information to keep your chickens happy, healthy, and frequent layers.
All your egg questions will be answered in this extensive course. From double yolkers, to soft shells, no eggs, to odd eggs, Chickenpedia cover it all! Check out their great beginner-friendly courses today. Post your photos to our Facebook page- because one thing we know, a double yolker sure is no yolk! Sources and further reading. Just click the Request Help button and fill in the form. Ask an Expert. Thank you for joining our mailing list! All Rights Reserved. Menu 0. Continue Shopping Your Cart is Empty.
What causes a double yolker? Physical appearance Double yolkers are unidentifiable- you have to wait until you crack an egg to know if you have been graced with the presence of two yolks. What do they mean? Related Articles An Animal Lovers Guide To Hemp Bedding by Backyard Chicken Coops January 08, Some animal lovers tend to underestimate the benefits of lining their coop, chicken run or pet enclosure with quality animal bedding, however, it is one of Not only do chickens provide protein rich, nutrition packed The Ultimate List of Backyard Chicken Breeds by Kassandra Smith January 12, Whether you are a beginner chicken keeper or looking to add a new chicken breed to your backyard flock of chooks, there are so many Eggs Raising Baby Chicks.
What are they? Some people actually pay more money for these eggs, so if you get one by accident consider yourself fortunate! The nutritional value of a double yolk egg is just about the same as a jumbo egg, but you might not want to use them in baking since it could throw off the recipe because of the two yolks.
Whereas in Romany folklore if someone in the family is pregnant when a double yolk egg is found, then it is said she will have twins. It stands to reason that these eggs being a symbol of fertility will bring news of a birth. Finally, in the spiritual community it is thought to be an indicator that you are about to meet your twin flame or soul companion. They are usually a fairly short-lived occurrence. Chickens have been genetically altered through breeding programs to increase normal egg production, but double yolks are not a norm , they are unusual and no-one can predict which hen may lay these eggs.
The chances of hatching a double yolk are very slim — usually only the strongest chick will survive. As we know the space inside an egg is limited and a chick grows to fill the available space precisely, so two chicks occupying the same space would be small and probably weak.
What usually happens is that the stronger of the two prevails and the second, weakest chick dies. This can cause hatching problems for the strong chick since it may not be able to maneuver into the hatching position. However, there have been very rare instances of both chicks surviving the hatch. The heavier laying breeds such as Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds are more likely to produce double yolks when they first start laying. Your pullets are fine and they will settle down eventually.
One of this irregularities can be laying double yolk eggs. While double yolk eggs are unusual, it is not necessarily an indication that there is something wrong with your hen. In fact in India these eggs are highly sought after and certain types of chickens are kept to specifically lay double yolkers. If you have several younger hens and they are good laying breeds then the chances of getting a double yolker are good for the first few months.
After that her reproductive system should be in fine working order and have all of the wrinkles ironed out.
In the past hens did not lay anywhere as near as many eggs as they do now. Mankind has increased the output of the hen dramatically and the wonder lies in the fact that the hen has taken it in her stride and produces a lot of eggs for us. The fact that the system can continue to produce eggs with only the occasional oops is a testament to the design and robustness of the hen.
Do you have any stories about double yolk eggs?
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