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"I have a hen that lays a lot of double yolk
eggs!! Seriously, I get a few a week. Do you know if that's common?"
When I run low on ideas for the Animal Science blog I often
seek out suggestions from friends. Lori
of The Salon Experience asked
this question about double yolk eggs.
Right away I was curious and popped the question into Google. Read on to find out what I learned.
Causes of Double Yolk
Eggs
These are the most common causes of eggs with two yolks:
- Unsynchronized reproductive cycle
- Rapid ovulation may cause two yolks to be
released within a short period of time
- Heavy-laying poultry breeds are known to lay multiple yolk eggs
Double yolk eggs are most common in young chickens called
pullets that are just starting to lay.
Chickens with abnormal cycles typically stop
producing double yolk eggs as they age.
Breed also plays a role in egg production. Breeds like Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, and
Leghorns are good layers and more likely to lay double yolk eggs than other
breeds.
A double yolk egg will not lead to twin chicks. There isn't enough room for the two embryos
to develop to hatching. Additionally,
the egg white is the food source for the developing embryo, and wouldn't
sustain two.
There are quite a few other oddities that can appear in
eggs. Some types include no yolk, multiple
yolks, double shell, no shell, and shape deformations.
Safe to Eat?
It's unlikely that you'll find a double yolked egg in your
favorite grocery store. Because of
consistency requirements in commercial eggs, just 1 in 1,000 eggs may be double
yolked. A process called candling is
used to shine a bright light through the egg and check for irregularities. This is why most double yolk eggs are
discarded - they are larger than regular eggs.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to find one! There are quite a few stories of exceptions,
for example six
double yolk eggs in one box or one-dozen
double yolked eggs from Trader Joe's.
These eggs are fine to eat.
The overall size of the shell is generally larger than the average
egg. Your preference for them will
probably depend on whether you prefer the yolk or the white!
Superstition and
Folklore
There's conflicting information on whether find a double
yolk egg is good luck or bad luck. The
Encyclopedia of Superstitions by Richard Webster says that they're a sign
of good luck, except in parts of Britain, where they are a warning of
death. Other sources say two yolks can
signal an upcoming marriage or a financial windfall.
All I can say is that after writing this blog entry the word
"yolk" starts to look pretty strange.
Resources:
Better
Hens and Gardens - What Causes Double Yolks?
Eat
This! Double Yolked Eggs - Are Two Yolks Better Than One?
My
Pet Chicken - Chicken Help
PoultryHelp.com
- Odd Eggs, Double Yolks, No Yolks, etc.
The Poultry
Pages - Double Yolked Eggs
Wikipedia - Egg
yolk: Double-yolk eggs
Image from http://www.poultryhelp.com/oddeggs.html
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