Double Yolks

[Katz5617]

I have a large BO and she regularly lays double yolks. She is a fantastic layer and all of her eggs are really large, but seven out of every ten eggs she lays will have a double yolk. She lays an average of six eggs per week. When she first began laying occasionally she would lay a double yolk and I could always tell it was going to be by the length of the egg. After about four months of laying with just an occasional double yolk then they began coming more regularly and now the majority are double yolks. Is this a trait that some chickens have? When I give her eggs away people love to get them because of the yolks.

 

[GitaBooks]

My chickens do it too! It is really cool. We also get shelless eggs, yolkless eggs, and little bantam eggs.
Larger hens tend to lay double-yolked eggs more than smaller hens, so breeds like Orpingtons, Black or White Giants and the like. Older hens are more prone to it as well, or perhaps those reaching the end of their weekly cycle.
I heard that chickens lay an hour later each day, and then restart after around 5 days. Somewhere along the line they seem to be more prone to laying odd eggs, like those without shells (those are really neat. Unless they break in the nest box).
Double-yolked eggs do seem to be in some breeds more than others, but since chicks probably can't survive in them, the trait is not easily passed on. They aren't good for hatching, but they are fun to eat!

 

[Katz5617]

Precious is just a year old so not an older hen, but she is really big. She has beautiful eggs. My BR has large eggs as well - but never a double yolk. She is as big as Precious. Her eggs are not a dark brown - just a hint of color to them - almost white - but Precious eggs are very dark brown. It's amazing about the differences in eggs. I only have four hens and so easy to tell who lays what egg because of size, color and shape.

 

[GitaBooks]

I think my hens take turns laying double-yolked eggs.

Sometimes, even my Easter Egger lays a double yolk. I can tell because the egg is green.