Double yolk eggs???

[KDK1]

I had a neighbor back in FL who worked at a production farm. They would cull all the double yolkers and she would sell them for $1 a flat (2½ doz). What a deal!!!

 

[Lois Little]

I am disapointed to learn there are no chickens that I could purchase that lay double yolkers all the time. I had a few the first year, and still do occasionally. I don't really know about the ones I sell. I usually sell my largest eggs and keep the smaller ones for my own use, so if there are any double ones, I haven't heard anyone mention it for quite some time. I have 24 hens that are 1.5 yrs. old and 4 Aracanda that are about 8 mos. old. The colored eggs are smaller than the smallest of my 24 "regular" ones. I just stick one or two of them in each dozen I sell, and my granddaughters think they are "special." I am only getting 12-16 eggs daily from 28 hens. Last year I got 20-24 a day from my 24 hens. Anybody??

 

[epeloquin]

Strictly speaking, double yolks are a "mistake" in the chickens. However, some hens will be more prone to double yolkers than others. Your best bet to find hens that lay double yolks is in Amish communities. The Amish have an affinity for double yolks and they breed hens that lay them. I have even heard of Amish selling double yolkers. If there are any Amish communities near you then I would suggest visiting some farms and seeing if they will sell you some hens or chicks. Otherwise, I have no clue how you would get double yolks regularly unless you breed them yourself.

Just remember, if you get a hen that lays double then her laying time will be shorter. Hens have a limited supply of ovaries, so using two for every egg will use them up faster.

 

[Lois Little]

I would like to know how long I can expect to get eggs from my hens. I have heard that after one or two years they start slowing down until you finally kill them or sell them. How long would they live if not butchered?

 

[Percheron chick]

I would like to know how long I can expect to get eggs from my hens. I have heard that after one or two years they start slowing down until you finally kill them or sell them. How long would they live if not butchered?

How long they are productive will first be determined by the breed. If they start early and lay consistently, they will be spent at a younger age than a heritage breed that starts later and gives you 4-5 eggs a week. Diet and management will play into it as well.

A healthy spent hen can live 8 or more years.

 

[cackleberrycam]

Double yolkers are fairly common.
I do not think there is any feed you can give them to make them lay double yolkers.
In fact, chickens can have as many as 9 yolks in an egg!

 

[epeloquin]

It's more likely that they have a very large egg business.

We keep 2500 layers here and produce for an organic co-op. We take the largest of the eggs, Jumbos and Super Jumbos, and sell them direct from the farm. Almost all of them are double-yolkers although they are still just a small portion of our total production.

The Amish don't have commercial sized businesses. They raise enough for personal use and to sell at stands and such. They actually breed their hens to lay double yolks. It is not difficult. It is really no different than any other breeding that is done. There are certain characteristics that people desire which is where we get all the different breeds from. Some of the Amish have simply bred their hens to produce double yolks.

 

[epeloquin]

Here is a case of two eggs, five yolks!

 

[ChickaNew]

We just got our first egg from Honey, our Buff Orpington, and it is huge. A double yolk egg!

 

[cackleberrycam]

We just got our first egg from Honey, our Buff Orpington, and it is huge. A double yolk egg!

Awesome!