Double Yolk Incubation Research Project

[9SpiceyChickens]

What incubator are you using?

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

I see two yolks on #1, but no veins let alone an embryo.
#6 doesn't look like a double.
Maybe my eyes are just too old.
Will follow along....my daughter also was curbed from vet school dreams due to college science classes.

You are correct, #6 is not a double. There is only one yolk shown when candling.

 

[MarlyMonster]

You are correct, #6 is not a double. There is only one yolk shown when candling.

No, she’s actually not correct lol. If you pay attention to the two images of #6 you can see there’s one yolk on the blunt end, and one on the pointy end. They’re too far apart to get them in the same shot but they’re still there

 

[aart]

Too bad about your daughter, it’s frustrating when you want something really badly but you can’t because your brain just works differently.

She aced HS with little effort, never learned to study and that's what hamstrung her in college.

 

[MarlyMonster]

What incubator are you using?

I’ve got a Hovabator 1602n and I added a small fan to make it forced air. Also have a reptibator but it isn’t steady enough so I’m ditching it. The eggs are currently in the Hovabator

 

[MarlyMonster]

She aced HS with little effort, never learned to study and that's what hamstrung her in college.

I know that feeling! I had to learn on the fly and it was alright for the other classes, but with the science you just have to have a knack for it I guess
Hope she’s doing something she loves now anyway!

 

[Compost King]

I am posting here to get alerts. Projects like this have me interested. I have a giant egg laying Red Ranger that I cross with my Dorking's. The Chicks come out relatively small (the grow fast after that) and I believe there may be room for 2 in the double yolkers she is prone to lay. I doubt I try to hatch one because it seems like a cruel experiment. If others are successful I might change my mind and try to hatch one.

 

[MarlyMonster]

I am posting here to get alerts. Projects like this have me interested. I have a giant egg laying Red Ranger that I cross with my Dorking's. The Chicks come out relatively small (the grow fast after that) and I believe there may be room for 2 in the double yolkers she is prone to lay. I doubt I try to hatch one because it seems like a cruel experiment. If others are successful I might change my mind and try to hatch one.

I’m trying to find out of having a large number of eggs matters when it comes to hatching. Just like hatching a single egg is more prone to issues than a clutch, I’m wondering if it’s the same with doubles. These eggs were gonna be culled so while I would be sad if they didn’t make it at least they’re getting a chance
Fingers crossed for these guys!

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

Yes I saw that! Read all 57 pages of comments to follow it haha. I’m hoping having 12 of them will mean at least a few are successful. I made extensive notes on their yolk positions and most are nicely on opposite ends. The few that appeared to be closer together I’m a little worried about but I’m keeping an eye on them all. Will do another round of candling them all and making notes as well as weighing on day 7!

My double yolk experiment was also located on both ends of the egg, this was part of the problem when it came to hatching. Both chicks were fully developed, one internally pipped into the other’s yolk sac which killed that baby, and the other then suffocated. Neither one was in a position to where they could have successfully hatch because there was no room in egg.

Are you going to be monitoring the air cells sizes? Large air cells will cause embryonic death much before hatching, and this could lead to deformations if one does hatch.

The thing that greatly worries me is that they are ducks. The egg itself has to be an extremely large egg for chicks, but I’m not sure how ducks will work, especially since they sit in the air cell internally pipped for a least a day, mostly more, and I would imagine they would suffocate more times than not.

It’s not an easy job getting all the way to the end and then losing them! I didn’t even imagine that we would lose one of the other non-double egg either, but unfortunately we did. Do you have a plan for if only one duckling manages to hatch? What about if one hatches with deformations, like extra or missing limbs? (I find these unlikely but still plausible)

 

[Compost King]

Its a cool experiment, thats why I am following it. I like when people learn through experimenting, then if your results are good I may just copy it. Good Luck! and my the Chicken Force be with you!