Double Yolker Genetics

[Macro]

I wasn't sure if I should put this in the genetics section or the egg laying section, but here it goes!

So I have a chicken that's given me 3-4 double yolk eggs in 2 weeks. I know it's fairly common when chickens first start laying, but it got me thinking... Is laying double yolk eggs genetically linked in some chickens? I've heard that some people have chickens that lay double yolks regularly even at 2 years old. If it is, how likely is it that the double yolk gene will be passed on to their offspring?

Will laying double yolks more often cause health problems in a chicken? I know every time I find a double yolk I cringe inside thinking how painful it must have been to pop out that oversized egg.

 

[Kevin565]

Excessive double yolkers can be a sign of reproductive issues.It's certainly not a trait I would ever breed for.

 

[BillRei2]

Double yolkers seem to be the normal thing for at least one of my hens. Since they started laying last month I have had one or two every week. I had one so big I took photos of it. when I broke the egg open in the pan it had three yolks. Photos attached. Today I found another jumbo egg. This one is 2-3/4 inches long, 1-12/16 diamiter. I wont know until I use the egg just how many yolks it has but nothing would surprise me.


this was the one today!

 

[Macro]

Wow! 3 yolks!! That's pretty nuts. Have you seen the ones where a chicken will lay an egg that has an entire egg inside of it? Kinda like those russian dolls. XD

I'd like to learn more about double yolk eggs but I'm having an issue finding reliable information. Does anyone have any websites handy on this topic?

 

[BillRei2]

I have seen a complete egg inside another egg. It was not from one of my hens, it came from the store. My chickens were only two weeks old at the time. The egg was a normal large brown shell egg and when I cracked it open inside was a fully developed ,but tiny egg, complete with shell.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

I have a 5 year old hen that's laid a lot of double-yolkers lately, which I thought was kind of odd, because she never did before, and she's always been a good layer. I couldn't tell you if it was genetic or not though, because her only offspring is a roo....

~~~Ms.B