Laying patterns for double yolkers?

[Zenbirder]

My RIR Miss Henry was the first to mature and lay. She now lays very regularly at 23 weeks old. She is the first to lay very early in the morning, and she is quick about getting in the nest and back out. She layed a double yolker about a week ago, and now another yesterday. This egg is huge, I put it on the antique egg scale and it bottomed out, too big to measure. I know Miss Henry laid an egg four days in a row before the double yolker. I had been under the impression that a hen would skip a day laying before giving a double yolker, and now I know this was not a correct assumption. So she must have ovulated twice in a day? I am not quite understanding the biology, any help? As you see the double yolker is lighter in color from her normal egg, why? Her normal eggs run about a 21 or 22 on the egg scale, not all that small for a new layer.
Thanks all!

 

[speckledhen]

I have a pullet who lays doubles sometimes and she doesn't necessarily skip a day before that.
Just an side note-in your picture, you have the pointy end up. It's a good idea to get in the habit of storing eggs with the aircell end up and the pointy end down. That way, if you decide to incubate any, you'll automatically store them the right way.

 

[Zenbirder]

Quote:
I will do that as "propper egg storage", I didn't know, but no incubating 'cause no Roo!

 

[pricem11]

I'm interested in the biology of this too. I did a quick PubMed search, and here's what I learned:

It's common for young pullets just reaching POL to lay double yolks. Yes, it means that two follicles were released in quick succession from the ovary and since they're so close in the oviduct, they get 'entrapped' in the workings of the same shell. On the other hand, sometimes non-follicle tissue can break away from an ovary which leads to the production of a 'yolkless' egg. And yes, it is theoretically possible, but not probable, for a hen to lay two (or three or perhaps more) double yolk eggs in succession (a day apart).

There's also a genetic component, with hens from heavy laying breeds more likely to produce double yolk eggs, and the offspring of a hen who has produced double yolk eggs also seem to carry a gene that will make it likely for them to lay double yolks.

A couple studies suggest there's a nutritional component; that is, the better the nutrition, the more likely the hen will produce double yolk eggs.

It's more likely to see double-yolks occurring in the spring or when reproductive hormones are at their peak--hence maximum follicle activity. At maximum reproductive capacity, ovaries release one ovum on average each 23 hours.

For some reason, I thought a double yolk egg was infertile, but it seems that two embryos can start to form inside; however, they soon die because neither can access the air cell, among other reasons.

Double yolks are far more common in birds that are heavy layers such as chickens, ducks, etc. than birds who lay less frequently.

Mark

 

[erinm]

My australorp consistently lays double yolkers also. Huuge! She has been laying for a month now and I have had 6-7 doubles! My kids love em! ErinM

 

[Zenbirder]

So Miss Henry laid a nice normal egg today, that makes at least 6 days in a row and I suspect longer but can't positivly nail that down. I was just reading in another post that they are supposed to lay an hour later each day... Miss Henry laid today's egg about an hour earlier than the double yolker yesterday

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Nice. PubMed's got EVERYTHING! The perks of having university affiliations!

 

[Poison Ivy]

My friend in Flatrock NC goes to a farmers market that has a booth there and you can buy cartons of double yolk eggs. They go every week and buy from him. I told her to ask him what breed of chickens he has because I would love to have some. She said he has a great business going and she said every egg has the double yolk. I said I had never heard of a chicken laying them every single time but I guess this guy has some very special chickens. My mom was up there on vacation and wanted so bad to bring a couple cartons back with her. She didn't think they would have made the car ride back. If I can get ahold of her I will ask her the name of the guy's place.

 

[jenichick]

I've had little pullet eggs from my Phoenix, but I got a large double-yoker the other day. I don't know who laid it and wasn't expecting double yoke. I let my hubby eat it. It was very tasty! I hope we get some more and whoever laid it I hope she lays again soon.

The double yokes might explain why she hasn't laid again in a couple of days...hmmmmmm

 

[mdbucks]

I use to always get the oversized whenever i would deliver to the egg farm(they no longer have chickens all thier eggs are brought in from local farmers) most of them were double yolkers the kids always got excited to crack thier own eggs just to see if it had a double yolk