Parthenogenesis

[ilovechikennuggets]

Hi,
Does anyone know how common parthenogenesis is in chicken eggs? I've been thinking about taking a bunch of unfertilized eggs and seeing whether any have parthenogenesis, but if parthenogenesis rates are incredibly low, it probably won't be very efficient. I've looked on the web and I saw something that said 15%, but I'm not sure how trustworthy that information is. I am trying to brainstorm possible experiments or projects I could observe involving eggs.

Thanks!

 

[Kiki]

How you would run an experiment for this?

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I found this:

In 1972, four parthenogenetic chicks were hatched from 8,532 eggs of the Dark Cornish-type stock5 and raised to maturity. Three other chicks were hatched, but died during the first week.

Seven out of 8,000+ is…not what I would consider good odds. The paper also says the ones that hatched needed special care to make it past the first week.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

How you would run an experiment for this?

I assume just take eggs from a female only flock and incubate them

 

[Huntmaster]

Hi,
Does anyone know how common parthenogenesis is in chicken eggs? I've been thinking about taking a bunch of unfertilized eggs and seeing whether any have parthenogenesis, but if parthenogenesis rates are incredibly low, it probably won't be very efficient. I've looked on the web and I saw something that said 15%, but I'm not sure how trustworthy that information is. I am trying to brainstorm possible experiments or projects I could observe involving eggs.

Thanks!

Good luck with that.