Got my chicken coop finished, now I would appreciate it if someone would be able to tell me what's the best breed of hen to lay double yolkers. I have grown rather fond of them! Thanks for all the great reading and subjects of conversation, folks, I really do enjoy logging on when I get the chance( which isn't near often enough!) Thanks!!!

-- UNCLEJAKE (lulafred@cs.com), June 02, 2000

Answers

I don't know if you will find a breed more prone to laying double yolkers -- it's not a trait that is conducive to the survival of a breed, as I don't think the double yolkers will hatch. We've had the most double yolkers from older hens that were well fed. All the hens we've had have been brown egg layers (except for some araucanas).

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 03, 2000.

Our hens have only laid a few double yolkers, and they were when they first started laying. Did get one triple yolk once last fall, but the egg itself was as large as our duck eggs. The next day there was a very small egg in the nest, with only a couple strands of yellow inside the white. Bizarre! No way to tell if the same hen laid both eggs, as we have them all together. I don't think that there is a breed that consistantly lays double yolk eggs, though. Jan in CO

-- Jan (Janice12@aol.com), June 03, 2000.

UncleJake, I've had some hens who laid double yolk eggs, but never consistently. But I couldn't say that they were from a particular breed. Like Kathleen, I'd say older hens were the most likely to lay such eggs. Funny thing is that most people freak out when they get a double yolked egg. If you do figure out what breed, or strain of a breed is most likely to lay double yolked eggs, let me know, I hate the whites. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), June 03, 2000.

About 30 years ago, my mother consistently bought double yolk eggs from a farm lady. She bought them every week so we thought that there was a breed that laid them. However, I've been raising chickens for 20 years and never heard of a breed that consistently laid double yolk eggs. I've only gotten double yolks from the beginning layers. I'd forgotten about those eggs until you mentioned double yolks, maybe I can find out more info but don't hold your breath, most of the people that would know have died. Gayle

-- Gayle (gvoshell@dol.net), June 03, 2000.

Curious! My experience is that double yolked eggs are the product of older hens, and they are so large that we can't sell them, because they won't fit into any egg carton, even a jumbo. We have a couple of 3 year olds, and I suspect it is them, From the breeds we've had (Araucana, Orpington, Rocks, Australorps, Black Giants, Brown Leghorns, Wyandottes etc) The Auracanas seem to be most likely. But it is still pretty much a rarity. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), June 03, 2000.

Thanks everyone, for your responses!!!!!! Growing up, we always had chickens, but they were usually the equivalent of your scrub goat- heinz 57's. I don't remember them laying any double yolkers. Well, a friend from work has been getting them for me on a regular basis from someone lately, and I have gotten use to them Brad, you are right about the size, they are HUGE! We get them on an open flat(2.5 dozen), and they barely fit in the holes! I've been trying to find out who has the hens, so I could get some, but now I know whats going on. Gerbil, if I do perchance luck up on a magical strain, I'll let you know! Thanks again, everyone, talk to you soon!!!!!

-- UNCLEJAKE (lulafred@cs.com), June 03, 2000.

I had buff orpington chickens that layed a good many double yolk eggs but, not all the time. Faye

-- Faye (rcart@millry.net), June 04, 2000.

I had to call my mom on this one, When I was about 8 my mom bought double yolked eggs from a friend of hers that worked with her at a hospital in oakland calif, The whole carton was all double yolk, we got these for about a year.My mom has know idea what kind of chickens they were though. Maybe they were feeding something different 30 years ago or it was a breed which is gone now?

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), June 04, 2000.

It's my opinion that double yolks are generated from erratic ovulation in chickens, primarily the younger and older ones, having irregular cycles. But I suppose that if you created an erratic enough environment for the chickens they may consistently ovulate irregularly but I can't imagine that would be beneficial over the long haul or for the general health of the chicken. Our critters like predictability around here... food at 5:30 am, laying during the day, scraps at 3:00 or so, fresh water everyday, etc. You sort of have to think about your animals as just different sorts of humans... teenage girls have erratic cycles, pre-menapausal women have erratic cycles.... the same sorts of things must happen all through the animal kingdom. And I agree with the other post that doubles aren't viable for the species over time.

-- chicken hobbyist (uraso2@hotmail.com), June 08, 2000.

A few years ago I had 12 Rhone Island Reds. One of these hens would lay a triple yolk about once a week. I don't know which one did it, I did try to find out but couldn't.

-- Christine (trailboscw@aol.com), June 09, 2000.

Just happened upon this question in my search for the answer to why my poor little Rhode Island Red is all of a sudden producing some whopper double yolk eggs. I fear for her safety as they are so large. She is only about 2 years old. I suspect I am over-feeding. I keep my chickens penned up at night but allow them to roam my 3 acres during the day so they are grazing quite a bit. Does anybody know if this could be the cause? --PIEDPIPER

-- sharon smith (sk1smith@bellsouth.net), December 05, 2000.

i have just started a small flock of eight lohmann browns. you can read more about this hybrid here

http://www.ltz.de/

i have found this chicken generally tame, docile, hardy and to be good layers and they have adapted well to a more free environment. now the hard work of setting up the coop and preparation is over i can reap a little harvest. they are amusing for me and my family to watch and add a much needed touch of life to my garden. also the egg payback is a much welcome bonus. free range eggs are quite expensive hereabouts (about £1 or $1.50 per half dozen). i bought the flock locally (point of lay vaccinated etc £3.70 c.$5.00 each) from a large poultry concern near llanelli (i live in swansea, wales, UK). they now run free in a small fenced off 8x10 yard section of my garden. i have had no major problems so far (i've been keeping them for three weeks) i was very happy with the initial egg count which averaged 6 eggs per day but this dropped by half last week. i fancied that this might be caused by the move and a "settling in" period and also by lack of light in the mornings so i installed a lightbulb with a timer plug and now the average is back to 6 almost pd anyway, one of the first eggs they produced was a double yolker and my mrs was well pleased when she cracked it. i would have thought, as the writer states above, that a chicken may have a genetic tendency to produce double yolks just like multiple births run in bloodlines with humans. i've also read that consistent double yolk layers have a rather reduced lifespan. i guess it's like everthing else in life, the good things are not always for the best. ahh well never mind. good luck all with the chooks.

-- coopdetat (jackseye@ntlworld.com), June 24, 2001.