h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Its the case of the double yolkers.... I got a mail from a client just before going to Manchester who was disturbed to find three double yolkers in half a dozen eggs. He thought this an highly improbable event worthy of investigation. Unfortunatly he didn't bring the eggs to Manchester but I do now have them in my possession. The mission for today is to crack two and to pickle preserve the final egg if it is indeed a double yolker. How successful this will be I don't know I'm worried about fluffing the disection, I'm somewhat phobic about boiled eggs so this case is going to be a real challange.

In the meantime if anyone else could do any backround research on double yolkers that would be appreciated by me and our client. I'm somewhat concerned about genetic modification and the fact that our client was picked up leaving Manchester by shadowy figures allegedly looking for illlegal substances, he got a slap on the wrist for a small quantity of grass and released very quickly My own feeling is that they were after the eggs, so just be aware

Have a good day

Love Peanut xx

I've been doing some research on double yolked eggs Peanut.

There seem to be a lot of theories about why they happen. One site I found reckons the tendency to produce them is genetic, and happens about once every 1000 eggs which makes 3 a bit unusual. They're more commonly produced by young hens who have just started production.
The chances of a double yolker hatching twins are unlikely as both embryos need to feed off the white in the egg, which is insufficient for two. If the two chicks did develop they would be unable to hatch successfully as they would be pushing against each other, and not against the shell wall.

There are some interesting fables and 'old wives tales' about double yolked eggs too... In Scotland some believe that a double yolker is a harbinger of a death in the family. At the other end of the scale they're also believed to grant wishes if you eat them. In Somerset they're supposed to foretell a wedding in the family!

Nothing about them being used to predict cautions for herbal tobacco possession though

Lxx

alround and

That's a good figure Langly 3 in a thousand I don't know how to use it yet lol but I'm sure I will. Our client had 5 double yolkers in one half dozen. I've pickled one and left in the finds room. Fortunatly our client isn't superstitious so prehaps we'll leave out the Scottish tales in the final report, you know how clients dislike bad news.

I have also found out that some chickens appear to have a genetic predisposition towards laying double yolkers. More commonly it occurs in young chickens cos the sycronisation of ovulation takes a little time to get sorted. Sometimes a yolk can get lost and ends up incorporated in another egg. Occasionally you can therefore find a egg with no yolk whatsoever

So I was thinking this flock of chickens might be of a young age producing alot of double yolkers in the first instance and they may also have predisposition towards laying double yolkers. However young chickens lay smaller eggs and these were classified as large and I have found that hormones given to turkeys in to increase egg production can lead to increased frequency of double yolks, have still to hone this info into chicken research.

Like you Langly I have found no evidence of twin chicks being hatched and both surviving. Have found some evidence that peeps out there giving it go...

Anyway that's my case notes from yesterday, apart from the bit where I don't seem to be able to locate the client which is now abit of a worry, prehaps we should get a deposit of him?

Love to you all

Peanut xx

Thought I'd drop in with and , I wondered if you had come across a 'fart egg' Langly?

Have been on my hols in my new big tent watching all , have sent snail mail today so spect DA will get it tomorrow and yours will arrive by Christmas hopefully alround

Love Peanut xx