Double yolk eggs happen all the time. They are not much to worry about unless you don’t like creme brulee!
About 1 in every 100 eggs will be a double yolk. The reason we don’t normally see them is the commercial egg producers use candling to remove them before shipping.
What happens is the hen’s oviduct will release two yolks in quick order, these will then combine into the same shell. They will tend to be larger than the other eggs the same hen lays. This can happen due to hormone changes, specifically for new layers or older hens. If you have a young layer that is laying double yolks, in time she will most likely grow out of it.
It also tends to happen more often in quail, like Jumbo Brown Coturnix, that are bred for egg production.
In some cultures, double yolk eggs are considered to symbolize fertility and good fortune. For me, they just mean good eating!
Double yolk eggs – can I eat them?
There is nothing inherently wrong with double yolk eggs. They will have obviously give you more of the nutrients and calories associated with the yolk of a normal egg.
Go ahead and eat these or bake with these as you would any other single yolk egg.
I personally love the yolk of the egg, over-easy all day long! When I get a double yolker I get excited!
Double yolk eggs – can I incubate them?
I don’t recommend trying to incubate these eggs. They typically will not successfully hatch as one chick absorbs the other causing deformations. They also compete for space inside the shell and won’t fully develop.
I have tried in the past to hatch these larger eggs with no success and the available information supports these results.
Check out my video on the ten reasons why quail are the perfect backyard animal