What is a Double-Yolked Egg? Here’s What You Should Know

Have you ever cracked open an egg and found two bright yellow yolks? Well, lucky you! Roughly one in one thousand eggs are double-yolked. And what’s better? Double-yolked eggs are perfectly safe to consume. In places like Hong Kong and India, hens are even bred to lay double-yolked eggs, since they are said to bring good fortune. But why do some eggs get an extra yolk and how does that affect your breakfast? 

The oviduct is the hen’s reproductive system where eggs are formed. Every day, a yolk is released from the hen’s ovary and, over the course of 26 hours, is turned into an egg as it passes through. This process typically happens in young hens, who haven’t fully settled into a laying cycle. In other cases, a yolk will get stuck in the oviduct until the next day when a new yolk pushes it through and forms a double yolk.

Now, let’s get back to the original question: what does a double-yolked egg mean for your everyday cooking? Sure, double-yolked eggs may have a higher yolk-to-white ratio, but this shouldn’t be a problem for most dishes. For bakers, however, a double-yolked egg can throw off the ingredient balance since the ratio of fat and sugar needs to be carefully measured.

When considering the nutritional value of a double egg, remember that the yolk contains all the same amazing nutrients. A single-yolked egg is packed with protein and has 13 essential vitamins and minerals. So, it would be safe to assume that a double-yolked egg means double the nutrition, right? Not entirely. In most cases, double-yolked eggs contain yolks that are smaller in size when compared to a fully-formed single yolk. Therefore, the nutritional profile of a double-yolked egg is similar to that of a jumbo egg.

At Chino Valley Ranchers, we believe in sharing such information as a way to be aware of all your egg options. To ensure delicious eggs for our customers, we always feed our hens organic diets that are free of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones. It’s just one of the ways that we can provide quality products to our customers. To learn more about our eggs and where to find them, contact us today!