Question about Yolk to White Ratio

[Just-Moxie]

Interesting topic. I would think health would have something to do with it also. Maybe. Fermented Feed seems to have a good impact on hen health. As well as chicks hatched from those same eggs.

 

[seedcorn]

It just doesn't make sense to me that the little Sussex lay small eggs that are almost all yolk, and some humongous eggs we got from a production farm, albeit a "free range" set up were over twice as large of eggs, but had smaller yokes. Then our normal size eggs have larger yokes, too.
If they were to be fertile, which determines the size of the chick, the white or the yolk?

White

As is true with everything, genetics sets the potential but environment plays a huge factor as well.

 

[Beekissed]

It just doesn't make sense to me that the little Sussex lay small eggs that are almost all yolk, and some humongous eggs we got from a production farm, albeit a "free range" set up were over twice as large of eggs, but had smaller yokes. Then our normal size eggs have larger yokes, too.
If they were to be fertile, which determines the size of the chick, the white or the yolk?

Genetics and also nutrition determine the size of the chick, but mostly genetics. You'll not get a standard bird from a bantam egg, simply because of genetics but you CAN get a smaller standard bird if the yolks from the standard eggs are small and hold small nutrition for the size dictated by the bird's genetics. Otherwise known as a "runt".

If the yolk is not large enough nor has enough nutrition in it, the chick won't develop at all.

Good breeders usually increase nutrition before and during breeding season so that they will have a large and healthy chick for their particular breed, so I'm thinking nutrition has a key roll to play in the proper development of the right genetics.

 

[Beekissed]

It just doesn't make sense to me that the little Sussex lay small eggs that are almost all yolk, and some humongous eggs we got from a production farm, albeit a "free range" set up were over twice as large of eggs, but had smaller yokes. Then our normal size eggs have larger yokes, too.
If they were to be fertile, which determines the size of the chick, the white or the yolk?

At the bottom of the bottom, it's the yolk as it holds the embryo and the nutrition for it, so it holds the genetics and also the nutritional supply for the chick.

But also the albumin, as it provides some nourishment as well...but simply put, you can't hatch an egg that has no yolk in it and you won't be hatching one without yolk, or albumin, in it either. But as to size of the chick? Genetics, diet and health.

http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/poultry
/poultry_development.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/info/chicken/egg.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_white

 

[catjac1975]

Interesting topic. I would think health would have something to do with it also. Maybe. Fermented Feed seems to have a good impact on hen health. As well as chicks hatched from those same eggs.

Tell me about fermented feed!

 

[Beekissed]

https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[canesisters]

I think it's all about an individual hen's plumbing.
The eggs go through so many different 'stages' before hitting the nest - and each hen is different. Genetics might predispose a certain breed toward larger yolks - and diet will help - but if she's 'just made that way' then that's what she's going to do.
I've got two sisters. Their dad was a BCM and mom is an australorp. One lays tall, skinny dark brown eggs every other day that are double yolk as often as not. The other lays fat, round dark brown eggs about 2x a week.