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Twins
Aug 31, 2011 14:08:59 GMT 1
Post by jonjel on Aug 31, 2011 14:08:59 GMT 1
Those who know me perhaps remember I keep ducks.
And I currently have a duck forlornly sitting on eggs. She has about zero chance of hatching them, but I am leaving her in peace. And that got me a'thinking.
I occasionally get a double yolk egg.
In the unlikely event of such an egg hatching would it produce identical twins?
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Twins
Aug 31, 2011 21:31:10 GMT 1
Post by principled on Aug 31, 2011 21:31:10 GMT 1
Jonjel You certainly ask some interesting questions. The link below gives a reasonable answer (read beyond the first post). The main difference between development in eggs as opposed to in a womb seems to be that the energy resource for the former is fixed, therefore the sum total of weight of both chicks could not be any heavier than the weight of a single chick. This would seem to suggest that survival is not very likely. answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080124095103AA8cFl9One thing that has always amazed me is the idea of dinosaur eggs. 60 tons sitting on eggs waiting for them to hatch takes some imagination. P
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Twins
Sept 1, 2011 8:54:00 GMT 1
Post by jonjel on Sept 1, 2011 8:54:00 GMT 1
Thanks Principled.
That said a double yolk egg is usually larger than a standard egg. Forget the 4 min rule - some need 6!
And although I find it hard to believe the forlorn duck sitting on her eggs has hatched them, or some of them, and I have naturally brooded ducklings for the first time in 20 years!
All they have to do now is survive the crows, the rats and the foxes.
But I have a gun.............
And to amuse you, when I told some of the lads in the factory one (who is pretty bright) asked 'did you know she was pregnant'. After the laughter died down he looked a bit embarrassed!
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Twins
Sept 2, 2011 15:35:09 GMT 1
Post by jonjel on Sept 2, 2011 15:35:09 GMT 1
Principled.
I have now had time to read that in detail, and concur with what was said, they might hatch, but rarely if ever survive.
My brood are doing well, and it looks as if I have some interesting colours.
You can waste an awful lot of time watching your own duckings.........
Truly nature is an awesome thing when something a few hours old is feeding, dabbling about in the water and generally so independent.
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Twins
Sept 2, 2011 21:54:25 GMT 1
Post by principled on Sept 2, 2011 21:54:25 GMT 1
Jonjel Glad the ducklings are doing well. At the moment I'm out of the UK doing a bit of snorkelling and sunbathing . There are quite a few- non stinging "Cotylorhiza tuberculata" jelly fish around and I spend quite a bit of time trying to work out how they swim. They're 90% water and seem to be without any muscular structure yet are still able to move the "bell part" at their head. Nature is truly amazing. es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotylorhiza_tuberculata
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