For millennia, eggs have been a staple to various cuisines worldwide. An exciting part of egg cracking is to find surprises like double yolks instead of a single yolk in an egg. But what happens when you crack open an egg only to be greeted by only egg whites and no yolk? This may seem like an odd thing, and it may leave you with a baffling question of why is there no yolk in your egg.
A yolk-less egg is a rare event that happens when the reproductive tissue of chickens ends up in their oviducts. When this occurs, eggs will be laid as usual and they are perfectly safe to eat!
In this article, I’ll further explain how these eggs with no yolks are made and whether you should continue to consume these yolk-less eggs.
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Why Is There No Yolk in My Egg?
So, what’s the deal with yolk-less eggs? Also known as the fairy egg, wind egg, or sometimes even a fart egg, they are not uncommon. To understand how yolk-less eggs are made, we should first look at the reproductive system of chickens and how eggs are usually formed.
In a regular process, chicken eggs will take an average of 23 to 27 hours to form and be laid. The formation of the yolk usually takes place during the first hour. However, in some cases when the reproductive tissue of the chicken ends up in the oviduct, the egg-laying process will then be triggered, resulting in a yolk-less egg.
An egg with no egg yolk may also be laid by newly matured chickens, as their reproductive systems may not be fully ready to take on the egg forming and laying process. Some chicken keepers will also address yolk-less eggs as ‘rooster eggs’, referring to how these eggs are once believed to be laid by laid a rooster.
These yolk-less eggs are easy to spot as they’re much smaller than regular eggs. They may also be more consistently round, often resembling marbles or a grape. They also typically have thinner shells and should be handled with much care.
Can I Eat an Egg with No Yolk?
Because of its unusual look, many people may be worried about consuming a yolk-less egg. After all, it’s not every day when you get an egg that’s made up of only egg whites.
The good news is that these eggs can be safely consumed. Yolk-less eggs may look weird, but it doesn’t mean that they are harmful in any way. In fact, yolk-less eggs are an extraordinary source of protein and very low calorie content, making it the perfect breakfast for those who are on weight loss diets or looking to maintain their current physique. The egg white is high quality protein with virtually no fat; meanwhile, the yolk contains most of calories as well as cholesterol and fats.
egg whites contain more protein and very few calories while the yolk contains most of the calories as well as cholesterol and fats.
Although, due to their thin shells they are more likely to crack and get infected by unhealthy bacteria. Unless there are clear signs of cracks or the egg smells particularly funny after you’ve cracked it open, you can continue to cook it as you would any other egg.
And if you’re preparing a recipe that requires only egg whites, then yolk-less eggs may even be preferred. While most egg producers will not intentionally sell yolk-less eggs, you’ll never know if you get lucky and find a hidden gem in a carton or in your chicken coop.
How to Prevent Chickens from Laying Yolk-less Eggs
If you’re a chicken keeper who owns a chicken laying yolk-less eggs, it’s understandable to be concerned. After all, you are probably wondering if there’s something wrong with your chickens and if there is anything you can do to prevent this from happening again?
Typically, there isn’t much you can do about your chickens laying yolk-less eggs. In fact, the only thing you could do is to wait it out and see if they will continue to lay these eggs or if it was just a fluke (it usually is). If your chickens are otherwise laying normal eggs, then there isn’t any cause for worry at all.
Do keep in mind that yolk-less eggs are usually laid by pullets, so if you have a flock of young birds, then it’s possible that you’ll find this odd occurrence once in a while. This is a process that will wean off on its own, and your patience should pay off after a day or two.
When you see that one of your chickens is laying yolk-less eggs, it’s important to bring in a vet for an examination. They should be able to identify any underlying health conditions earlier and treat them better than if they were left untreated until things started going really wrong later on.
3 Things You Should Know about Yolk-less Eggs
As mentioned, finding a yolk-less in a carton from the farmers’ market isn’t a cause for concern. Neither do chicken keepers generally have to worry if they’re doing something wrong. Here are 3 interesting things you should know about eggs with no yolks.
Eggs with No Yolks Have a Variety of Nicknames
While we may call them eggs with no egg yolks, these eggs are actually given a wide variety of nicknames. They include being called the fairy egg, witch egg, wind egg, and a fan favorite – the fart egg. Some chicken farmers may also call them dwarf eggs for their size.
Old folklores have also called these eggs rooster eggs, as they believed that yolk-less eggs are laid by roosters instead of chickens. There is currently no evidence that points to an egg-laying rooster, but it remains old myths that many chicken farmers still share today.
Eggs with No Egg Yolks Will Not Hatch
If you’re looking to hatch chicks from a batch of eggs, then you should know that yolk-less eggs will never hatch. This is as eggs with no egg yolks are not fertilized.
Due to the small size of fairy eggs, it should be easy for you to identify if an egg might be worth incubating without cracking it open.
You could also use the candling method when you’re looking for the right egg to incubate by shining a light into the egg. If you see a shadow in the middle of the egg, then you’ll have a better chance of that egg being fertilized.
Eggs with No Yolks Are Common in Other Animals Too
Interestingly, yolk-less eggs can also come from other animals. Various poultry species such as ducks, guineas, and quails have also been known to lay yolk-less eggs.
In fact, other animals such as the leatherback sea turtles are well-known for laying clutches of yolk-less eggs alongside regular eggs. This is often attributed to the high levels of albumen proteins in leatherback sea turtles, which results in them laying yolk-less eggs.
