How does a Leghorn hen manage to produce two eggs in one day, often in quick succession?
A second ovum begins its oviduct journey before the first egg's 24-hour cycle completes.
The phenomenon of laying two eggs in one day, known as a double lay, happens because the reproductive system accelerates its cycle speed for the second egg. Typically, the entire process from ovulation to laying takes approximately 24 to 26 hours. For a double lay to occur, the hen must successfully lay her first egg, and then a subsequent ovum must have already initiated its progression down the oviduct so rapidly that the laying of the second egg happens shortly thereafter. This speed means the sequence for the second egg started before the standard 24-hour mark elapsed for the first egg, often resulting in the two eggs being laid less than an hour apart.
