General News
1 August, 2024
Looking back: double yolk egg gave emu farmer big eggspectations for twins
When a Pimpinio farmer discovered a rare double-yolker in 1994.
Wimmera
Every journalist has a big story. Whether it's a giant pumpkin, monster zucchini or just a phenomical fungi, young journalists cut their teeth on these colourful stories.
When Pimpinio's Keith Baker contacted The Wimmera Mail-Times' office in August 1994, one could assume journalist Sharon Edlich took up the job with a wry smile.
Mr Baker and his wife Gay had been farming emus since 1992, but had only starting breeding the native bird that year.
In late-July, 1994, their daughter Melanie had come running into the house, having spotted the large egg.
No doubt Mr Baker had a similar wry smile after hearing the news.
"It was covered with straw, we thought it was two eggs," he told the Mail-Times.
It was only the second double-yolk emu egg produced by breeders.
The bright green egg weighed 900 grams, which was thought to be a record, until it was discovered a 936g egg was laid in Tasmania that year.
Mr Baker was more eggcited (yes, that's what was published in the paper) about the eggs possibilities: infertile, one chick or maybe two!
They only needed to wait 56 days to see the outcome.