Turkey Parthenogenesis Produces Only Males

Female turkeys can reproduce without sperm through parthenogenesis, a phenomenon sometimes called a "virgin birth," although the offspring are not exact clones of their mother. Their unfertilized eggs can spontaneously develop into embryos, and the few that successfully hatch are always male. USDA researcher M. W. Olson found that only about 1 percent survived long enough to become chicks, although selective breeding raised the rate to roughly 8 percent in one line.

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