In bobwhite quail I have found that yolk-free chick dry mass is positively correlated with initial egg mass where as dry residual yolk is not correlated to initial egg mass. I would have predicted that the yolk-free chick mass has a strong genetic component and thus irrespective of the yolk quantity at the start of incubation, once an embryo is done developing and hatches, what should vary is the quantity of residual yolk...a larger egg with more yolk will produce a chick with more residual (unused) yolk. This was not the case. I would appreciate any insight into the mechanisms that determine chick size at hatching.
It might well be, that the internal volume of the egg is the main determinant of chick size/weight. Yolk mass is then probably used to its maximum independent of chick size, thus leaving a more or less constant rest at hatch.
Plz review The law of conservation of mass or principle of mass conservation. you can find interesting conclusions.
This link is useful
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-s-poultry-science-journal/article/interrelationships-of-egg-size-chick-size-posthatching-growth-and-hatchability/00A31656940DAD3FBD5EAA5693E76825
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