Why do we say "per egg" instead of "per clutch"

[JLC]

Ok ill start with can you guys please stop repeating yourselves about the per egg. We all understand that and its not what im trying to discuss, im trying to understand why saying "statistically you should get 50% lesser 50% normal" is wrong, why does it need "correcting". I understand the odds are per egg. an odd number egg clutch its obviously impossible to have a 50/50. but again, statistically what should you get?

ok ill try this fill in the blank "statistically you should get _______ per clutch"

I get what you're saying.....and here's my take on the answer:

It's actually pretty rare that someone says "Statistically you should get ____ per clutch." And even that statement isn't really correct. There is no "should" in statistics. It would more accurately read "Statistically you could get...." But again...people rarely ever actually express it that way.

More often you'll hear, "You'll get 50% lessers in a lesser x normal clutch" ...or something along those lines. The ways it is most commonly expressed leaves the impression to a newbie that they WILL get half lessers and half normals in their clutch.

And the simplest way to fix that misunderstanding is to explain that the genetic statistics are calculated PER EGG. Each egg is its own little formula, independent of the whole clutch.

If you have a lesser x normal clutch that has 12 eggs in it....what are the odds that you'll actually hatch out 6 lessers and 6 normals? I don't know the formulas, but I'll bet the odds of that outcome are not 50/50.