text: Like the above person said, the more eggs you spit out, the more likely there is of some of them surviving to adulthood. It also depends on the development of the species. Chickens are relatively developed in comparison to frogs (tadpoles) when hatched, so more energy is put into each egg and ensuring its survival (the hen incubates the egg). Most frogs however, lay a mass of eggs and leave them to their own defences. \nTry and compare some animals that lay eggs and the state of development of the offspring and that gives you a pretty good understanding.