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BirdsOscarSeptember 18, 2026

I’m incubating Coturnix quail eggs

I’m incubating Coturnix quail eggs. Day 0 was August 20, and today (September 18) is Day 29, about 11 days past the expected Day 17–18 hatch. * Incubator was around 99.5–99.55°F, with humidity generally around 45%. * I started lockdown around Day 15, removed the turner, and raised humidity to about 65–72%. I’m wondering if starting lockdown early could have contributed to problems. * Egg #1: The shell was accidentally crushed/cracked by the incubator lid around September 4. Yolk-like fluid and some blood came out initially, but the bleeding stopped. The egg remained damaged but continued showing movement/shaking and is still moving today. * Egg #2: Has continued moving/shaking and is still alive as far as I can tell on Day 29, but has not hatched or clearly pipped. * Egg #3: Pipped but remained stuck for several days and eventually died. After death, I could see the chick was severely malpositioned, lying diagonally/sideways with the beak not positioned normally at the air cell. The egg/chick smelled slightly bad afterward. * Egg #4: Never showed noticeable movement or successfully pipped. What should I do next with Eggs #1 and #2, especially since they are still moving but extremely overdue? Should I assist, leave them alone, or remove them? Could the early Day-15 lockdown have contributed to the malpositioning or failed hatch?

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