A few interesting studies done on Coturnix Eggs

[joe125]

I use the 7 day rule for coturnix eggs myself. Scientific studies are fine, but who has the refrigerator space, and turners to spare?

A 10+ day old coturnix egg in my fridge makes a great omelet, not so good for hatching.

 

[cutechick2010]

Quote:
Really?? I knew that older eggs could lessen the number hatched, but I didn't know that the health/vigor of the chicks would be affected as well. I am having issues with a batch hatching in my incubator right now, I wonder if that could be part of my problem. I don't have very many hens yet, so I had to keep some of the eggs around for several days before I had enough to make running the incubator worth it.

 

[Stellar]

I answered your thread so it was your own birds, that could be a reason for some pipping and dying in shell...I will edit my answer a bit

But from a few experiments, and JJ has done it do, I do not keep eggs longer than 7 days period. If I don't know how old the egg is I don't bother incubating, I toss it or stick it in the fridge. I collect eggs from my breeders up to 6 days and then set. I don't stick any in the fridge, I put them in turners in room temp and on day 6 off to the incubator they go. I did the 14 day collection and I got terrible hatch rates, 60% compared to the 99% hatch rate I get (Manchurians have that lethal gene). whoosh that is a waste of space. I ordered 300 quail eggs once, and only one hatched...I wonder how long of a time those were collected.....