This is a question about coturnix quail. I have a male & 3 hens in a cage. I switched the male out & want to hatch its offspring. How long do I need to wait so that the eggs laid are not left over from the original male in the pen? Some animals store the DNA of the male for a while and I don't know exactly at which stage of egg production gets the egg fertilized in first place. I know it takes a few days for an egg to make it through the reproduction system. Anyone know?