Bad smell?

[buttonquail]

I have a 1588 Electronic Hove-bator and  have hatched several batches of bob white quail.  There are 80 eggs in their 17th day and have started to smell badly. Had candled a few earlier and all was well.  Temp is OK, humidity did drop a couple times.  What could be wrong?  Appreciate your advice.............

[birdlover]

hi,
i think there are eggs in your incubator that are infertile.  I've noticed sometimes that the infertile eggs start to get rotten inside, because there is no embryo growing inside , so the egg will start to rot.  Don't worry so much just be happy with the chicks that hatch.  Good luck!!

[buttonquail]

Thx, I just found some with the blood ring, so hope most of the others are OK!  Last Thanksgiving  120 hatched; these are the next generation.