Humidity issues with incubating

[ChickChicka]

I need some help! I am using Brinsea Mini EX and set quail eggs yesterday. The temp and humidity was stable (settings: Temp 99.6F, Humidity 40%) until after I placed eggs in the incubator. The humidity dropped to 35% and remained there overnight even after I closed the vent and raised the humidity setting to 45% before I went to bed. This morning my hubby checked and rewound the tubing on the water pump. He thought it was rotating backwards to prevent the water from going into the machine. He watched a Brinsea YouTube video to make sure the tubing was wrapped the correct way (it was) & then tested it. It syphoned water, filled the overflow reservoir, and then the pump part with the tubing stopped turning. The humidity is REALLY high now (76%). I've opened the vent, placed a paper towel in the reservoir to empty the water but there appears to be a little water under the egg tray. Should I try to dry the bottom of the incubator under the tray? Or do you have any other suggestions?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

If you can remove any water it would be great. Do you have a syringe, then you can syphon it back out; or gently take out all of the eggs and put them in an egg carton and take out some water and put eggs back in. Reminds me of beekeeping: quickly and gently.

 

[ChickChicka]

Thank you! I did remove all of the excess water & changed the blotting paper in the reservoir. Over the next 24 hours the humidity regulated itself & has been at my setting since. I candled my eggs for the first time today (day 6) and all but 2 were developing. Hopefully they keep going and we get some chicks!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Great news!