Questions about my first hatch of bobwhites Humidity

[bbqsfarm]

I just set my first eggs at noon today. Bobwhites 2 different egg suppliers. I had my humitity holding about 60% pretty well. I have ran it for 2 days prior to adding eggs. I added some water and it went up. Just for a bit. To try to bring it back down I quickly removed some of the water with a turkey baster and lifted the lid for a few seconds.

SO my question how do you know when to add more water. Do you wait for the level to start decreasing or what? I am using a Little Giant with fan and turner. Also what is to high of humitiy level that would cause damage to the eggs.

Is there anyone out there willing to mentor me through this hatch with questions etc? I post occassionally but rarely get responses to my questions. I have lots of questions and some trial and error things I am trying with this first hatch.

I had a couple of damaged eggs so I decided to crack them and look at them. Also have questions about my findings there.

 

[TwoCrows]

The humidity level during incubation for Bobwhites should be between 55% and 60%. The reason you need humidity is to allow for some weight loss to the egg, but not so much the embryo dehydrates and dies. Some weight loss is needed to make room for the growing chick and for room for the air chamber at the top of the egg. So try to keep the humidity level somewhere around the % listed above.

You will need to monitor your water level. Some incubators are hard to see into, but sometimes a flash light will work. My first incubator was difficult to see into as well, so I just kept it full all the way to the top of the fill hole. If you are diligent, keeping tabs on the humidity level can tell you if you need to add more water.

Come lock down day, (the day you stop turning the eggs,) and for Bobwhites, that is day 20, you will need to up your humidity by 10% higher than you incubated with. AND open all vents wide open. The added humidity will keep the chicks from sticking to the inside of the eggs. The open vents will bring in lots of oxygen which they will need at this point. If you have trouble getting the humidity up, then add wet sponges until the desired level is achieved. At first when you add the sponges, the level will jump. It should come down in 30 mins or so. You don't want them to drown either. So only 10% or so higher.

I have hatched more Bobs than ever thought possible, LOL, so if you have any questions, ask away.