Too high humidity at start of incubating quail

[MazzyK]

Hi everyone. I'm a beginner trying to incubate 12 Japanease quail and I made the classic begginer's error of starting my incubation with way too high humidity
I realised this on day 3 and brought it right down. I'm now on day 6. Do you think there is hope for my chicks or should I just get myself some more eggs now and start again?

 

[Peskypigeon]

Hi everyone. I'm a beginner trying to incubate 12 Japanease quail and I made the classic begginer's error of starting my incubation with way too high humidity
I realised this on day 3 and brought it right down. I'm now on day 6. Do you think there is hope for my chicks or should I just get myself some more eggs now and start again?

How high are we talking? They're most likely fine, and definitely try to hatch them regardless.

 

[MazzyK]

Thank you! I don't know exactly how high (humidity counter got lost in the post so I've had to order a new one!) But I misunderstood the instructionson that came with the incubator and filler up all three channels instead of one! The roof of the incubator became covered in condensation and so some googling made me realise my mistake! One day 3 I drained most of the water away and now it looks ok.... As soon as the next humidity counter arrives I'll be able to check the humidity.
Hopefully I haven't gone too hard in the other direction and made the humidity too low..

 

[Peskypigeon]

Thank you! I don't know exactly how high (humidity counter got lost in the post so I've had to order a new one!) But I misunderstood the instructionson that came with the incubator and filler up all three channels instead of one! The roof of the incubator became covered in condensation and so some googling made me realise my mistake! One day 3 I drained most of the water away and now it looks ok.... As soon as the next humidity counter arrives I'll be able to check the humidity.
Hopefully I haven't gone too hard in the other direction and made the humidity too low..

Don’t fret too much! Quails can deal with lower humidity better than higher. I didn’t have a proper hygrometer until day 15 for my little buttons (and my hatch rate was terrible, but the two that did hatch are healthy as can be).

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have done my two hatches without a hygrometer, and have not been to strict on humidity. I refill a water through when it gets low and fill two troughs during lockdown, and I have had very good hatches. I am not sure what the humidity was in there, but it seemed to work just fine. In my first hatch the trough was empty for over a week before I noticed, and I had a pretty good hatch! But I do plan on getting a hydrometer soon. So don't fret, you will probably be fine.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you! I don't know exactly how high (humidity counter got lost in the post so I've had to order a new one!) But I misunderstood the instructionson that came with the incubator and filler up all three channels instead of one! The roof of the incubator became covered in condensation and so some googling made me realise my mistake! One day 3 I drained most of the water away and now it looks ok.... As soon as the next humidity counter arrives I'll be able to check the humidity.
Hopefully I haven't gone too hard in the other direction and made the humidity too low..

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Take a deep breath and try to relax a little.

It's likely fine.. but I'm gonna ask questions and make suggestions.. Good job catching your mistake. Humidity is negotiable short term.. temperature not as much.

Too high humidity LONG term would be an issue as it could cause drowning at pip and excessive growth not allowing the embryo to turn to get into position for pip in chicken chicks at least. To cause condensation.. has to be pretty high.. I've hatched lots without a hygrometer and that's a definite indicator!

Where are you located, please consider adding it to your general profile as it will help folks make there best suggestions possible at a glance.

Were the eggs shipped, how long were they stored before setting or more clearly how old were they? According to your local weather forecast what is your local humidity level outside? What type of bator are you using? What is the temperature setting/reading?

No.. don't ditch all hope.. have you candled to see if there are embryos showing inside yet?!

Please note a completely DRY incubator (depending on size and how many eggs are inside) will run approximately 30% lower inside the bator than the ambient in your house.. But this would be GREAT poll/thread to start for folks that have the things all available to report their findings.. to really help dumb it down or ease it up for folks who don't have calibrated or any equipment available..

Happy hatching!

 

[MazzyK]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Take a deep breath and try to relax a little.

It's likely fine.. but I'm gonna ask questions and make suggestions.. Good job catching your mistake. Humidity is negotiable short term.. temperature not as much.

Too high humidity LONG term would be an issue as it could cause drowning at pip and excessive growth not allowing the embryo to turn to get into position for pip in chicken chicks at least. To cause condensation.. has to be pretty high.. I've hatched lots without a hygrometer and that's a definite indicator!

Where are you located, please consider adding it to your general profile as it will help folks make there best suggestions possible at a glance.

Were the eggs shipped, how long were they stored before setting or more clearly how old were they? According to your local weather forecast what is your local humidity level outside? What type of bator are you using? What is the temperature setting/reading?

No.. don't ditch all hope.. have you candled to see if there are embryos showing inside yet?!

Please note a completely DRY incubator (depending on size and how many eggs are inside) will run approximately 30% lower inside the bator than the ambient in your house.. But this would be GREAT poll/thread to start for folks that have the things all available to report their findings.. to really help dumb it down or ease it up for folks who don't have calibrated or any equipment available..

Happy hatching!

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much this is super helpful and really encouraging.
So, i am based in Bristol in the UK and the outside weather is pretty humid (95% right now according to weather forecast). Since emptying out most of the water on day 3 from the incubator, the condensation has completely disappeared. Today is day 6 and I candled and couldn't really see a lot... but that could be cos I don't know what I'm doing, or I need a better torch. I added a tiny, tiny bit of water back in today, cos there wasn't any at all left in there, but hopefully my hydrometer will arrive next week so i'll be able to take an accurate reading.

Regarding other questions - I drove to pick up my eggs so they haven't come in the post and were only about 3 days old when they went in the incubator.. The temperature is set at 37.5

Thanks!