Not enough oxygen in my incubator -- where should I put another ventilation hole?

[InsaneBreeder]

I have a Genesis 1588 Hovabator, and it has one 1/2" vent hole on the ceiling, and a couple of pencil-width holes around the perimeter of the incubator's floor. I have done 24 hatches and, in every single one, the chicks are panting and I always end up with 20-40% chicks that died in the shell before pipping. I have been suspicious for the last couple of hatches that my problem is lack of oxygen via good ventilation, and I believe I should make one or more additional vent holes to allow for it. I leave the ceiling hole open all the time, and I have tried elevating the incubator so that the floor holes can receive more air flow, but this has not seemed to make a difference.

Does anyone know where the best place to put a vent hole would be, how wide it should be, and whether or not I should make more than one?

 

[Yiannisk]

I do not believe that vent is your problem more likely to me is temperature problem before you do anything check the temp with a reliable thermometer
ps. is it force or still air incu?

 

[InsaneBreeder]

I have checked it several times throughout my hatches with two thermometers, but it is always at 100 degrees on the dot. It's a forced air incubator.

 

[Yiannisk]

I have an old Hovabator almost 20 years never had a problem with vent i always have both vents on top closed i only replaced the wafer thermostat with an electronic one did you check humidity?

on second thought
in how many days do they hatch do they on day 21 ?

 

[InsaneBreeder]

Yes, I check the humidity constantly, and it is usually 60-70% during lockdown, but it goes up to 80% (or sometimes higher, occasionally it goes to 100%) when the chicks start to hatch. I have posted concerns about the high humidity before, but people said it was normal for it to spike like that. I have tried partially opening the incubator during the spikes to lower the humidity, but this usually shrink-wraps the chicks nearest to the open side.

 

[Yiannisk]

I am not asking about lock down but for the first days if it is too high over 50% the air sack shrinks cosing death of the chicks on pipping

on lock down when chicks start to hatch it is normal to go very high and helps

 

[InsaneBreeder]

Oh, for the first 17 days the humidity is 30-35%; it never goes above 35%.

 

[Yiannisk]

I give up i can not think of anything else may be bacteria infection or what ?? But i still believe it is not a vent problem even when chicks hatch and i have 38 to 40 in the incu the vent holes are closed and never had suffocation of any chick

excuse my English !!

 

[InsaneBreeder]

Oh, okay. Well thanks for your help.