HovaBator Still Air - vent question

[ruth]

O.K. - got my first two boxes of eggs today. In the meantime I've researched egg incubation to death and am even more confused than when I started. Kind of like when I first got baby chicks and every article gave different advice. I ended up raising them as close to natural as possible - without fancy brooders and free-ranging from very beginning - although in fenced-in quarters for the very young babies.

Oh yeah, my question. I bought a simple HovaBator - still air model. Only one farm co-op in town and one feed store and this was my one and only option. Anyway, it has two red vent plugs in top only. Can't seem to find a consistent article that says whether to leave them both closed initially or one closed or both open near hatch times. I am finding articles that say there should be open vent holes on top AND bottom of bator for proper ventilation and that eggs must have oxygen flow or they will die.

So for any of you who have used the HovaBator still air model - please advise - both vents open, closed or mixture?

 

[Pinenot]

Am I correct that you don't have a fan in it? If you don't have a fan, I think I would leave both off. If you do have a fan, I would close the one that isn't over the fan and leave the one above the fan open..

I have a little giant and I think they are about the same idea. That is just my opinion

 

[ZuniBee]

I would take both plugs out. I have the model with the fan and had the same questions.....couldn't find the answer anywhere. So, the first batch of eggs I hatched one out of 25. I left the plugs in. After that, I read a few articles that talked about the chicks not getting enough air. Since then I take both plugs out and the only time I put them in is when I want the humidity to go up on day 18 and then I only leave them for a short period of time. My hatch rates have improved dramatically.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
I leave the holes unplugged.

Soooo, how'd the eggs look?
XFingers CrossedX

Lisa

 

[ruth]

Thanks Lisa & ZuniBee - I'll go take the plugs out. Yeah articles either never mention them (vent plugs) or gave conflicting advice. The directions that came with bator said to take them out after chicks had hatched so they could dry. However, all of my research shows that poor hatch rates often have to do with eggs not getting enough oxygen and that air flow was very important. Fan or not, and mine has NO fan, if they can't get oxygen they slowly die per articles I've researched. However (again) humidity is important and if there's a lot of open air source humidity can't build up. Like I said, it's like when I first got babies (chicks) and just stopped researching and started raising them as close to natural as possible. Too much research just makes you crazy.

Lisa, the eggs were all in perfect condition. I put yours and Frank's itty bitty Serama eggs in bator at same time. It's going to be a long 21 days because I've been in there checking at least a dozen times today. I really think I'm going to see babies pop out any moment and have to remind myself I just put them in. How do any of you get anything else done when you have bators going?

 

[schroader]

I have one too. the book says to keep the plugs in tell the 19 day then take them out....... or I take them out when I take the turner out.

Just my .02

 

[ae50mag]

just remember serama hatch at 19-20 days vs 21 for larger chickens...

frank

 

[leecey411]

I hatched eggs from Frank three weeks ago, you are in for some fun babies. Mine are super friendly and so cute! Remember they will hatch between 19-21 days! Now I have Naked Neck eggs from Lisa in the incubator! We must have the same taste in fowl! Good luck with your hatch!

 

[claud]

I leave them in until the hatch. I hatched with the Hova bator maybe ten times and had great hatches.