On day 20 with pips....pull the vent plug or not????

[Kittymomma]

I left the front plug out the whole time and took the back plug out when the chicks started hatching. The only prob. I had with humidity was it going too high as the chicks hatched. The wet chicks and egg shells will add a lot of mostiure so you won't lose as much humidity by taking the plug out as you might think. I had 22/24 hatch and the two that didn't had quit around week 2.

 

[kathyinmo]

I leave my plugs out most all the time. I, too, drilled in extra holes (size of a pencil). I did this after I lost nearly an entire hatch (hatched 4 out of 40+). I was new to hatching. I had found all those little holes on the bottom of the styrofoam bator, and (in my mind) thought the holes were like an overflow thing. SO, I covered them all up with tape. I also kept my vents closed (because I thought I had to, to keep the humidity up)

Believe me .... they need the oxygen, or they will not hatch!