When Do I or Do I Even Remove The Vent Plug

[FunnyBunnies12]

There are 2 vent plugs on the genesis, and I believe there are vent plugs on the other incubator that I ordered for hatching, do I remove the vent plugs during lock down? Or do I even remove them? What are they for then?

 

[chicmom]

Hello!

You leave those in, and then during lockdown, if your humidity goes up too high, then you can take one of the plugs out to help regulate that.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Thank you Chicmom! I thought so, but I wasn't sure.

 

[chicmom]

You are very welcome!

 

[katharinad]

You don't even have to take the plugs out when you live in high elevation and/or a dry climate. I'm at 4200 feet with humidity normally being around 10-15%. The humidity will spike when they hatch out of their eggs. 75-85% is fine and I would not try to bring it down. Even 90% is ok, since it will go down by itself. Bringing it down to much will cause shrink wrapping, which can be deadly to ducklings. Ducklings can handle high humidity, while other breeds like quails need to come down somewhat. The machine is designed for all breeds, so that is what those plugs are for. Also the more eggs are hatching the higher the humidity will go. The machine can hold over 30 duck eggs, so under 10 eggs you never even have to worry about humidity at all.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Great! Thank you Katherine! So far it seems I'm doing everything right other then being obsessed about candling Which I have cut back, #10 is developing so very nicely, it's filling in and getting darker. The other 5 have veins and little itty bitty wiggles in there. But as I said, I've cut back on the candling.

 

[FenDruadin]

Really? I thought the vent plugs had to come out so the babies could breathe. I always remove both and just work to have lots of moisture in there. Of course, I live in a humid climate so maybe I'm just lucky to have that luxury. But don't the babies suffocate with the vent plugs closed?

 

[katharinad]

All incubators have small air vents to allow air circulation. Without it the eggs would die in the machine and never even hatch. The hovabator has tiny holes on the bottom of the machine, which creates a small air draft going up into the machine. Enough to assure that nothing suffocates in the machine. They state in their manual that the plugs can be pulled after the hatch is complete to help the chicks to dry off.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/pdf/1588 Genesis TUV.pdf
The circulated air will do that too. A still air incubator may be a little bit different, and I would pull a plug if the humidity stays up too high. As I've said before climate is also an issue. It is here so dry that I have to put water into the machine daily during incubation or I run out in 1.5 days. During lockdown I have to fill all the cavities in the tray, not just the 2 they tell you to, or I never get the humidity high enough. And people think of Oregon being moist and wet. LOL High desert will get you anytime.

Forgot that the plug may be pulled in elevations above 6000 feet because of the thin air with less oxygen saturation. Not many of us live up that high.

 

[FenDruadin]

Very interesting. Thanks for the clarification. I have always left mine wide open, but it's good to know I can close them if I need to to regulate humidity.

 

[cajuneal]

My incubator has 2 vent plugs but directions are not clear as to removing them. My humidity has stayed at around 50. Its 3 days till hatch time, do I remove vent plugs or not?