Primary Fermenting - how much air???

Until this weekend my experience with winemaking has been with concentrate kits, and they have produced very good results. As I travel around to various Tennessee wineries my wife's favorite is always a soft, sweet red made with concord grapes. No one makes such a kit, so last weekend I began a 6-gallon batch using Yooper's Welch's Wine recipe.
Here's my question. The instructions for the kits tell you to cover the primary fermenter (mine is the big plastic bucket) for those first few days before racking into the carboy. From what I read on the Welch's forum the recommendation is to cover with a napkin. My fermenter lid has the small hole for the air-lock, but now I'm wondering whether that (without the air-lock) is allowing enough oxygen for proper initial fermentation, especially for this concord batch. Just how much oxygen is necessary during those first few days? There are probably 3 inches of air space between the juice and the lid.
My wife thanks you!

Lately I've been putting a sanitized paper towel over the bucket airlock hole, not sure how much it lets in but I figure it's better than an oxygen free environment. Then normally when I'm stirring my wine I leave it open for a little while to soak up some more oxygen. As long as I'm in a clean area and pretty sure there aren't many things floating in the air I try to open it up alot during the first couple of days.

I would think that's enough air. I've been brewing lots of batches and never had any real problems with covering my fermentation bucket with a clean dish cloth, and laying the bucket lid (with no airlock hole) over top loosely. Sometimes I aerate the wine once a day for the first few days, sometimes I forget and don't, and everything has been good to go.

I simply lay a sheet of toilet paper over the hole.

Stirring every day is also good, with a sterilized spoon, of course.

Thanks for your replies. The fermentation is vigorous, so it appears to be getting plenty of air. I have cheesecloth over the hole in the lid. I've never stirred the must with the kits, but sounds like it can't hurt.

I have been stirring mine once a day for the 1st five days. That’s what the last 2 recipes had me doing I’m not sure if there is a standard to go by. I use a pillow case to cover my bucket with a bungee cord around it. I’m afraid to use a towel because of all the short threads they have.

Mgreg33 said:

I have been stirring mine once a day for the 1st five days. That’s what the last 2 recipes had me doing I’m not sure if there is a standard to go by. I use a pillow case to cover my bucket with a bungee cord around it. I’m afraid to use a towel because of all the short threads they have.

Click to expand...

Same here. I use a clean pillow case tied around the top of the bucket, no lid. Too many things can cling to a towel.