GQF Sportsman 1502 Incubator Questions

bdfive

Crowing
13 Years
Jul 11, 2010
852
113
271
South of Blanco, TX
I just put eggs in my GQF 1502 and wondering how I increase the humidity from 60 for eggs in trays on top to 70 in the hatch drawer at the bottom. Is it even possible? Has anyone found some sort of trays to add water that will slip in on each side of the tray that comes with the incubator. I tried using a wick pad but the top of it dries out to fast. Presently I have another tray at the bottom where the hatch tray will go. Will you please share any other additions, changes or modifications you've made that will help me successfully hatch peafowl eggs. OH, one more question. The fans really put out the air.....will they dry out the pipped eggs?

Hope you are all having success with hatching.

Thanks much.
 
i use a 1502 i usually add a small bowl of warm water with two sponges in the hatcher at lockdown it seems to help with the humidity, i add a thin cookie pan full of warm water under the hatcher when i hatch out geese, this keeps your incubator clean also.
 
Thanks jdavis. The hatcher drawer seems to be made of cardboard with a slick coating on it. Perhaps different then what you have? I don't see how I could actually set it in a pan of water. Don't want to go open the bator but if I remember right the drawer takes up all the space. I don't see how I could put a cookie pan of water beneath it. In fact to save the hatcher I need to order some pads that go in the bottom right away so I'll have them as to not ruin the "not so well made" drawer. What material is yours made of? Thanks again.
 
mine is an older model with wire and metal removable hatcher tray it has a removeable top also, it is raised off of the bottom about 2.5 inches, just right for a thin cookie pan to fit under. i can raise the humidity in mine to 90 to 95% with the cookie pan, at the top of the bator it will stay at around 80%.
 
if your hatccer drawer isnt full you might be able to put some thin tupperware bowls with warm water and a couple sponges in it, it doesnt take a whole lot of water to raise the humidity for three days.
 
I figured the quality had diminished jdavis. You'd laugh if you could see this hatcher drawer. Do you use the removable top to your hatcher tray? Seems it would be best if warm air circulated beneath the hatcher drawer also. I could easily put some feet with stick tape on the bottom to get it up some but will have to see if there is room to raise it. Don't remember if it fits snug. The drawer won't be full so I can add bowls and sponges in it to raise humidity but won't that raise the humidity in the upper part of the unit too? Thanks!
 
yes i use the removable top it has an air gap in the front and back to allow air to travel under it and back out , . and the water bowls will raise the humidity some in the upper part but it always seems to raise the humidity more in the hatcher tray for me for some reason i guess it is the top being in place.
 
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Do you think if I add water in the tray at the bottom the humidity will stay mostly where the hatching is going on and not ruin the eggs still incubating on top? The new 1502 tray/drawer doesn't have a top to it. I can't imagine the humidity not being the same throughout with how strong those fans blow. Also thinking those that pip will dry out so fast. I'd put them in my Styro Hova Bator if I could depend on the temperature being correct but I've had horrible success with it. I need a good thermometer and something to read humidity.....anyone have a suggestion? I'm frantic because have a bunch of eggs ready to go in lock down pretty soon and some are Java eggs. Please Help!!!!
 
Do you think if I add water in the tray at the bottom the humidity will stay mostly where the hatching is going on and not ruin the eggs still incubating on top? The new 1502 tray/drawer doesn't have a top to it. I can't imagine the humidity not being the same throughout with how strong those fans blow. Also thinking those that pip will dry out so fast. I'd put them in my Styro Hova Bator if I could depend on the temperature being correct but I've had horrible success with it. I need a good thermometer and something to read humidity.....anyone have a suggestion? I'm frantic because have a bunch of eggs ready to go in lock down pretty soon and some are Java eggs. Please Help!!!!
I have a separate hatcher for mine. If I were you I would wait until your eggs pip in the incubator. Then move them to a separate incubator/hatcher with a higher humidity. Make sure you have a steady temp in the Hova bator before you put the eggs in. If it has a wafer in it-replace it. The main reason I move the eggs to a different hatcher is so that I can keep my incubator clean. I generally run about 40% humidity in my incubator and I have had many early chicks hatch in there with no problem. I had a little golden pheasant greet me at the door a couple of days ago.
 
i honestly dont think you will have any issue with your hatch at 60%, you dont need to run your humidity up just keep it stable, i run mine up with my geese but have hatched them off at 55 to 60% humidity with no problem. i thought you just wanted to know how to raise your humidity, and if you add water to your bottom tray with no top i would say it will raise the humidity in the entire bator also. I think you will be fine without adding any water as long as your humidity holds stable through the lockdown.
 

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