GQF Sportsman 1502 Incubator Questions

[bdfive]

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.

 

[zazouse]

Here is what i use to fill the resivors
Please excuse the dust i have not cleaned my bators yet this year.

 

[zazouse]

Had already asked Bob if we had any tubing in the garage, looked and found some that looks actually just like yours. Even tho I figured out to fill the second water tray with tubing I'm past happy to now read and see your pictures. I intended to use a tiny funnel I have in a kitchen drawer but will look for one more adequate. In fact there are funnels in the garage......will check them out. I have the water tray with float in it sold with the 5 gallon bucket on top of the incubator feeding water in. Will put my original water tray on the shelf beneath it and keep it full with your method.

PLEASE, can you tell me about your sponges. I've tried several store bought but they don't seem to absorb the water up into them to help much. Those sold for use by GQF are made of paper and can only be used once...they fall apart and are expensive. Do you have a brand name of your sponges? Any chance you can post an up close picture of one? Where did you purchase them? I remember sponges from past life that would have worked great but can't find them anymore.

How high can you raise the humidity with the one tray and sponges? I'm trying to get mine half way between 65 and 80 so at about 72/73.

Thanks zazouse, always appreciate your help and love chatting with you. Is there an active thread going on peafowl now? Breeding season coming up soon. Also soon time for 6 month worming.

I got that 5 gallon bucket with the float tray also it would not keep my reservoir filled adequately so i switched to the funnel and tube.

Those sponges work ok but to get the humidity real high i use a few cheap white wash cloths rolled up and place in the area that is made to hold sponges. add 2 set of them to the reservoir

Please excuse the dirty looking reservoir i have alot of iron in my water and it builds up after years of use

 

[Kedreeva]

I did not use my Sportsman for hatching this year, well, except for a couple that I forgot about...

When I have had 'stickies', I found that the cause was more of my interference than the equipment I was using. First, the humidity during incubating needs to be low so the egg can lose moisture or about 13% to 15% of the eggs total weight. That can be difficult in areas where the humidity is high. I shoot for low 40's and with the rainy spring and early summer we had the humidity kept shooting up into the 50's. This is why you will hear about 'dry' incubating, not adding water to the incubator until hatch time. A wet, oversized chick will have difficulties zipping and getting out.

Second, your interference. There is a reason they call it 'lock down'. Opening the hatcher while the chicks are hatching reduces the humidity in the unit and it is difficult for that humidity to build back up and the egg loses moisture and will get stuck. This is especially true when there is too much fluid in the egg. Eggs that had lost enough moisture will pip and zip in short order most of the time.

This year I ended up using broody chicken hens to set most of my eggs. They are not foolproof by any means but they are professionals. I brought the eggs inside to hatcher in the hatcher. If you are interested in how Leggs Peafowl farm incubates, here is a link to his tutorial.

http://www.leggspeafowl.com/incub.htm

I was getting "lower than desired" hatch rates with the GQF at the start of my season, and I think Leggs is right about the thinner walls being an issue- we found that covering the incubator in a large, thick, dark towel seemed to help. And same as you, the lower humidity during incubation /definitely/ helped.

 

[KsKingBee]

I am trying to keep my humidity down to 45% during the entire process, not easy to do, but the results are better than higher humidity.

 

[jdavis]

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.

 

[bdfive]

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.

 

[jdavis]

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%.

 

[jdavis]

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.

 

[bdfive]

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!