Cabinet Incubators w/ Hatching drawer area questions

[eeyore75]

OK- we are thinking about buying a cabinet style incubator next year. One of the types with 3 egg trays & a hatching area.

For those that use them, I have a few questions:

Can you keep the humidity at a differant level in the hatching area, and another level in the the egg tray area?

If so- does raising the humidity in the hatching area affect the humidity in the egg tray area?

Which model do you prefer?

Are there any models you would stay away from?

Thanx in advance for any input/answers!!!!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

No they are made to have the humidity the same, top to bottom.

There all about the same. The sportsman is a factory built unit an the dickeys are more hand built. Options are about the same

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Any of the GQF cabinet incubators have been proven for years. If you can afford it I like the new 1502 digital sportsman. There are other good ones (dickeys) out there but I would stay away from any cabinet incubator that uses 100 watt light bulbs for a heat source. There are plenty of those out there and while they may work they do not have anything like the proven record like the GQF incubators.

 

[eeyore75]

We are looking at the GQF models- I was just hoping there was a way to raise the humidity for the hatching area.

What % do you leave the humidity on then if it is the same for incubation & hatching?

Is it better to just get a seperate table top hatcher then with them?

 

[cmom]

I have an older GQF Sportsman I use. I mainly use it for incubating and use my old LG as a hatcher. I have been doing staggered hatches. I have used the hatcher drawer but find using the LG as a hatcher works better for me. It originally had a wafer thermostat but we changed it to a digital. The digital thermostat has almost no variation. The wafer would vary from 99 degrees to 100.5 The digital stays at 99.5 to 99.7.

 

[onthespot]

I have a Dickey and an older Sportsman incubator, and a sportsman hatcher. I just haven't used the hatcher. I just let'em rip in the bottom hatching tray in with all my other eggs. I bump up the humidity for lockdown, and drop it back down the rest of the time. They hatch fine. (Hatching Hint: Cut a piece of linoleum to fit the bottom of your incubator. It makes cleanup SO MUCH easier after a hatch, or if something blows during incubation, or you have some other miscellaneous egg accident. We all have had them, and if you have the linoleum down there, you just pull it out, wipe it off, spray it with whatever you want, air dry and put it back. If it gets raggedy, just cut another piece and it's like brand new. Wait! It IS brand new, LOL)

 

[cmom]

That is a very good idea. My incubator did come with a metal tray under the hatcher drawer. You are right it is nice to just pull it out and clean it off.

 

[Elite Silkies]

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I love that hatcher!! My husband just built me one, not quite as nice and only one level

I had to put it to use so, I haven't finished it yet, but your's makes me want to find a nice design and paint mine, rather than stain it.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Cmon,


Can you share close ups of your brooder sometime please? I would like to replicate it, and close ups would help.


Shellie

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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