Do you own a GQF 1500 Incubator and 1550 hatcher?

[addctd2plnts]

I'm looking for real life input from those that own a Sportsman GQF 1500 incubator and a 1550 hatcher? I have show ducks acquired from show breeders and need a reliable cabinet incubator. Please give an honest review and any experience you may have had.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't have any of the new fancy 1500 series but I have three of the older 1200 series. I have two 1202 incubators and a 1250 hatcher. I've been very happy with them. I would expect the newer ones with electronic controls to be even better.
The ones I have utilize both wafer thermostats for major temperature control and secondary electronic thermostat for fine tuning.
As with any incubator, don't trust the readings on the incubator. Always have at least another calibrated/guaranteed accurate thermometer to verify.
I'm partial to these. https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Thermo...la-768559077094&ref=&adgrpid=71762479111&th=1
They are a combination thermometer/hygrometer that I can read on my phone from anywhere in or near the house.
This one is good too.
https://www.thermoworks.com/rt301wa/ .

 

[addctd2plnts]

I don't have any of the new fancy 1500 series but I have three of the older 1200 series. I have two 1202 incubators and a 1250 hatcher. I've been very happy with them. I would expect the newer ones with electronic controls to be even better.
The ones I have utilize both wafer thermostats for major temperature control and secondary electronic thermostat for fine tuning.
As with any incubator, don't trust the readings on the incubator. Always have at least another calibrated/guaranteed accurate thermometer to verify.
I'm partial to these. https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Thermo...la-768559077094&ref=&adgrpid=71762479111&th=1
They are a combination thermometer/hygrometer that I can read on my phone from anywhere in or near the house.
This one is good too.
https://www.thermoworks.com/rt301wa/ .

Thank you so much for thermometer and thermometer/hygrometer combo suggestion! That was the last thing I need before finalizing the order!

I figured that not many people would have cabinet incubators, but when I looked at prices, the smaller ones were so expensive and I'd need 4 of them probably. At that point, I might as well get the cabinet incubator. Since these are show birds I've put a good amount into aquiring them, and need to be successful at hatches. I think it's easier for the youngsters because they more years to play with trial and error. LOL

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The great thing about the Govee unit is that it tracks information for every minute, and you can export the data to your mailbox. From there you can make graphs or charts to compare data over time.
It is also extremely accurate out of the box. (But I still recommend calibrating any measurement device - which includes controls on the incubator.
The govee is accurate to: Temp: ±0.54°F/±0.3°C,, Humidity: ±3%
I do track humidity, but I still weigh eggs to track weight loss.
Between the two incubators, I have the capacity for 540 chicken eggs at a time but I many never get that many at once. With the hatcher, there is potentially capacity for more but that would require needing to clean the incubators rather than just the hatcher each time.
Having that flexibility, I can set eggs every few days.
The only thing that is a bit troublesome is cleaning. It is pretty deep from the door and someone like me with short arms struggles a bit.
After a rough cleaning I also use activated oxine to fumigate them.
My hatcher and one of the incubators have a full glass door, the other door is solid.

 

[addctd2plnts]

The great thing about the Govee unit is that it tracks information for every minute, and you can export the data to your mailbox. From there you can make graphs or charts to compare data over time.
It is also extremely accurate out of the box. (But I still recommend calibrating any measurement device - which includes controls on the incubator.
The govee is accurate to: Temp: ±0.54°F/±0.3°C,, Humidity: ±3%
I do track humidity, but I still weigh eggs to track weight loss.
Between the two incubators, I have the capacity for 540 chicken eggs at a time but I many never get that many at once. With the hatcher, there is potentially capacity for more but that would require needing to clean the incubators rather than just the hatcher each time.
Having that flexibility, I can set eggs every few days.
The only thing that is a bit troublesome is cleaning. It is pretty deep from the door and someone like me with short arms struggles a bit.
After a rough cleaning I also use activated oxine to fumigate them.
My hatcher and one of the incubators have a full glass door, the other door is solid.

I have the activated Oxine to clean them with. I won't have the arm issue. I'm 6 ft tall and my arms are so long I have to buy tall women's shirts or they look like 3/4 sleeves LMBO So, you just leave the Govee unit inside the incubator all the time? Some units had a probe, but I'm not sure about access on these GQF units yet.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes, I leave them in all the time except when cleaning. They are only 1.57 X 1.57 inches. You can also hang them from a strap but I like to keep them in one of the egg trays so I know precisely what the eggs are experiencing.