Getting the Sportsman Ready...tips, tricks, advice???

[DylansMom]

with temps that low you may have problems the air intake in the back brings the cool temps in causing the regulator to struggle to keep a stable temp, can you put a small heater in that room and keep the door closed to bring your temps up?

Yes, I can put a small heater in there, I'll have to steal it from my son's room. And since I have yet to see an egg here, I've got a little time for the weather to hopefully warm up a bit, before we really get cooking!

 

[snowshoe]

I keep my Sportsman in the basement it is usually the coolest part of my house, but temperature does not change that much, I think it is more important to have it set up in and area where the temperature is going to be stable than keeping it where the temperature constantly changes.

 

[KsKingBee]

I am switching from chicken to pea eggs in the Sportsman. This year I am going to use the green plastic trays that hold 36 eggs each. I put two of them on one rack and they are too long! Almost 1/4 inch longer than the rack and they hang up on the support bar in the front and when the rack turns they hang up.

Anyone else have this problem and know how to fix it?

Also, the five gallon bucket takes me about a month to empty but now I have a crust on the top of the tank with the float. It looks like ice floating about 1/4 inch thick. Looks like I will have to buy water for the incubator. Humidity is staying right at low 40's.

 

[DylansMom]

I am switching from chicken to pea eggs in the Sportsman. This year I am going to use the green plastic trays that hold 36 eggs each. I put two of them on one rack and they are too long! Almost 1/4 inch longer than the rack and they hang up on the support bar in the front and when the rack turns they hang up.

Anyone else have this problem and know how to fix it?

Also, the five gallon bucket takes me about a month to empty but now I have a crust on the top of the tank with the float. It looks like ice floating about 1/4 inch thick. Looks like I will have to buy water for the incubator. Humidity is staying right at low 40's.

Funny you mention the water. I haven't gotten a single Pea egg yet, but I've been stocking up on distilled water. I buy a gallon every trip to the grocery store. We have an elaborate filtration and softening system for our nasty well water and I have never used tap water in any of my bators. I go thru a vaprorizer every year because of the crystallization that occurs when you turn my water into steam, didn't think that would work well for an incubator. As for the racks, my Sportsman is brand new and the goose racks are the only ones I have, and they fit so I can't help there.

 

[KsKingBee]

Funny you mention the water. I haven't gotten a single Pea egg yet, but I've been stocking up on distilled water. I buy a gallon every trip to the grocery store. We have an elaborate filtration and softening system for our nasty well water and I have never used tap water in any of my bators. I go thru a vaprorizer every year because of the crystallization that occurs when you turn my water into steam, didn't think that would work well for an incubator. As for the racks, my Sportsman is brand new and the goose racks are the only ones I have, and they fit so I can't help there.

I will call GQF and ask about the green racks, I am going to have to either modify them or go back to the metal racks. The green ones would put 72 eggs per rack as the metal would only do about 44.

If you had a plastic five gallon carboy you could refill it with purified water for the price of a gallon of distilled water at the grocery store. We have started using a Primo dispenser for drinking water and refill the carboys for about $2.00.

 

[zazouse]

I will call GQF and ask about the green racks, I am going to have to either modify them or go back to the metal racks. The green ones would put 72 eggs per rack as the metal would only do about 44.

If you had a plastic five gallon carboy you could refill it with purified water for the price of a gallon of distilled water at the grocery store. We have started using a Primo dispenser for drinking water and refill the carboys for about $2.00.

what are the metal rack you are referring to? do you have a photo?

 

[KsKingBee]

what are the metal rack you are referring to? do you have a photo?

I don't always explain myself very well, maybe the picture will help.



The support bar across the front that holds the shelf that turns is the place where the plastic trays hang up. I can put one blue and one green on the same shelf but not two green trays. They stick out too much and hang up on the support bar across the front.

 

[zazouse]

I don't always explain myself very well, maybe the picture will help.



The support bar across the front that holds the shelf that turns is the place where the plastic trays hang up. I can put one blue and one green on the same shelf but not two green trays. They stick out too much and hang up on the support bar across the front.

That is strange did you try turning them the other way?

 

[Arbor]

That is strange did you try turning them the other way?

They fit the same Both directions. I cut one row off a couple of my green trays so that two would fit on the same shelf (one cut and one uncut go on each shelf).

 

[connerhills]

KsK ,
the green trays were not made for any special incubator .. I have some GQF and use them by just cutting off one section . I didn't find them any better that just laying the eggs down on there side in my trays. The trays I use have ends in them . George