GQF 1500 incubators and 1550 hatcher

[HickoryHollow]

I have a chance to buy 3 two year old GQF 1500 incubators and a 1550 hatcher, including all the egg trays for $2,000.00. That is a lot of money, but seems like a really good deal to me. Please give me all the advise you can on if I should pull the trigger on this.

I need to let the guy know tomorrow.

Thanks, Tim

 

[HickoryHollow]

Really? Nobody has any advise on this? Come on, somebody has an opinion about the 1500's and if this is a good deal or not don't you? Are they reliable? Do they hold temps well? Is the hatch rate consistent and fairly good? Would you go another direction on brand or model? Is it worth the investment?

 

[dheltzel]

I have an older Sportsman I bought used and I love it. I can't possibly fill even one and have a hard time wrapping my head around hatching 288 chicks a week. If this is for your full time job (you are running a hatchery), then yeah, you can't beat that deal. If you're hatching chicks in your spare time, better plan on selling 2 of them.

 

[HickoryHollow]

My thought is to begin hatching and selling on a larger scale as a full time job when I retire from my "real job" this coming November.
Tim

 

[Bryam]

Go for it! It sounds like a great deal! Both those incubators are amazing!!!

 

[dheltzel]

If you have the market to sell that many chicks, it sounds like a fun retirement hobby. Will you be shipping day old chicks like the big hatcheries, or do you think you can sell them all locally?
Will you be sexing them and selling pullets? I've found that everyone want pullets, so I'm going to work mostly with sex-links next year, since I can't vent-sex chicks.

 

[HickoryHollow]

If you have the market to sell that many chicks, it sounds like a fun retirement hobby. Will you be shipping day old chicks like the big hatcheries, or do you think you can sell them all locally?
Will you be sexing them and selling pullets? I've found that everyone want pullets, so I'm going to work mostly with sex-links next year, since I can't vent-sex chicks.

I have been talking with some of the locally owned feed mills and farm supply places. (not franchises) I think I could sell about half of them wholesale, another 1/4 of them locally, then probably have to offer shipping as well. I am open to what ever it takes. Sexing is the next issue to overcome. lol.....I laid awake all last night thinking of all the issues. Sexing, what to do with roosters, marketing, more coop space for more egg makers, etc. There is lots to take into consideration that is for sure....................