GQF Sportsman Incubator questions

[ruth]

O.K. - I'm sick. I can't stop hatching eggs so even my DH has said I need a better incubator than my still air styrofoam Hovabator. I see GQF has the Sportsman which looks really nice but is so huge and is much more than I need (right now - but give me time). I've done some on-line research and can't seem to find an incubator that is somewhere between the tabletop models and the huge cabinet models. Am I missing something somewhere - is there anything in between that any of you use and could recommend?

 

[deerman]

The GQF is not really that large. 3 turning tray and 1 hatching tray.
When I got my first one, I hatch ones a week, A tray each week.

There is smaller ones, but cost more than the GQF sportmans. Watch for them on ebay. Good used ones, last for years. Should find one for 200 to 300.

 

[erthymom2]

go with the sportsman ~ i have one and love it.
get the full view plexi-glass door cause you'll be watching it so much - pet TV we call it!!

i use my styrofoam bators when i want/need to incubate much smaller batches of speciality or last-minute eggs.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Try looking up the Brinsea Octagon. They come in the 10, 20, and 40 modles. They are table top, but supposedly much more self sufficient than the styro bators.

You might also try looking up the Roll-X incubator. It is supposed to be REALLY good, hence the price tag.

Unforunately, there really isn't much in between the table tops, and the cabinets. Its one evil or another...

 

[Bluedog420]

If it's not a Sportsman...it's just another incubator..lol

 

[deerman]

Quote:
I have both the sportman and roll-X, The sportman hold about 3 times as many eggs,and you can mixes eggs. Quail ,
chicken,turkey,and etc. The Roll-X you need a new turning rack for each type of eggs. The Roll-X cost more, but is a great incubator, I use it for high Dollar eggs, Parrots and etc.

If mixing eggs the sportman wins. both have back up thermostat.

Both also last for many years,and can be found used.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
We have a Brinsea 40 and our views are it's way overrated and priced. It costs just as much as a GQF sportsman, the whole bottom part is plastic, the top cover is thin plastic and it has all the heaters and fans. It doesn't hold temp very well- any drafts in the room will make the temp swing (the heat or the ac coming does it).

The Sportsman is the way to go, we have two now! They hold temp. and rh% steady. Get the auto water bucket and you don't have to open the door to add water.

Steve in NC

 

[ruth]

Thanks All - from everything I've read here and elsewhere - looks like I'm going with the Sportsman. From the pics it looks huge - like a closet or something - but we do have lots of room for it in barn, stables, coops and knowing me I'll always have it fired up with a variety of eggs. My little Hovabator hasn't stopped since Feb. and I've always got a variety of eggs (duck, chicken, peafowl) and add an egg or two here and there almost daily. Never had any problem except couldn't hatch any peafowl eggs though I tried for over three months, 40 eggs, and over $300 before giving up and buying peachicks. But all other eggs do fine and that's with me opening it constantly, turning eggs, candling eggs, taking out that hour's hatch, even taking eggs out and cleaning it and putting them back. I still get virtually every egg that starts developing to hatch but it takes constant watching. Now that my flock are all laying fertile eggs and I'm still buying hatching eggs of other breeds, I'm thinking I'll go with the Sportsman and just add a tray weekly so it's not so much daily work and who knows, maybe then I can hatch some peafowl eggs.

 

[ruth]

O.K. - I gave DH everyone's recommendation on the Sportsman and he gave an immediate "Let's order it then" without even pausing, plus he just came in the door with an "island" I wanted for the kitchen (a huge/expensive thing made from antique wood) so I'm wondering what's going on. I went to the doctor the other day and the doc just told me he thought it was allergies - I'm wondering if he told my DH I have two weeks to live.

Question before ordering - the clear door is sold separately and is about $60. Is it worth it? Looks like from the pics the door that comes with it has a viewing window. Do I need the clear door or would I just enjoy the view better with it? Also, seems like EggCartons.com, one of BYC's sponsors, has the Sportsman and every accessory for a lot less than GQF does - I find that really weird but unless someone tells me otherwise, I'm ordering from EggCartons because I can order my egg cartons and labels at same time.

 

[deerman]

check ebay for a used one. Few tricks when using them to hatch peafowl eggs. let me know when setting peafowl eggs, can give you some pointers.

Have one with plexiglass door, and solid door. about the same,can open door to check on the eggs. Quick recover on temp.,and humdity