It's Official...

[JLeigh]

Is that your new incubator???????? Holy cow! That's beautiful. And your floors are so clean!

(Edit: Rhetorical question.)

 

[R2elk]

Yah... and it's purdy and holds lots of eggs

Annnnnnd... I traded a batch of keets for a couple of older GQF cabinets that are in pretty rough shape, but I should be able to build a decent 4 or 5 tray hatcher using parts from both units. If not I still have the hatching tray in the bottom of the Dickey (my extra egg trays are in there in this pic), and my 2 Hovabator 1588s to hatch in (the LGs are now officially FIRED... err RETIRED). Now I have to build more brooders and grow out pens too, lol.

The nice thing about the GQFs is that repair parts are readily available even for units as old as my 1202 that is over 20 years old.

http://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_listOneCategory.asp?idCategory=9

Congratulations and good luck.

 

[PeepsCA]

The nice thing about the GQFs is that repair parts are readily available even for units as old as my 1202 that is over 20 years old.

http://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_listOneCategory.asp?idCategory=9

Congratulations and good luck.

Thanks R2. I've already been looking up parts, but I haven't had a chance to clean the cabinets up yet and see exactly what I need. Unfortunately I'm going to have to spend quite a bit.

Yikes, 1202's are 20 yrs old? One of them has a sticker on it that says 1202 Incubator, (but it's a hatcher)... it has an electronic thermostat in it but is missing the wafer set up, the power cord, vent covers and a couple hatching trays, and the the top section of the back is missing, but the fan is still there. Not much to work with tho.

The other one does not have a label on it anywhere, but has the electronic thermostat, wafer, cord, a full clear door (double pane glass..may be custom?), but the entire egg turner set up is missing. This one does turn on the fan and starts heating up when plugged in at least, so that will be the unit I try turning into a hatcher... I think, lol.

These are 2 of several GQFs that were modified to incubate and hatch Ostrich, Emu and Rhea eggs years ago, but I have a feeling these 2 were just used for parts to keep the others going, lol. Ultimately I'd love to restore (and upgrade) them both, but I think the 1202 might be too far gone.

 

[PeepsCA]

Is that your new incubator???????? Holy cow! That's beautiful. And your floors are so clean!

(Edit: Rhetorical question.)

Yah, lol that's the Dickey I've been pining over, for years and years.

Woke up to a cold house this morning (63), stumbled out of the bedroom still asleep to check the temp on it... and it was perfect. Hadn't budged even 1/10th of a degree and RH was right on the money too. I wanted to hug it!

My floors are NOT clean, lol. But Thanks for reminding me I need to mop, lol

 

[JLeigh]

That's so cool! How many guinea eggs total will it hold?

I'm still perfectly content with my wee incubators. Hatching 40 birds at one time seems like a LOT to me still. How many years did it take you to work up to 700 birds per week

? When are you going to load it up and get inc'ing?
Don't smack me again, please, but will you, (gulp), take some pictures

when some keets have hatched in it and are running around in there?

Girl, your idea of clean and mine are way different, LOL.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks R2. I've already been looking up parts, but I haven't had a chance to clean the cabinets up yet and see exactly what I need. Unfortunately I'm going to have to spend quite a bit.

You are welcome. You can find links to various manuals and wiring diagrams here:

https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/instructionscabinet.asp

Unfortunately the 1202 is not listed but I believe that the 1200 and 1202A are close enough to the 1200 to make those manuals of value.

 

[PeepsCA]

I was wrong, the unit with the sticker on it says it's a GQF 1270... and it's a hatcher. I'll have to do some research on how old it is, lol. Unfortunately it's missing too many parts and has been modified too much to be a cheap/easy fixer-upper. Maybe eventually, but for now I'll have to focus on the other one, and converting it into a hatcher.

The other unit was an incubator (no clue what model or how old it is) but the turner racks, brackets etc have been removed and are missing. It runs, heats up, held 102 on the wafer for several hours, and then 99.5 on the electronic thermostat tho, so it's a runner! (It's in my kitchen humming away right now, lol). It cleaned up pretty good (I even took the back off and cleaned out all the built up dust/dirt on and around the fan, electronics and wiring back there too... man it was scary back there!), but it could still use some extra TLC and detailing. After that I'll just need to transfer the rails for the hatching trays over to it, and order a set of new hatching trays, then I'll have a decent hatcher... hopefully, lol.

 

[PeepsCA]

That's so cool! How many guinea eggs total will it hold?

I'm still perfectly content with my wee incubators. Hatching 40 birds at one time seems like a LOT to me still. How many years did it take you to work up to 700 birds per week

? When are you going to load it up and get inc'ing?
Don't smack me again, please, but will you, (gulp), take some pictures

when some keets have hatched in it and are running around in there?

Girl, your idea of clean and mine are way different, LOL.

The Dickey will hold 288 Guinea eggs using the egg positioners that I bought with it, but knowing me I'll eventually figure out how to cram more than that in there, lol. It has a bunch of Guinea eggs in it now... but it's not full. Oh and there's 30 Turkey eggs in there too, on the top turner rack. My Guinea girls are still slacking on laying eggs otherwise it'd be stuffed full, lol.

I'm going to try not to hatch in it, but if I do they will be hatched in the very bottom tray, with the wire mesh cover on it so they stay put. No messin' up my new 'bator!

LOL... 700 a week. I can't hatch that many a week, only 288 at a time! (Or less if I hatch Turkeys at the same time too, which I plan to do as long as my Turkey Hens lay eggs for me to collect. One is thinking about going broody already tho).

 

[R2elk]

Peeps,

I highly recommend getting the automatic water reserve system. I went many years without one and after finally getting one, it was well worth it. I do use distilled water in mine since I had a couple of problems with the tap water plugging off the float valve. It is so nice to add water to the 5 gallon bucket instead of having to open the incubator.

Glad it is heating well for you. I finally replaced the electronic thermostat in mine with a herpstat temperature controller. It is so nice to just be able to set the temperature digitally than to fidget with trying to adjust the set point with a very sensitive knob.

Enjoy it, I am sure it will serve you well.

 

[PeepsCA]

Peeps,

I highly recommend getting the automatic water reserve system. I went many years without one and after finally getting one, it was well worth it. I do use distilled water in mine since I had a couple of problems with the tap water plugging off the float valve. It is so nice to add water to the 5 gallon bucket instead of having to open the incubator.

Glad it is heating well for you. I finally replaced the electronic thermostat in mine with a herpstat temperature controller. It is so nice to just be able to set the temperature digitally than to fidget with trying to adjust the set point with a very sensitive knob.

Enjoy it, I am sure it will serve you well.

I made sure I ordered one with the Dickey... because my average humidity here is 16% or lower especially during the summer with the dry air and A/C on all the time, and I have to add water every 3 days or so to my Hovabators. So I know I will love not having to open the Dickey. Not sure I need the auto humidity system for the hatcher, the pan (or pans) I'm going to use shouldn't run out of water for a 3 or 4 day lock-down... I hope not anyway, lol.

Thanks for the tip about distilled water for the float valve. That system is a pain in the hind end to put in/take out, so it wouldn't be that easy to work on it in a hurry if the float fails. My well water is bad about deposits, so yah... time to stock up on a few gallons of distilled water.

Sounds like the herpstat temp controller is the way to go... how much did that set ya back?