tips and secrets of the GQF 1502 sportsman...

[stryker]

I read page 1-19. Lots of information. I noticed that when hatching there were only 4 vents are open in the GQF. Are these closed to 2 vents at any time or is it better to keep the 4 open?

 

[cmom]

It depends on the humidity I want of how many of the vents I have open or partially open.

 

[stryker]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Cody32691]

hope someone can give me a little advice on this sportsman my hatch rates have been horrible last year i really wanna start this year off right, i was told to go against manufacturer advice and turn the temp. down to 99.5 on the digital command center a friend told me it helped him. I only hatch off a few american games and the rest are RIR's. The main problem i had was many embryo dying at early age (5-10 days) i cleaned the incubator good this year removed back and top panels to clean the dust out of fans i am hoping i can get some more advice

thanks guys

 

[cmom]

hope someone can give me a little advice on this sportsman my hatch rates have been horrible last year i really wanna start this year off right, i was told to go against manufacturer advice and turn the temp. down to 99.5 on the digital command center a friend told me it helped him. I only hatch off a few american games and the rest are RIR's. The main problem i had was many embryo dying at early age (5-10 days) i cleaned the incubator good this year removed back and top panels to clean the dust out of fans i am hoping i can get some more advice

thanks guys

I don't know if I can help. I have an older sportsman that I have had for many years. My temperature ranges from around 99.3 to 99.7. It does have an electronic thermostat. I keep my humidity around 35% during incubation. I use the vents in the back and open and close them partially until I get it where I want it. Maybe they aren't dying because of the incubator. How are your breeders maintained, feed? I do give my birds higher protein feed. If I can't get my regular feed I feed my birds Game Bird Breeder pellets. I really don't know but I have a great hatch rate. I had my incubator in an apartment I have, but we were having company and they stayed in the apartment so I move the sportsman into the garage. I did wrap it up somewhat and even put plastic over it. I don't hatch in it only incubate in it. Good luck, have fun and don't give up.

I hatch in my styrofoam incubators. I maintain my temperature around 99.5 but don't worry it it fluctuates a degree or two. I bump the humidity up to around 75%. A broody will get off her nest for 15/20 minutes daily to eat, drink and poop and there is nothing keeping the eggs warm when she is off the nest. I had lost power and the temperature went down to 78 and I put the incubator on a heavy duty jump start battery and an inverter and the temperature came back up. I candled some of the eggs and saw movement. I still had a good hatch.

 

[Cody32691]

thanks for the help, i feed them 18% layer plus 16% quality scratch.. very frustrating i dont know what im doing wrong

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Wow what a great page just read through all the pages & learned so much. Just purchased my first sportsman 1520 getting ready to set some eggs. Wish me luck!!!!

 

[cmom]

Wow what a great page just read through all the pages & learned so much. Just purchased my first sportsman 1520 getting ready to set some eggs. Wish me luck!!!!

Luck!!!!
Even though my Sportsman is quite old I love it. I have incubated thousands of eggs in it. I did hatch in it years ago but now I use my styrofoam incubators as hatchers. Since I have several breeding pens it also helps to keep the chicks straight, as to what eggs came out of what coop. I do mark the eggs before I put them in the incubator. I just put around 200 eggs in it. The bottom tray is still empty so I can put more in.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Luck!!!!
Even though my Sportsman is quite old I love it. I have incubated thousands of eggs in it. I did hatch in it years ago but now I use my styrofoam incubators as hatchers. Since I have several breeding pens it also helps to keep the chicks straight, as to what eggs came out of what coop. I do mark the eggs before I put them in the incubator. I just put around 200 eggs in it. The bottom tray is still empty so I can put more in.

Thanks for the good wishes. I plan on putting eggs in it today! I have a few questions. I use a dry hatch method where I keep the humidity lower the first 18 days to around 30%. I have 2 Brinsesas that I will use for hatching. Right now the Sportsman's humidity is at 16% and I realize it will raise a bit when the eggs are added. I'm confused about the humidity. How do I raise it just a bit? I do have the water reserve system.
Also my temp is set @ 99.5 but on the left side it is regestering @ 100 & on the right side it's 99. How do I regulate this? Will this be a problem during the hatch?
Sorry for all the questions but I'm a bit nervous.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am becoming a NPIP hatchery. I went to the required classroom school (Minnesota rules might be different than other states) we were told there hatching in the same machine you incubate in is cause for disqualification. They actually want the incubator and hatcher in different rooms/areas. The hatching process is considered the most dirty part of chick raising.

Of course, they make us wash our eggs in a chlorine solution also. Let me tell you, it seems wrong to have to wash my eggs for hatching! I have yet to hatch a batch I washed so time will tell on that.