tips and secrets of the GQF 1502 sportsman...

[bdfive]

I was told to use
I was told to use the sponges from the auto parts store?

Stopped by an auto parts store today .... they have about 7 different styles of sponges. None really had the look of working. I've tried many over the past year and find the cheap ones work best. I parted with $26 for 10 humidity pads (sponges) while picking up the all plastic door for my 1502 GQF. Have installed it...............love being able to see into the incubator so well. (-:

 

[debbiegt]

I will ask for specifics on the sponge and post a photo. (I have yet to use mine). The gentleman I bought mine from told me he used sponges from the auto parts store in the water trays. I am also about to purchase the clear door for my 1502 can you tell me where you purchased yours from and price please?

 

[debbiegt]

Stopped by an auto parts store today .... they have about 7 different styles of sponges. None really had the look of working. I've tried many over the past year and find the cheap ones work best. I parted with $26 for 10 humidity pads (sponges) while picking up the all plastic door for my 1502 GQF. Have installed it...............love being able to see into the incubator so well. (-:

 

[debbiegt]

I have hatched in mine in the past but not anymore. I do all of my hatching in my styrofoam incubators. The 2 styrofoam boxes in front on the chairs are for the chicks after they hatch.

what are the brand and model of the ones you use to hatch? Or are they home made?

 

[debbiegt]

I will have to check. I just know myself and a clear door will cut down on me opening it and I want to watch the chicks hatch. Lol

not to be stupid...but how do I tell if it is wafer or electronic?

 

[KYBOY]

not to be stupid...but how do I tell if it is wafer or electronic?

Electronic will be a small "box" nearest the door, a wafer will be a small brass colored "disk" about 3" across inside a small frame with a adjustment knob that turns it from the outside. Or if its digital it will be electronic.

 

[bdfive]

I will ask for specifics on the sponge and post a photo. (I have yet to use mine). The gentleman I bought mine from told me he used sponges from the auto parts store in the water trays. I am also about to purchase the clear door for my 1502 can you tell me where you purchased yours from and price please?

I bought my clear door at www.randallburkey.com in Boerne, Texas because I could pick it up. I see them for less when searching internet....paid $89.99. They're always a little higher but being local is convenient and the drive is nice. The Blue Bonnet flowers are absolutely gorgeous blanketing parts of Texas now. Paid $26.99 for 10 of the wick sponges but still want to get some that work well, cost less and last longer. The door was super fast to install and I LOVE IT!!! I'm trying to find a stand to set the incubator on with maybe 1 drawer beneath. Would be so nice to get it up a little higher. I'm using the water bucket to keep the water pan full ...... just installed it too. I wish I could adjust the float so it will fill to the top of the water pan but there is no adjustment. I'll need to use a sponge to get my humidity up to 50 or 55.

What do you keep your humidity at hatching peafowl eggs? Do you increase it the last 3 days?

Thanks.

 

[bdfive]

I have hatched in mine in the past but not anymore. I do all of my hatching in my styrofoam incubators. The 2 styrofoam boxes in front on the chairs are for the chicks after they hatch.

You have quite an operation going in that room. I never did well hatching peafowl eggs in the styrofoam incubators. I like the idea of using the ice chests for chicks. I use cardboard boxes with the washable shelf liner over newspaper for the first week then they go in a huge box with pine shavings or in the 10' by 12' chick house. Naturally they always have heat lamps. I only hatch peafowl eggs.

 

[Momhunter]

I bought my clear door at www.randallburkey.com in Boerne, Texas because I could pick it up. I see them for less when searching internet....paid $89.99. They're always a little higher but being local is convenient and the drive is nice. The Blue Bonnet flowers are absolutely gorgeous blanketing parts of Texas now. Paid $26.99 for 10 of the wick sponges but still want to get some that work well, cost less and last longer. The door was super fast to install and I LOVE IT!!! I'm trying to find a stand to set the incubator on with maybe 1 drawer beneath. Would be so nice to get it up a little higher. I'm using the water bucket to keep the water pan full ...... just installed it too. I wish I could adjust the float so it will fill to the top of the water pan but there is no adjustment. I'll need to use a sponge to get my humidity up to 50 or 55.

What do you keep your humidity at hatching peafowl eggs? Do you increase it the last 3 days?

Thanks.

Hi, I'm jumping in here. I started hatching with my 1502 last year. Followed the instructions and kept the temp at 100, humidity in mid 40s with water in the pan, used the auto fill bucket and added a sponge for increased humidity to 60s during lockdown and hatching.
Had great hatch rates with chickens and quail but only 60-70% on peafowl. Was very frustrated with the pea hatches. Think the humidity being high half of the time while hatching in the bottom hatching tray weekly didn't let my pea eggs loose enough weight / fluid and they were drowning. This year purchased an older used gqf hatcher, has the electric but not digital heater. Hatching turkey eggs, which are just like peafowl and made some adjustments as suggested by the turkey hatching thread and porters turkey website. Have had the last 3 hatches hatch 100%. Dropped the temp in incubator to 99.5, no water added with humidity running 22-25%. Hatcher has water in tray with one sponge to run 65-70% and temp 98.5. I will incubate and hatch my pea eggs the same and see if I can get the same results, that is as soon as they start laying lol. Hope this helps you.

 

[bdfive]

Hi, I'm jumping in here. I started hatching with my 1502 last year. Followed the instructions and kept the temp at 100, humidity in mid 40s with water in the pan, used the auto fill bucket and added a sponge for increased humidity to 60s during lockdown and hatching.
Had great hatch rates with chickens and quail but only 60-70% on peafowl. Was very frustrated with the pea hatches. Think the humidity being high half of the time while hatching in the bottom hatching tray weekly didn't let my pea eggs loose enough weight / fluid and they were drowning. This year purchased an older used gqf hatcher, has the electric but not digital heater. Hatching turkey eggs, which are just like peafowl and made some adjustments as suggested by the turkey hatching thread and porters turkey website. Have had the last 3 hatches hatch 100%. Dropped the temp in incubator to 99.5, no water added with humidity running 22-25%. Hatcher has water in tray with one sponge to run 65-70% and temp 98.5. I will incubate and hatch my pea eggs the same and see if I can get the same results, that is as soon as they start laying lol. Hope this helps you.

I've lowered my temp. from the 100 to 99.5. I agree with trying to incubate and hatch in the same incubator and have thought about getting a hatcher. The prices on new have actually dropped some.

Not sure if I'm reading what you are saying correctly. Can you answer the following questions?

What temperature are you going to use for peafowl eggs? What humidity? Will you raise the humidity for the peafowl eggs the last 3 days? If so to what?

Thanks.