tips and secrets of the GQF 1502 sportsman...

[Momhunter]

I'm new to incubating. Have a 1502, had good hatches with my chicken eggs and shipped quail eggs. But now having issues with my peafowl eggs. 4 of 4 partially developed then died in the shell. I bought the 1502 to do weekly hatches, like I thought it was designed for. Now I'm worried about having the higher humidity for 1/2 the week after lockdown, then removing the wick for lower humidity for the rest of the week. Is it ok for all of the eggs to have this fluctuation weekly?? Would like to know if everyone uses the wick during lockdown or just keeps it steady with the water pan full???? I do have the topoff bucket.

 

[dsljim]

@ momhunter, do you watch the humidity with the wick on the thermometer? I'm trying a dry hatch, checked it once a week it hovered between 49 and 51% humidity. I'm using my other sportsman to hatch 30 eggs for Wednesday, it's hanging at 89° wet, it's using a pint of water in 24 hours, that's a lot more than I could ever get thru a styrofoam one. I'll know more by Thursday, then I got 159 more ready for lockdown.

 

[Momhunter]

...

@ momhunter, do you watch the humidity with the wick on the thermometer? I'm trying a dry hatch, checked it once a week it hovered between 49 and 51% humidity. I'm using my other sportsman to hatch 30 eggs for Wednesday, it's hanging at 89° wet, it's using a pint of water in 24 hours, that's a lot more than I could ever get thru a styrofoam one. I'll know more by Thursday, then I got 159 more ready for lockdown.[/quote
Mine is the 1502 so everything is digital, I just read the side panel . I did a chicken hatch and quail hatch as the directions said, pan full while incubating until lockdown then add a wick. Humidity ran in low 40s in the winter but now in spring it runs in low 50s, then when I add a wick it jumps up 15-20. My chicken and quail hatches did well but my only recent hatch was my first peafowl eggs, 0/4 hatched. I'm due to lockdown my next batch tomorrow.

 

[TeacherMedic]

I have an older Sportsman 1202. We have modified it as originally it had a wafer thermostat that we converted over to an electronic thermostat and put a clear door on it. It works great. I still use my styrofoam incubators as hatchers as I do a lot of staggered hatches. I have never had any problems with my humidity pan. I do have the bucket too. I adjust the humidity with the vents on the back. The incubator is on vacation until after New Years.

Where did you get that brooder? I love it!

 

[cmom]

Quote: I bought the shell and modified it to use as a brooder.

 

[bensteph821]

I have the 1502 sportsman as well. Just using the pan for water with a wick or two. I can't keep the humidity at a certain steady level. The water runs Out before end of the day and humidity is everywhere!!! Any tips on how to keep humidity at a more steady level?

 

[cmom]

I do have a bucket for my 1202, but it is very similar. I don't know if this will help but if you don't have the GQF sponges you can put regular large sponges in the water tray to help bring up the humidity.




I also use a license plate over my water tray to help reduce the humidity. You could use tin foil too. I don't have a picture but I have put tin foil over the water tray and left an end open. Just some suggestions that might help.

 

[KYBOY]

I don't have a sportsman, I have a Dickey but I had to pretty much completely cover my water tray with foil to keep the humidity down..thats kinda always been an issue here though. our humidity naturally runs high.

 

[bensteph821]

I just cant seem to keep it at a steady level..Driving me nuts, guess I will have to just keep trying!

 

[TeacherMedic]

I just cant seem to keep it at a steady level..Driving me nuts, guess I will have to just keep tryi

I don't try to keep mine at a certain level. I add water when I remember and I make sure I add water and one wick a day or so before hatch. The last hatch I had 50 eggs and all but 9 of them hatched. So maybe don't worry about it so much.