tips and secrets of the GQF 1502 sportsman...

[cmom]

If my (shipped) silkie eggs were due to hatch the 21st and 5 of 14 have hatched (1 on the 20th & 4 on the 21st) but I see 2 eggs with beaks sticking out and peeping ( they have not advanced since last night)...When should I worry?

You may want to check them more carefully. They may be stuck and need a little assistance. If they are stuck and they don't get help, they will die.

 

[Hugeroost]

I have two sportsman 1202"s I bought new, at first I was only doing chickens and they did ok, the last couple years I have got into pheasants and jungle fowl and been having problems. I called and talked to several breeders I know and every one of them told me to stay away from GQF, they are way to much trouble, always need to make adjustments and wont hold the humidity. Low and behold I find this thread and begin reading and what do ya know, tons of folks trying to figure out their GQF, sponges, liscense plates, fruit jars etc etc just like the fellas told me. I'm done with GQF and will be buying a Brinsea 380 for next year, the old timers who have been doing this for awhile all swear by them, you don't have to do all this crap that being discussed in this thread, you set it up and there is no more adjusting, it truly takes all the work out of it and allows you to go about your business. The cost is 1500 but I have lost 3x that in eggs alone THIS YEAR. Anybody in SE Texas interested I will have both mine for sale soon @ 300.00, my email is [email protected]

 

[cmom]

I have two sportsman 1202"s I bought new, at first I was only doing chickens and they did ok, the last couple years I have got into pheasants and jungle fowl and been having problems. I called and talked to several breeders I know and every one of them told me to stay away from GQF, they are way to much trouble, always need to make adjustments and wont hold the humidity. Low and behold I find this thread and begin reading and what do ya know, tons of folks trying to figure out their GQF, sponges, liscense plates, fruit jars etc etc just like the fellas told me. I'm done with GQF and will be buying a Brinsea 380 for next year, the old timers who have been doing this for awhile all swear by them, you don't have to do all this crap that being discussed in this thread, you set it up and there is no more adjusting, it truly takes all the work out of it and allows you to go about your business. The cost is 1500 but I have lost 3x that in eggs alone THIS YEAR. Anybody in SE Texas interested I will have both mine for sale soon @ 300.00, my email is [email protected]

Do you have pictures of them? Do they have the clear door or solid door and do they have wafer thermostats or electronic thermostat? Just wondering. My 1202's I bought several years ago. They originally had wafer thermostats in them but we converted them over to electronic. The temperature did fluctuate more with the wafer thermostats but since we installed the electronic thermostats, they fluctuate much less. I control the humidity with the vents in the back and really it stays pretty steady. The humidity might fluctuate a little but not enough to worry me. I only incubate in mine and hatch in my styrofoam incubators. That works best for me and I have very good hatches. I did sell my 1202 with the solid door..

 

[Hugeroost]

Do you have pictures of them? Do they have the clear door or solid door and do they have wafer thermostats or electronic thermostat? Just wondering. My 1202's I bought several years ago. They originally had wafer thermostats in them but we converted them over to electronic. The temperature did fluctuate more with the wafer thermostats but since we installed the electronic thermostats, they fluctuate much less. I control the humidity with the vents in the back and really it stays pretty steady. The humidity might fluctuate a little but not enough to worry me. I only incubate in mine and hatch in my styrofoam incubators. That works best for me and I have very good hatches. I did sell my 1202 with the solid door..

mom, electronic with wafer backup, it will hold the temp like a rock, never moves unless I open to fill water, then it goes down about 1/2 degree, its the humidity that's all over the place and I don't have the time to be constantly jackin with it, its great for chickens. The door is solid, I see on GQF site their 80 bucks, it seems everyone I talk to that raises game birds has tried the GQF and had bad results.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I have successfully hatched Ringneck Pheasants in mine. I have the water bucket so I don't have to open the incubator to put water in it.

 

[Hugeroost]

I have successfully hatched Ringneck Pheasants in mine. I have the water bucket so I don't have to open the incubator to put water in it.

I have had pretty good luck with ringnecks to, but when I got into the ornamental and jungle fowl things kinda went downhill. I know it has a lot to do with the humidity, it changes with the weather, up and down, it just wont hold worth a darn. I contacted several old timers I know who raise these birds and every one told me the same thing, get rid of the GQF, it wont hold the humidity. Some of these eggs are 250 a dozen and I'm just tired of losing so many fertile eggs, I want to give the Brinsea a try...Roost

 

[rubyredder]

I've been researching cabinet incubators and can't really figure this one out. It looks nice and I like that it turns/incubates and hatches all in one, plus I do staggered hatches. What I'm not understanding (and it may be a stupid question) is how you hatch and incubate at the same time. I have always dry incubated until lockdown and gotten 95% or greater hatch rates, but it looks like this GQF has everything together, meaning the incubation and hatching areas are not separated. So, if one tray is in lockdown, all the eggs are exposed to the higher humidity until the hatching is completed and then you return to normal until the next week for the following tray. Am I getting this right? I've always used Brinsea, but I hate the price and have been looking for something a little more kind to my budget (and these are 1/3 of the price).

 

[cmom]

I've been researching cabinet incubators and can't really figure this one out. It looks nice and I like that it turns/incubates and hatches all in one, plus I do staggered hatches. What I'm not understanding (and it may be a stupid question) is how you hatch and incubate at the same time. I have always dry incubated until lockdown and gotten 95% or greater hatch rates, but it looks like this GQF has everything together, meaning the incubation and hatching areas are not separated. So, if one tray is in lockdown, all the eggs are exposed to the higher humidity until the hatching is completed and then you return to normal until the next week for the following tray. Am I getting this right? I've always used Brinsea, but I hate the price and have been looking for something a little more kind to my budget (and these are 1/3 of the price).

I do staggered hatches too. I incubate in my cabinet but hatch in my styrofoam incubators.

 

[debbiegt]

I am thinking my auto turner is not working. Does anyone know how long 1 full rotation takes? And what will I need to replace? Thanks Sportsman 1502.

 

[cmom]

I am thinking my auto turner is not working. Does anyone know how long 1 full rotation takes? And what will I need to replace? Thanks Sportsman 1502.

It is every 2 hours to tilt in one direction the in another 2 hours it will tilt back in the other direction. When I first got my cabinet, I didn't think the turner was working. It always looked to me to be in the same position. One day when I looked at it I noticed it was angled in the opposite direction so then knew it was working. One day I sat watching it for nearly 2 hours and then saw it rotate to the opposite direction. I bought my cabinet several years ago but the turn time is the same for all cabinets.

http://www.gqfmfg.com/pdf/Cabinet Model Instructions.pdf