Ameraucana Breeders Club

The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club => Housing, Health & Hatching => Topic started by: far149 on June 09, 2022, 06:32:51 PM

Title: Cabinet Incubators
Post by: far149 on June 09, 2022, 06:32:51 PM
Now that hatching season is over for me, I'm considering modifying my GQF 1502. Cabinet incubators typically do not have a uniform temperature throughout the unit. This causes hot and cold spots in various places inside the incubator.

Those of you who use this type of incubator, I have the following questions:
Have uneven temperatures affected your hatch rates?
What modifications, if any, have you made to your cabinet incubator?
Are there brands of cabinets that provide a more even temperature than GQFs?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Cabinet Incubators
Post by: Lindsay Helton on June 09, 2022, 07:12:31 PM
Aaron,

You may want to speak with Brad Stonebarger. I noticed that he is listing a cabinet style incubator for sale that he has made modifications to. He may be able to offer insight.

I personally love my GQF sportsman. The temps are stable and I have not made any modifications. My hatch rates have been good.
Title: Re: Cabinet Incubators
Post by: kkdossey on June 10, 2022, 11:15:28 AM
My old incubator works pretty well with no modifications.
I might try moving them around some like if you candle them or something.
To try to even it out over time at least.
Title: Re: Cabinet Incubators
Post by: far149 on June 10, 2022, 05:44:16 PM
Each week I move a tray down one turner and rotate it. This does help.
Title: Re: Cabinet Incubators
Post by: Paul on June 25, 2022, 11:27:11 AM
  I recommend not changing the GQF wafer thermostat.  We changed ours to electronic thermostats when they first came out.  They worked great for several years then started failing.  Changed out the bad ones several times.  The last new ones were junk from day one!  Long story short, we borrowed one that had not been altered so we could change ours back to the old time wafers.  The wafer thermostats have done a great job the past two hatching seasons.

  You may have the vents at the bottom not opened enough to allow the warm air to circulate enough.