A colony basket and method of using the same for handling poultry from DOC through the growing process and on to a production facility comprising a harvesting system, a loading system, a transport system, an unloading and storing system, hanging system and cleaning system. The system and method performs the steps of harvesting and colonizing live poultry into a singly stackable and transportable colony basket, stacking and loading the trays on a transport, unloading and temporarily storing the poultry for subsequent processing. The system and method further includes the use of a modular colony basket for interchangeable use with the described system.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for continuously supplying livestock to a processing plant. The disclosed technology can include an enclosure configured to house livestock. The enclosure can include an enclosure entrance, an enclosure exit, and moveable walls to partition the enclosure into separate pens and automatically direct the livestock from the enclosure entrance toward the enclosure exit. A passageway can be connected to the enclosure exit and include moveable walls to automatically direct the livestock from the enclosure exit toward a processing plant. The moveable walls can be configured to move at a predetermined speed such that the plurality of livestock enter the enclosure as offspring, are reared in the enclosure, and are directed through the enclosure exit into the passageway approximately when the plurality of livestock have reached slaughter weight.

An integral conduit modular lighting system that has a light board having circuitry that is secured to a heat sink with an adhesive layer. The heat sink has a gasket in order to securely connect the lighting system to a preexisting conduit body such that the lighting system withstand a high pressure wash without leakage to the board. The heat sink also has opening that mate with openings of preexisting electrical conduit bodies to provide installation of the modular lighting system to existing electrical conduit bodies.

An integral conduit modular lighting system that has a light board having circuitry that is secured to a heat sink with an adhesive layer. The heat sink has a gasket in order to securely connect the lighting system to a preexisting conduit body such that the lighting system withstand a high pressure wash without leakage to the board. The heat sink also has opening that mate with openings of preexisting electrical conduit bodies to provide installation of the modular lighting system to existing electrical conduit bodies.

A plenum flooring system is installed over high density insulation panels, capable of preventing both heat loss to ground and intrusion of ground moisture into the flooring plenum space. The system is comprised of one or more flooring segments, each containing at least one surface opening to the plenum space, and a plenum ventilation system. The ventilation system includes a blower and air inlet openings in seals that are arranged along the perimeter of the plenum flooring segments at the walls of the interior of the poultry housing unit. The blower withdraws air from the plenum space through the surface opening of the flooring segment and discharges it into the poultry housing unit chamber, creating a continuous flow of ventilation air to maintain uniform flooring surface temperatures and remove moisture that migrates to the plenum space from manure on the perforated flooring surface due a moisture gradient. The plenum ventilation system further includes a refrigerated dehumidifier/air circulation unit to condense moisture in the chamber air and discharges the condensate liquid to the housing unit exterior.

A plenum flooring system is installed over high density insulation panels, capable of preventing both heat loss to ground and intrusion of ground moisture into the flooring plenum space. The system is comprised of one or more flooring segments, each containing at least one surface opening to the plenum space, and a plenum ventilation system. The ventilation system includes a blower and air inlet openings in seals that are arranged along the perimeter of the plenum flooring segments at the walls of the interior of the poultry housing unit. The blower withdraws air from the plenum space through the surface opening of the flooring segment and discharges it into the poultry housing unit chamber, creating a continuous flow of ventilation air to maintain uniform flooring surface temperatures and remove moisture that migrates to the plenum space from manure on the perforated flooring surface due a moisture gradient. The plenum ventilation system further includes a refrigerated dehumidifier/air circulation unit to condense moisture in the chamber air and discharges the condensate liquid to the housing unit exterior.

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems in egg hatching, based on hatching eggs in a tray (2), comprising arranging eggs in a pattern in or on the tray, comprising egg supporting positions and holes together defining the pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks (27) after hatching to pass there through into a crate (4), detecting at least one of numbers of unhatched eggs (22) in or on the tray; numbers of dead chicks in the crate; and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate, and supplementing or removing chicks to or from the crate in correspondence therewith.

A reduced-weight poultry cage is used in conjunction with a reduced-weight trailer to transport live poultry for maximizing the poundage of poultry being transported while reducing the number of trips and fuel expenses. The poultry cage includes a combination of aluminum and plastic elements that reduce cage weight, provide for nesting of cages in stacks as well as easy replacement of failed parts. Furthermore, a drop-deck aluminum trailer with a reduced floor and guide rail alignment stops allows for a durable yet lightweight trailer that can haul a plurality of stacks of these poultry cages, thereby maximizing cubic feet availability while being compliant with various road and bridge laws.

An aviary includes a cage and a resilient platform coupled to the cage. The resilient platform is resilient such that movement of a bird on the resilient platform causes the resilient platform to flex and then rebound to loosen a deposit from the resilient platform but not permit the deposit to pass through the resilient platform.

An integral conduit modular lighting system that has a light board having circuitry that is secured to a heat sink with an adhesive layer. The heat sink has a gasket in order to securely connect the lighting system to a preexisting conduit body such that the lighting system withstand a high pressure wash without leakage to the board. The heat sink also has opening that mate with openings of preexisting electrical conduit bodies to provide installation of the modular lighting system to existing electrical conduit bodies.