An automatic egg turner for an incubator includes an egg turning assembly mounted on an incubator base, the egg turning assembly includes an egg troughs, a connecting plate and an egg turning motor, the egg troughs is configured for holding several eggs and being respectively overlapped with the incubator base and the connecting plate, the connecting plate is movably connected into the incubator base, and the egg turning motor is mounted on a bottom of the incubator base and is configured for driving the connecting plate to slide left and right in the incubator base so as to drive the egg troughs to swing left and right in the incubator base.

Disclosed is a device for contactless measuring of an embryo's heart rate in an egg whereby infrared light is sent in the egg by one light source, and the reflection of that light is detected by one or more light sensors and converted into a signal representative for the heart rate, whereby a shield is provided to avoid light that is reflected on the egg shell interfering with the light sensors. The shield is provided at the light source and not at the light sensors, whereby a light tube is provided between the light source and the egg and the light tube is internally dimensioned and positioned such that a focused light spot is directed on the egg, and the light tube is dimensioned and positioned such that light reflected on the surface of the egg on the level of the light spot cannot directly reach the light sensors.

The present invention relates to a method for promoting production of female embryos in fertilized eggs, comprising steps of :incubating said eggs; generating at least one type of energy with a predetermined energy profile; and simultaneously generating a pre-determined profile of a non-energy parameter by means of an energy generation device, applying both energy profile and the non-energy parameter to the eggs; and, collecting the eggs; wherein said method is non-toxic to the embryos, the application of both the energy profile and the non-energy parameter increases the fraction of females in the hatched chicks.

The present invention relates to a method for promoting production of female embryos in fertilized eggs, comprising steps of :incubating said eggs; generating at least one type of energy with a predetermined energy profile; and simultaneously generating a pre-determined profile of a non-energy parameter by means of an energy generation device, applying both energy profile and the non-energy parameter to the eggs; and, collecting the eggs; wherein said method is non-toxic to the embryos, the application of both the energy profile and the non-energy parameter increases the fraction of females in the hatched chicks.

Egg tray (1) for supporting eggs in an incubation chamber, the egg tray comprising a first grid (10) extending in a bottom plane (P), the first grid comprising one or more adjacent rows with slanted ribs extending from one side of the row to the other to form a plurality of adjacent openings (13), wherein an opening (13) defines an egg accommodation, wherein the ribs are configured for contacting an egg at a middle part (14) of the ribs between two rib ends in order to support an egg in the egg accommodation.

Disclosed is a cradle for the incubation process of eggs in hatcheries, for the incubation of eggs in a cradleroora and optionally the hatching of the chicks, the cradle including an outer edge and an inner structure with a. number of positions to receive eggs, whereby the cradle includes a tiltable inner structure and a stackable outer edge. Also disclosed is a stacking of the, cradles, a cradleroom, incubation process, and method for the incubation of eggs.

The present invention relates to a method for producing poultry in, particular chicks, at a hatchery, the method comprising; a) incubating a batch of eggs in incubating trays in an incubating device during a first incubating period of between about 7 to about 11 days, and then, b) for each egg of the batch of eggs, determining of gender of the chick embryo, in particular after determination if the egg contains a well-developed or more specifically a living embryo, c) based on the gender of a chick embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a male batch portion and a female batch portion.

An egg incubator includes a base assembly having a base tray configured to support a plurality of eggs and a motorized egg turner configured to turn the plurality of eggs. The egg turner includes a hub, a first ring concentric with the hub, and a first plurality of spokes extending radially from the hub. Each of the first plurality of spokes is circumferentially-spaced from an adjacent spoke of the first plurality of spokes and includes: a radial member extending from the hub toward the first ring, a first diverging member extending obliquely from the radial member to the first ring, and a second diverging member extending obliquely from the radial member to the first ring. The motorized egg turner also includes a second ring positioned outward from and circumscribing the first ring and a second plurality of spokes extending radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.

An egg incubator includes a base assembly having a base tray configured to support a plurality of eggs and a motorized egg turner configured to turn the plurality of eggs. The egg turner includes a hub, a first ring concentric with the hub, and a first plurality of spokes extending radially from the hub. Each of the first plurality of spokes is circumferentially-spaced from an adjacent spoke of the first plurality of spokes and includes: a radial member extending from the hub toward the first ring, a first diverging member extending obliquely from the radial member to the first ring, and a second diverging member extending obliquely from the radial member to the first ring. The motorized egg turner also includes a second ring positioned outward from and circumscribing the first ring and a second plurality of spokes extending radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.

A system and method to promote biological responses within incubated eggs using lighting devices within an incubation chamber. A light supporting device is installed within the incubation chamber in spaced relation to an incubation device housing a plurality of eggs. The light supporting device is positioned to direct light at pre-determined wavelengths into the interior cavity of the incubation device to irradiate the plurality of eggs to promote a biological response within the eggs.