An animal specimen picking device and system are provided. The animal specimen picking device includes a collecting device and a driving device. The collecting device includes at least one opening through which an animal specimen is collected. The driving device drives the collecting device to move on a collecting surface. The animal specimen is on the collecting surface. The driving device includes a spherical shell, a controller, and a driving module. The controller is located in the spherical shell and configured to generate a control signal. The driving module is located in the spherical shell and configured to drive the spherical shell to roll according to the control signal.

A poultry nesting system has a nest house with an adjacent platform raised above the surface of the surrounding substrate. The platform has an upper surface and at least a portion of a perimeter of the platform comprises a wire mesh covering a space between the substrate and the upper surface. The wire mesh is formed by a plurality of strands including an upper strand and a lower strand. At least a portion of the upper surface of the platform is supported by a plurality of platform floor supports positioned on a perimeter of the platform. Each of the plurality of platform floor supports includes a bracing member, an upper cap on an upper end of the bracing member and a lower cap on a lower end of the bracing member. The upper cap has an attachment mechanism on an upper portion thereof configured to interact with the upper surface to lock the platform floor support to the upper surface of the platform such that the platform floor support supports the upper surface in its raised position above the substrate. The upper cap has an upper catch configured to interact with the wire mesh and hold the wire mesh in place, wherein the upper catch forms an upward-facing valley for receiving the upper strand. The lower cap has a lower catch configured to interact with the wire mesh and hold the wire mesh in place, wherein the lower catch forms a downward-facing arch for receiving the lower strand. A length of a travel space under the downward-facing arch of the lower catch is greater that a length of a travel space in the upward-facing valley of the upper catch.

A method and system for monitoring the egg-laying performance of caged laying-hens at laying-hen positions are provided. A plurality of coops are disposed side by side, a conveyor belt is disposed below the plurality of coops, and a machine-vision inspection device having a CCD camera and a lighting device is provided on an output end of the conveyor belt. Eggs laid by the hens fall onto the conveyor belt from the bottom of the coops. After all eggs are laid, the conveyor belt is activated to convey the eggs to the machine-vision inspection device, and the CCD camera is triggered to capture an image of a surface of the conveyor belt carrying the eggs.

An egg conveyor for a poultry plant includes a chain of the closed-loop type with bars, for conveying eggs from one or more laying hen sheds to a collection location, assemblies for traction along the chain which are provided with a motor drive component, and a control unit for synchronization of the traction assemblies, the motor drive components each include at least one gearmotor provided at least with a corresponding servomotor.

The method for synchronization of traction assemblies in the conveyor includes the following steps: detecting continuously and instantaneously the angular position and the number of bars at each traction assembly, and calculating continuously and instantaneously the average of all the torques at the traction assemblies and, if the number of bars is different from a set number, correcting the speed of each servomotor to obtain a constant torque on each traction assembly, which corresponds to the average.

A method and system for monitoring the egg-laying performance of caged laying-hens at laying-hen positions are provided. A plurality of coops are disposed side by side, a conveyor belt is disposed below the plurality of coops, and a machine-vision inspection device having a CCD camera and a lighting device is provided on an output end of the conveyor belt. Eggs laid by the hens fall onto the conveyor belt from the bottom of the coops. After all eggs are laid, the conveyor belt is activated to convey the eggs to the machine-vision inspection device, and the CCD camera is triggered to capture an image of a surface of the conveyor belt carrying the eggs.

A bird nest box system is provided including a housing defining a nesting enclosure, a movable nest floor, and a floor movement mechanism. The nesting enclosure has a front opening and an egg outlet at a back of the nesting enclosure. The nest floor is mounted within the nesting enclosure and over the floor movement mechanism. The floor movement mechanism includes a driveshaft and at least one floor actuation member coupled to the driveshaft and rotatable by the driveshaft to move the nest floor. From a lowered floor position, initial rotation of the driveshaft in a first direction moves at least one of the at least one floor actuation member to tilt the nest floor toward the egg outlet. Continued rotation of the driveshaft moves the at least one floor actuation member to rotate the nest floor toward the front opening and to a raised floor position.

A transfer machine, the setter trays being placed with set eggs on a carrying mechanism. The carrying mechanism positions the setter trays under a transfer mechanism that includes a series of egg pick-ups. By moving the transfer mechanism down towards the eggs, the egg pick-ups can pick up the eggs and lift them out of the setter trays.

A conveying system for shock-sensitive items, in particular eggs, is provided and comprises a plurality of conveying devices in which items are transferred from one conveying device to another. In particular, the conveying system comprises a motion transmission assembly which ensures synchronism between the advancement of a first conveying device and the advancement of a second conveying device.

A modular apparatus for housing animals comprising a wall unit, a window unit, a roof unit, a skylight unit, a door unit, a bath unit, an observation unit, and a port unit, and a fastening system adapted to releasibly interlock said units to form a housing suitable for animals. The apparatus can be assembled at a first location and subsequently disassembled and reassembled at a second location. Among the animals are raptors and other avian species.

A modular apparatus for housing animals comprising a wall unit, a window unit, a roof unit, a skylight unit, a door unit, a bath unit, an observation unit, and a port unit, and a fastening system adapted to releasibly interlock said units to form a housing suitable for animals. The apparatus can be assembled at a first location and subsequently disassembled and reassembled at a second location. Among the animals are raptors and other avian species.