A laying nest is provided with an improved ejection system, in which the risk of expelling eggs together with the hens is suppressed. The floor of the laying nest can rotate in both directions. Thanks to this arrangement, at first it can be rotated in a first direction for inclining it towards the egg collection area and ensuring that all the laid eggs are removed; next, it can be rotated in a second, opposite direction for inclining it towards the hen coop and thus expelling the hens from the laying nest. In a preferred embodiment, the driving arrangement of the ejection system of the laying nest is entirely arranged below the floor of the laying nest, so as to not occupy room in the laying nest and to be protected from manures and dirt that may be present in the laying nest.

A laying nest is provided with an improved ejection system, in which the risk of expelling eggs together with the hens is suppressed. The floor of the laying nest can rotate in both directions. Thanks to this arrangement, at first it can be rotated in a first direction for inclining it towards the egg collection area and ensuring that all the laid eggs are removed; next, it can be rotated in a second, opposite direction for inclining it towards the hen coop and thus expelling the hens from the laying nest. In a preferred embodiment, the driving arrangement of the ejection system of the laying nest is entirely arranged below the floor of the laying nest, so as to not occupy room in the laying nest and to be protected from manures and dirt that may be present in the laying nest.

An arm shield constructed from a thin sheet material has a curvature around an elongate axis. Opposite side edges are substantially parallel to the elongate axis. A nose edge extends from the first end. A tail curvature similar to the sheet curvature extends from the second end. An adjustable strap connects the first side edge to the second side edge.

The present embodiments provide an aviary that includes a floor, a roof, and at least one wall having a plenum to draw air adjacent the roof down the plenum toward the floor. At least one cage tower is disposed on the floor. At least one walkway is disposed adjacent the at least one cage tower and is configured to facilitate bird access to the at least one cage tower. A fan is disposed in flow communication with the plenum to circulate air in the aviary.

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.

A device for collecting eggs in aviaries which comprise a nesting box provided with an inclined floor onto which hens deposit their eggs, said device comprises a scoop located at the lower end of the inclined floor, wherein said scoop in turn comprises an oscillating body wherein the following are defined a housing for housing the eggs which roll down the inclined floor, a protrusion for preventing the entry of more than one egg into the housing, and a counterweight, located at one end of the body, opposite the housing. Device further comprises a channel that runs below the inclined floor to release the eggs towards the outside of the aviary, and a fixed shaft, transverse to the body of the scoop, around which said scoop oscillates.

A device for collecting eggs in aviaries which comprise a nesting box provided with an inclined floor onto which hens deposit their eggs, said device comprises a scoop located at the lower end of the inclined floor, wherein said scoop in turn comprises an oscillating body wherein the following are defined a housing for housing the eggs which roll down the inclined floor, a protrusion for preventing the entry of more than one egg into the housing, and a counterweight, located at one end of the body, opposite the housing. Device further comprises a channel that runs below the inclined floor to release the eggs towards the outside of the aviary, and a fixed shaft, transverse to the body of the scoop, around which said scoop oscillates.

An apparatus for receiving and transporting a stream of eggs, comprising, a conveyor for transporting eggs in a transport direction T, a releasing device connected with the conveyor, for releasing predetermined eggs away from the conveyor, separately, downwardly out of the stream, a guide for receiving and taking over such an egg from the releasing device and guiding it to an egg processing apparatus, and two driven star wheels placed substantially close to each other, with shafts perpendicular to T, and with opposite directions of rotation of the shafts, while upon rotation their blades along a part of the rotation path are placed over each other and transport the eggs substantially cupwise downwardly. In a suitable manner, with this apparatus, for example intact but dirty eggs can be released from a sorting stream and be received for further handling or processing.

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.