An aviary apparatus for rearing laying hens, which comprises mutually laterally adjacent multistory rearing batteries, each one of the batteries comprising at least one lower stop surface and one upper stop surface, with areas on which the poultry can walk between the batteries and laterally to the outermost batteries. The lower stop surfaces and upper stop surfaces comprise corresponding conveyor belts for eggs and feces, the walkable areas comprising inclined floors which are arranged descending toward a contiguous conveyor belt of a lower stop surface of a corresponding battery.

An apparatus and method for a colony system for growing poultry includes a rack system including vertically and horizontally oriented support members, where the support members can be beams that are structurally interconnected forming multiple vertically tiered channels through which a poultry basket can be conveyed, and where each channel formed by the support members has an entry end and an exit end. The system further includes an entry end pulley having multiple side-by-side entry end pulley grooves around an entry end circumference of the pulley. The system further includes an exit end pulley, and the exit end pulley has multiple side-by-side exit end pulley grooves around an exit end circumference of the exit end pulley, where the exit end pulley is rotatably mounted on an exit end bearing axle where the exit end bearing axle has opposing ends fixedly positioned.

The invention provides an animal house comprising an impermeable hollow-moulded structure 210 having at least one convex surface 219. The structure comprises a first flat surface 214 extending in a first direction and a second flat surface 213 extending in a second direction. The convex surface 219 connects the first flat surface 214 to the second flat surface 213. The structure 210 further comprises a rib 230 defining a sharp edge. The rib 320 is configured to be releasably attached proximate to or on the convex surface 219 such that the rib 230 diverts a liquid flowing over the convex surface 219 away from the structure 210. The invention also provides an impermeable hollow-moulded panel 810 with protruding ridges 800, 801 to prevent water ingress.

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.

An animal house includes an impermeable hollow-moulded structure having at least one convex surface. The structure includes a first flat surface extending in a first direction and a second flat surface extending in a second direction. The convex surface connects the first flat surface to the second flat surface. The structure further includes a rib defining a sharp edge. The rib is configured to be releasably attached proximate to or on the convex surface such that the rib diverts a liquid flowing over the convex surface away from the structure. An impermeable hollow-moulded panel with protruding ridges is also provided to prevent water ingress.

A poultry cage door assembly includes a main body, a secondary body, and a bracket. The main body includes a main first lateral end extending from a main front side to a main rear side and from a main upper end to a main lower end. The main first lateral end includes a first keyed arrangement and a first bracket-receiving feature. The secondary body includes a secondary first lateral end extending from a secondary front side to a secondary rear side and from a secondary upper end to a secondary lower end. The secondary first lateral end includes a secondary keyed arrangement and a second bracket-receiving feature. The secondary keyed arrangement is configured to mate with the first keyed arrangement. The first bracket is mateable with the first bracket-receiving feature and the second bracket-receiving feature.

In one embodiment, an aviary is provided, wherein the aviary includes a cage. A resilient platform is positioned adjacent to the cage. In an embodiment, a perch is positioned adjacent to the resilient platform.

The present embodiments provide an aviary that includes a cage tower and an egg collector. A cover is positioned over the egg collector and includes an inner end and an outer end. A cover adjustment member is coupled to the cover to reversibly raise one of the inner end and the outer end to a higher position than the other of the inner end and the outer end to facilitate movement of a deposit disposed on the cover toward the lower positioned end. The present embodiments also provide a method of operating an adjustable balcony in an aviary, which aviary includes a cage tower, an egg collector, a cover including an inner end and an outer end, and a deposit. The method includes disposing the cage tower in the aviary, disposing the egg collector on the cage tower, disposing the cover above the egg collector, and disposing the deposit on the cover. The method further comprises raising, during a first period of time, one of the inner end and the outer end to a position higher than the other of the inner end and the outer end to facilitate movement of the deposit toward the lower positioned end, and lowering, during a second period of time, the one of the inner end and the outer end to a position lower than the other of the inner end and the outer end to facilitate movement of the deposit away from the higher positioned end.

Differential illumination systems and methods selectively provide light having different spectrums in an aviary system for housing animals located within an enclosure, and in the enclosure. A first light source produces light with a first spectrum, and illuminates an internal volume of the aviary system. A second light source produces light with a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, and illuminates the enclosure outside of the aviary system. The first spectrum can have a higher red component than the second spectrum to encourage chicken to lay eggs inside of the aviary system, and the second spectrum can have a higher blue component than the first spectrum to discourage chicken from laying eggs outside of the aviary system.

A henhouse includes a gable, a sidewall, and a roof. An inner chamber parallel to the sidewall is provided in the middle of the henhouse. The inner chamber includes an inner wall parallel to the sidewall and an inner roof. A partition is provided between the sidewall and the inner wall. An air inlet plate is provided between the two inner walls located below the inner roof. A pressure chamber is formed between the inner roof and the air inlet plate. A premixing chamber is formed between the inner roof and the roof. A plurality of fans and air inlet windows are uniformly provided on the inner roof. A plurality of air inlet holes and small inlet windows are uniformly provided on the air inlet plate. A plurality of wet curtains and an air vent are provided on the sidewall. A plurality of air outlet slots are uniformly provided on the inner wall.