A new chick production method and a new chick production system are obtained which are different from a conventional method in which all live eggs are collectively accommodated in a hatcher tray to develop chicks. The chick production method of the present invention divides mid-hatch eggs into a plurality of groups based on physical information measured for the mid-hatch eggs during a period from when the eggs are accommodated in a setter tray to when the eggs are transferred to a hatcher tray, and accommodates the mid-hatch eggs in the hatcher tray to develop chicks. In addition, a chick production system of the present invention includes a measurement unit, a sorting unit, and an accommodation unit, and the chicks are developed by each of a plurality of hatcher trays.

Systems and methods for controlling egg quality are provided. An example method can include: moving a plurality of cartons packed with eggs by a conveyor belt; measuring a weight of each carton to decide whether the weight of each carton is within a carton weight tolerance; detecting a moisture level inside the carton to decide whether the moisture level of the carton is within a moisture level tolerance; determining whether a shell of the egg is intact and a volume of egg yolk and white is within a volume tolerance; detecting a color of each egg in the carton to decide whether the colors of the eggs are consistent; measuring a weight of the egg in the carton to determine whether the weight of the egg is within an egg weight tolerance; and measuring a density of the egg to determine whether the egg is within a density tolerance.

Systems and methods for controlling egg quality are provided. An example method can include: moving a plurality of cartons packed with eggs by a conveyor belt; measuring a weight of each carton to decide whether the weight of each carton is within a carton weight tolerance; detecting a moisture level inside the carton to decide whether the moisture level of the carton is within a moisture level tolerance; determining whether a shell of the egg is intact and a volume of egg yolk and white is within a volume tolerance; detecting a color of each egg in the carton to decide whether the colors of the eggs are consistent; measuring a weight of the egg in the carton to determine whether the weight of the egg is within an egg weight tolerance; and measuring a density of the egg to determine whether the egg is within a density tolerance.

A chicken egg sorter of the present invention includes a measuring unit, an egg conveyor, a triggering unit, and an anomaly detector. The measuring unit measures the weight of each of chicken eggs placed one by one on the measuring unit. The egg conveyor conveys chicken eggs to and from the measuring unit. The triggering unit indicates a measurement timing at which the chicken egg weight is to be obtained from the measuring unit. The anomaly detector detects an anomaly of at least one of a mechanical part of the measuring unit and a mechanical part of the egg conveyor, based on information, collected from the measuring unit, about the chicken egg weight at timings other than the measurement timing.

A chicken egg sorter of the present invention includes a measuring unit, an egg conveyor, a triggering unit, and an anomaly detector. The measuring unit measures the weight of each of chicken eggs placed one by one on the measuring unit. The egg conveyor conveys chicken eggs to and from the measuring unit. The triggering unit indicates a measurement timing at which the chicken egg weight is to be obtained from the measuring unit. The anomaly detector detects an anomaly of at least one of a mechanical part of the measuring unit and a mechanical part of the egg conveyor, based on information, collected from the measuring unit, about the chicken egg weight at timings other than the measurement timing.

Egg processing system including a transport structure (1) configured for supporting eggs (E) along a transport direction T, wherein the transport structure includes at least two neighboring sections (1a, 1b, 1c) separated by at least one slit (2), one of the at least two sections (1b) being part of an egg weighing device (5), wherein the system includes cleaning means (1a, 1c) for cleaning said slit (2). The invention also provides an innovative method for processing eggs.

Egg processing system including a transport structure (1) configured for supporting eggs (E) along a transport direction T, wherein the transport structure includes at least two neighboring sections (1a, 1b, 1c) separated by at least one slit (2), one of the at least two sections (1b) being part of an egg weighing device (5), wherein the system includes cleaning means (1a, 1c) for cleaning said slit (2). The invention also provides an innovative method for processing eggs.

The invention relates to a method for producing chicken at a hatchery, the method comprising; incubating a batch of eggs in an incubating device during an incubating period of between about 7 to about 20 days, and then, for each egg of the batch, detecting the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, based on the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a hatchable batch portions and a not-hatchable batch portion, hatching the hatchable batch portion until hatching occurs, rearing of chicken hatched from said hatchable batch portion,
wherein the method comprises at the hatchery processing the not-hatchable batch portion into feed and administering said feed at the hatchery to hatched chickens during rearing.

The invention relates to a method for producing chicken at a hatchery, the method comprising; incubating a batch of eggs in an incubating device during an incubating period of between about 7 to about 20 days, and then, for each egg of the batch, detecting the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, based on the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a hatchable batch portions and a not-hatchable batch portion, hatching the hatchable batch portion until hatching occurs, rearing of chicken hatched from said hatchable batch portion,
wherein the method comprises at the hatchery processing the not-hatchable batch portion into feed and administering said feed at the hatchery to hatched chickens during rearing.

A new chick production method and a new chick production system are obtained which are different from a conventional method in which all live eggs are collectively accommodated in a hatcher tray to develop chicks. The chick production method of the present invention divides mid-hatch eggs into a plurality of groups based on physical information measured for the mid-hatch eggs during a period from when the eggs are accommodated in a setter tray to when the eggs are transferred to a hatcher tray, and accommodates the mid-hatch eggs in the hatcher tray to develop chicks. In addition, a chick production system of the present invention includes a measurement unit, a sorting unit, and an accommodation unit, and the chicks are developed by each of a plurality of hatcher trays.