Methods and Systems in Egg Hatching

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems in egg hatching, based on hatching eggs in a tray (2), comprising arranging eggs in a pattern in or on the tray, comprising egg supporting positions and holes together defining the pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks (27) after hatching to pass there through into a crate (4), detecting at least one of numbers of unhatched eggs (22) in or on the tray; numbers of dead chicks in the crate; and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate, and supplementing or removing chicks to or from the crate in correspondence therewith.

Claims

1. Hatching method, designed to hatch eggs in at least one tray, comprising: arranging eggs in a pattern in or on the tray, comprising egg supporting positions and holes, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks after hatching to pass there through into a crate; allowing a predetermined time for the chicks to hatch; and processing chicks in the crate, wherein processing chicks in the tray comprises: detecting, after lapse of the predetermined time, at least one of the parameters from a group comprising numbers of unhatched eggs in or on the tray, numbers of dead chicks in the crate, and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate, and supplementing or removing chicks in or from the crate based on any one or more than one of the detected numbers in comparison with a predetermined desired number of chicks in the crate, corresponding with a number of chicks arranged in the crate for transport.

2. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arranging comprises: dividing the pattern into a plurality of constituent lines of eggs, together forming the pattern; engaging eggs in at least one row of eggs corresponding to at least one of the plurality of constituent lines of eggs; depositing the at least one row of engaged eggs along the at least the corresponding one of the plurality of constituent lines; and repeating the steps of engaging the eggs in at least one row and depositing the at least one row of engaged eggs until the pattern of eggs in or on the tray is filled with eggs.

3. Hatching method, designed to hatch eggs in at least one tray, comprising: arranging eggs in a pattern in or on the tray, wherein the arranging comprises engaging eggs and depositing the eggs in the tray, and the tray comprises egg supporting positions and holes together defining the pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks after hatching to pass there through into a crate; and allowing a predetermined time for the chicks to hatch; wherein arranging the eggs comprises: dividing the pattern into a plurality of constituent lines of eggs, together forming the pattern; engaging eggs in at least one row of eggs corresponding to at least one of the plurality of constituent lines of eggs; depositing the at least one row of engaged eggs along the at least the corresponding one of the plurality of constituent lines; and repeating at least once the steps of engaging the eggs in at least one row and depositing the at least one row of engaged eggs until the pattern of eggs in or on the tray is filled with eggs.

4. Hatching method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising processing chicks in the crate, which comprises: detecting, after lapse of the predetermined time, at least one of the parameters from the group, comprising: numbers of unhatched eggs in or on the tray; numbers of dead chicks in the crate; and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate, and supplementing or removing chicks in or from the crate based on any one or more than one of the detected numbers in comparison with a predetermined number of chicks in the crate, corresponding with number of chicks arranged in the crate for transport.

5. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lines are straight lines.

6. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 comprising simultaneously engaging eggs in at least two rows corresponding to at least two lines, and simultaneously depositing the simultaneously engaged at least two rows of eggs.

7. Hatching method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lines are parallel.

8. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of lines is positioned oblique or essentially perpendicular relative to at least one other of the plurality of lines.

9. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 wherein all parallel groups of rows of eggs are deposited along all corresponding parallel lines in a single depositing step.

10. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detection of unhatched eggs comprises, after lapse of the predetermined period, illuminating at least one egg supporting position of a tray and monitoring transmission and/or reflection of illumination and determining the presence of an unhatched egg depending on the monitored transmission and/or reflection.

11. Hatching method as claimed in claim 10, wherein illuminating at least one egg support position comprises illuminating the egg support position using IR light.

12. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising candling eggs prior to arranging the eggs in the pattern in or on the tray, for instance using IR light, to determine whether embryo's in eggs are viable or dead, and rejecting dead or unviable eggs.

13. Hatching method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pattern is a honeycomb pattern.

14. System, comprising: a feed of eggs, a transporter for displacing eggs from the feed to a tray, comprising egg supporting positions and holes together defining the pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks after hatching to pass there through into a crate; a control associated with the transporter, and configured to divide the pattern into a plurality of constituent lines of eggs, together forming the pattern; wherein the control is further configured to drive the transporter to engage eggs in at least one row of eggs corresponding to at least one of the plurality of constituent lines of eggs, based on division of the pattern into the plurality constituent lines by the control, and deposit the at least one row of engaged eggs along the at least the corresponding one of the plurality of constituent lines.

15. System as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transporter comprises at least two complementary transporters of a farm packer type.

16. System, comprising: a supply of chicks in at least one crate and of at least one tray, said tray comprising egg supporting positions and holes together defining a pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks after hatching to pass there through into a crate: at least one detector connected to a control, together configured to detect at least one of the parameters from a group comprising numbers of unhatched eggs in or on the tray, numbers of dead chicks in the crate, and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate; and wherein the control is configured to either or both of indicate a number of chicks, and drive a transfer to add or remove said number of chicks in or from the crate in correspondence with any one or more than one of the detected numbers.

Description

[0020] After the above description of the subject matter of the present disclosure in more generic terms in accordance with the appended claims, herein below specific embodiments will be described, referring to the appended drawings. Therein, the same or similar elements, components and aspects may be referred to using identical or similar reference numbers, regardless of the different embodiments in which these reference numbers are used, to indicate that the function or effect thereof is essentially the same for the different embodiments, in which these elements, components and aspects are applied. Further it is noted, that the following embodiment description will comprise reference to specific elements, components and aspects, whereas the appended claims and in particular the appended independent claims may refer to more generic indications or features, and that the more specific elements, components and aspects below are by no means to be interpreted as limiting on the scope of protection of the present disclosure. In the drawing:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a combination of a transport crate and a hatching tray, filled with eggs;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a combination of a transport crate and a hatching tray, without any eggs;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the tray along arrow III in FIG. 1, identifying a plurality of groups of lines corresponding with which rows of eggs to be deposited;

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the hatching tray in isolation, that may be used to accommodate unhatched eggs in the hatching period;

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a top view in the direction of arrow V on the hatching tray in FIG. 4;

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the transport crate in isolation, that may be used to accommodate hatched chicks in the hatching period and thereafter during transport;

[0027] FIGS. 7 shows a top view in the direction of arrow VIII on the transport crate in FIG. 6;

[0028] FIG. 8 schematically represents the outcome of candling in a step, prior to a hatching period;

[0029] FIG. 9 schematically represents the manner in which groups of rows of eggs, corresponding with the lines described in association with FIG. 3, may be formed;

[0030] FIG. 10 shows a detail X from FIG. 5;

[0031] FIG. 11 shows a detail XI from FIG. 3;

[0032] FIG. 12 shows a simplified, schematic representation of assembly of the transport crate and the hatching tray in a potential embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0033] FIG. 13 shows an assembled state of the transport crate and hatching tray of FIG. 12;

[0034] FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of storage of a plurality of assembled crate and tray combinations of FIG. 13 during the hatching period;

[0035] FIG. 15 shows a schematic representation of how hatched chicks practically automatically drop through holes in the trays to be accommodated in the transport crates for the rest of the duration of the hatching period;

[0036] FIG. 16 shows a schematic representation of the situation, where at the end of the hatching period, a single egg in an egg supporting position has not hatched, which can be easily determined using for instance infrared or any other type of light, combined with detection of transmission or reflection characteristics at the egg supporting position, which may be repeated for each of the egg supporting positions of a tray;

[0037] FIG. 17 schematically shows a step of de stacking one combination of a transport crate and a hatching tray; and

[0038] FIG. 18 schematically shows a step in the process of supplementing numbers of chicks in a transport crate, based on detection of a number of unhatched eggs in a hatching tray after the end of the hatching period.

[0039] FIGS. 1 and 2 show in respective views on a combination 1 of a hatching tray 2 and a hatching or transport crate 4. In the representation of FIG. 1, eggs 3 are accommodated in the hatching tray 2, whereas these eggs 3 have been omitted in the representation of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a top view along arrow III in FIG. 1 on the field hatching tray. Therein, drop holes 5 are clearly visible, surrounded by eggs 3 in honeycomb patterns. Drop holes 5 are dimensioned to allow hatched chicks to drop from the upper lying tray 2 into the underlying crate 4. Honeycomb patterns and many other patterns are near impossible to create, using conventional transporters, for instance transport heads comprising a matrix of suction cups, in particular because of the offset of certain specific egg supporting positions of tray 2, relative to the pure matrix form of the referenced conventional transporters with a matrix of suction cups.

[0040] As indicated in FIG. 3, the pattern, and in this case the honeycomb pattern, of a group supporting positions of the tray 2 surroundings through holes 5 is divided into A. straight lines 6, associated with rows of adjacent egg supporting positions of the tray 2 along the straight lines 6, and B. straight lines 7 associated with rows of spaced egg supporting positions of the tray 2 along the straight lines 7. It is considered self evident, that lines 7 are offset relative to a pure matrix form, if based on the rows of eggs and the lines 6 associated there with, or vice versa.

[0041] Division of the complex form of the patterns into straight lines 6, 7 allows for a single suction head to be loaded twice and pass twice over the hatching tray 2 for accommodating eggs 3 in all of the egg supporting positions. Alternatively, the division of complex patterns into lines 6, 7 allows for using two transporters, each having their own line based pattern of for instance suction cups to fill the hatching tray 2 completely, with the exception of the drop holes 5, in two passes of the different transporters. Further, the division of a complex pattern does not need to be based on the straight lines, but the lines may even be meandering within any one or more than one of the groups of lines, but it seems of importance that the groups of lines are at least oblique if not perpendicular or orthogonal relative to one another, in order to maximally generate a desired deposition of eggs in or on the hatching tray 2 and more in particular in the egg supporting positions thereof, which surround the drop holes 5.

[0042] FIGS. 4, 5, 10 and 11 relate to features of the hatching tray 2 in a specific embodiment. Therein, each egg supporting position 8 comprises at least two and preferably three cams or notches 9, four eggs 3 to rest on during the hatching period.

[0043] FIGS. 6, 7 show in more detail respectively a perspective view and a top view of the hatching and/or transport crate 4. The hatching and/or transport crate 4 comprises a bottom 10 and upright sides 11, with feeding cups 12 for food and/or water of hatched chicks along at least one side wall 11 on the bottom 10. The feeding cups 12 improve animal well-being in that chicks that hatch early can take nourishment. For the purpose of transport, feeding cups 12 may be filled with more feed than usual or normal for situations wherein the crate is not intended to be transported, but the chicks are locally nurtured to develop and grow after hatching.

[0044] FIG. 8 shows that the stream of provided eggs can be tested for life, in advance of depositing the eggs 3 in or on the hatching tray 2. In the shown representation, just a single egg 13 does not exhibit a heartbeat, and is ejected or extracted before filling the hatching tray 2. In the representation of FIG. 8, a supply tray 14 is used, which might be an incubator tray that is stored in an incubator cell or storage for a first for instance 18 days. After reaching an age of 18 days, the eggs are taken out of storage in the supply tray or incubator tray 14, and subjected to candling or any other type of check or monitoring to determine whether or not an embryo inside of the eggs three, 13 is alive or dead, which does not necessarily involve monitoring a heartbeat. However, it does appear to be very efficient to test eggs 3, 13, when still in a supply tray or incubator tray 14.

[0045] In any case, after extracting or ejecting eggs 13 with dead embryos, in accordance with the schematic representation of FIG. 9, the remaining live eggs 3 are placed on one of two transport belts 15, divided over channels 16, and gripped by grippers 17 to be deposited in egg supporting positions 8 of hatching tray 2. The top half section of the schematic configuration of FIG. 9 deposits eggs 3 in adjacent or neighbouring egg supporting positions 8. This corresponds with lines 6 in FIG. 3 indicating rows of adjacent eggs. In contrast, the bottom half section of the schematic configuration of FIG. 9 deposits eggs 3 in egg supporting positions 8 at intermediate distances, corresponding with the offset lines 7 and the rows of eggs 3 associated with lines 7. Consequently a two stage and very convenient system of depositing eggs in all the desired positions is provided on the basis of a division beforehand into lines, along which rows of eggs need to be deposited.

[0046] After filling hatching trays 2 with eggs 3, hatching trays 2 are lowered onto hatching and/or transport crates 4, as indicated with arrow A in FIG. 12, to arrive at an assembled state as depicted in FIGS. 1, 3 and 13. Assembled combinations of crates 4 and trays 2 are stacked and stacks of such combined crates and trays are put in a climate cabin 18 during the hatching period, as shown in FIG. 14. The climate cabin comprises light 19, and/or heating and/or cooling (not shown). Further, the climate cabin may comprise a separate water supply 20 for hatched chicks. In the climate cabin, circumstances are created, which are preferably both beneficial for eggs, which are just about to hatch, as well as young hatched chicks. During the course of the hatching period, more and more of the eggs 3 will hatch, as indicated in FIG. 15. Hatched chicks 21 are in a very confined space on top of the hatching trays 2, especially with combinations of crates 4 and trays 2 immediately above. Consequently, hatched chicks 21 will soon find the drop hole 5, fall through, and remain on the bottom of the hatching and/or transport crate 4 during the remainder of the hatching period, where an amount of food is available in feeding cups 12 and what is available at water supply 20.

[0047] Eggs are expected to hatch shortly after 18 days, but mostly before 21 or 22 days. The hatching period, referred to in this disclosure, can therefore be defined as the period between 18 and 22 days for chickens. For other poultry, this hatching period may be different. If, at the end of the hatching period, an egg 22 has not hatched, as shown in FIG. 16, this unhatched egg is removed in the direction of arrow B from the transport and/or hatching crate 4 with egg shell remains of eggs that have hatched, as shown in FIG. 17.

[0048] After chicks 21 have hatched from eggs 3, egg shell rests remain on the hatching tray 2. A minimum amount of egg shell is expected to find its way to the bottom 10 of the crates 4. Consequently, when trays 2 are de-stacked from underlying crates 4, egg shell rests and unhatched eggs 22 are removed.

[0049] Such a removed tray 2 can, in accordance with the principles underlying the representation in FIG. 18, be subjected to automatic inspection to detect a remaining unhatched egg 22, for example by employing an infrared light source 23 and detector 24. Combinations of sources 23 and detectors 24 can be provided at each of the egg supporting positions 8 of tray 2, for detecting all unhatched eggs 22 in one pass. Detection results are transmitted to a control 25, which is schematically represented by a display only, but will most likely comprise a computer or the like. The computer has prior knowledge about the numbers of eggs 3 that have been put into the hatching trays 2. Also, the computer or other control 25 has information regarding the numbers of chicks that are supposed to be included into a transport tray 4 in accordance with an agreement with a chicken farmer/customer or in accordance with the convention or other rules. Based on these two pieces of information, the controller 25 is able to deduce how many young chicks need to be added to or removed from each transport and/or hatching crate 4. The number of eggs in each tray 2 does not necessarily correspond with the desired number of chicks in each crate. Consequently, when a number of unhatched eggs 22 is detected after the stacking trays 2 from crates 4, the control 25 can determine how many chicks need to be added into or removed from each hatching and/or transport crate 4. Therefore, rather than subjecting all of the chicks in a hatching crate to the stress of being moved to another transport crate, numbers of movements of young chicks can be minimised, based upon the principles of the present disclosure. Further, as an addition or an alternative, it is possible to manually or automatically inspect chicks inside a hatching and/or transport crate 4 with respect to deformation, disease and death, to be extracted from the crate and removed along a discharge 26. If this portion of the process is automatic, then the controller 25 can be arranged to take into account also numbers of dead, diseased or deformed chicks 27 when deciding how many approved chicks 28 need to be added to or removed from the contents of transport and/or hatching crate 4.

[0050] After the foregoing description of embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the appended claims, it should be noted that the skilled person will be very well capable of devising or developing additional or alternative features, compliant with the principles of the present disclosure and the requirements in terms of features according to the appended claims, in particular the appended independent claims. However, all such additional or alternative embodiments should be interpreted as comprised within the scope of protection according to the principles of the present disclosure under required features according to the appended independent claims, unless such additional or alternative embodiments substantially deviate from the aforementioned principles and/or requirements in terms of features. For instance, for the position of eggs in hatching trays drop holes are in themselves essentially only referred to in order to fully clarify the challenges posed by complex patterns in which eggs are to be deposited in the hatching trays. Further, with respect to the division in sets of lines, in accordance with rows of eggs, to be deposited in or on the hatching trays, it is noted that these do not necessarily need to be straight and can meander, what is of importance to acknowledge that with two or more passes, any pattern of eggs can be deposited in or on hatching trays, regardless of the complexity of the patterns in which the eggs need to be deposited. Thereby the complex patterns are reduced to quite easily manageable patterns, even though a succession of passes of for instance one engaging head using suction cups or any other transport means may turn out to be required as a consequence, and alternatively, to increase filling speed, two or more engaging heads may be employed, where a single such farmpacker or other type of engaging head making multiple passes over the tray and/or the crate, is an embodiment which is by no means excluded from the present invention.