APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING CHICKS DURING THE HATCHING PROCESS

• US 20120042829A1
• Filed: 10/30/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HatchTech Group B.V.
• Original Assignee: Milouot Corporation For The Development Of Haifa Bay Settlements Ltd.
• Inventors: HENDEL, Eliezer
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/6.8
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/18 Chicken coops or houses for baby chicks; Brooders including auxiliary features, e.g. feeding, watering, demanuring, heating, ventilation battery breeding cages A01K31/005
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/00 Incubators for poultry

Abstract

A method and a compartment within an incubator, capable of allowing chicks to feed during the hatching process without reducing hatchability or livability. Thanks to immediate post hatch nutrition, the development during the chicks first days is significantly improved, resulting in a significant improvement in their weight as well.

Furthermore, the accessibility of feed for the chicks is enabled and improved immediately after their hatching thanks to suitable lighting and the use of feeding troughs with transparent walls.

Claims

1. A method of improving gastrointestinal development of chicks, comprising the steps of:

(a) hatching chicks in a compartment within an incubator, the incubator being an apparatus by which eggs are hatched artificially, the compartment containing an incubator egg tray having an egg tray bottom and at least one egg tray wall;

(b) configuring the compartment to provide that the incubator and the compartment do not have a lighting source that emits a substantial amount of heat that may heat eggs within said incubator egg tray prior to hatching; and

(c) providing feed in at least one trough, the at least one trough being in an incubator egg tray within the compartment, so that immediately upon hatching the chicks have access to the feed, the feed containing nutrients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the incubator egg tray having an egg tray bottom and at least one egg tray wall.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the compartment having at least one trough having a trough bottom and at least one trough wall disposed inside said incubator egg tray.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising feeding the hatched chicks in the incubator compartment from the feed in the trough.

5. A method of improving gastrointestinal development of chicks, comprising the steps of:

(a) hatching chicks in an incubator having a compartment within it;

(b) configuring the compartment to have within it an incubator egg tray, the incubator egg tray configured to hold eggs of chicks and prevent the eggs from rolling out of the incubator egg tray, the incubator egg tray including an egg tray bottom and at least one egg tray wall;

(c) providing at least one trough within the incubator egg tray, the at least one trough containing feed, so that immediately upon hatching the chicks have access to the feed; and

(d) configuring the compartment with a lighting source such that the incubator and the compartment do not have a lighting source that emits a substantial amount of heat that may heat eggs within said incubator egg tray prior to hatching.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the compartment to have a lighting source disposed above said egg tray bottom.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said lighting source includes a central UV source and a reflector disposed above said central UV source.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said lighting source includes at least two light emitting diodes dispersed within said compartment.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising phosphoric coatings disposed on said side trough back, wherein said lighting source is a weak light source.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising a lighting source disposed inside said egg tray bottom.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one egg tray wall of the incubator egg tray comprises four egg tray walls, the egg tray walls not being movable.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the trough as one of (i) a side trough that has a side trough back and (ii) a main trough that has a canal with a closed loop shape.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising including in the compartment a lighting source that includes a central UV source and a reflector disposed above said central UV source.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising including in the compartment a lighting source that includes at least two light emitting diodes dispersed within said compartment.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising using a side trough and configuring the side trough to have phosphoric coatings disposed on the side trough back, wherein said lighting source is a weak light source.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning a lighting source disposed inside the egg tray bottom.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the trough being at least one side trough, the side trough disposed on the egg tray wall.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the trough being a main trough and including a secondary trough having a bottom and at least one wall.

19. The method of claim 5, further comprising positioning an automated feeder adjacent the at least one trough and having the automated feeder automatically distribute feed into said at least one trough.

20. A method of improving the development of chicks, comprising:

providing feed having nutrients in at least one trough;

situating the at least one trough in a hatching tray, the hatching tray configured to hold eggs in a manner that the eggs do not roll off the hatching tray, the hatching tray having an egg tray bottom and at least one egg tray wall;

feeding early hatchers from the hatching tray by having the feed in the at least one trough prior to any of the chicks hatching; and

configuring the compartment with a lighting source such that the incubator and the compartment do not have a lighting source that emits a substantial, amount of heat that may heat eggs within said incubator egg tray prior to hatching,

the compartment enabling chicks to feed during hatching without reducing hatchability or livability.