Housing system for poultry and also poultry barn and related use

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing system (100) for poultry, in particular laying hens, wherein the housing system (100) is designed in particular for aviary housing, having a nest arrangement (2) and an egg channel (4, 6), which is assigned to the nest arrangement (2), wherein the nest arrangement (2) has a tilting floor (8) and a flexible nest mat (10), which is positioned on the tilting floor (8), wherein the tilting floor (8) can be tilted into an open position (O), in which an access (12) for the poultry to the nest arrangement (2) is opened and the nest mat is accessible for egg-laying purposes, and into a closed position, in which an access for the poultry to the nest arrangement (2) is blocked. It is proposed according to the invention that a widened section (14) should be formed on or adjacent to the egg channel (4, 6).

Description

[0001] Poultry housing facility and poultry house and use

[0002] The invention relates to a housing device for poultry, in particular laying hens, wherein the housing device is designed in particular for aviary keeping, with a nest arrangement and an egg channel assigned to the nest arrangement, wherein the nest arrangement has a tilting floor and a flexible nest mat placed on the tilting floor, wherein the tilting floor can be tilted into an open position in which access for the poultry to the nest arrangement is released and the nest mat is accessible for egg laying, and into a closed position in which access for the poultry to the nest arrangement is blocked.

[0003] Such housing systems are used in particular in large poultry housing facilities, for example for laying hens, to collect and transport the eggs laid by the poultry. In such housing systems, the poultry lay their eggs particularly within the nest arrangement. Eggs laid on the floor of the nest arrangement typically roll towards an egg channel due to the shape of the floor of the nest arrangement and are transported away via the egg channel. EP 1 086 623 B1 discloses the provision of a tilting floor that can be tilted into a substantially vertical position to close the nest arrangement. This is formed by two divided floor plates that can be pivoted relative to one another.By means of the tilting floor, the angle of inclination of the tilting floor and the nest mat placed on it can be increased before the tilting floor and nest mat lift when they are to be moved into the closed position, so that the greater inclination of the nest mat sets eggs in motion and roll into the egg channel. Although such a tilting floor with halves connected by hinges has proven technically successful in principle, there is still room for improvement. In particular, such a construction has proven to be complex and overall cost-intensive. It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages known from the prior art.In particular, a holding device for poultry was to be specified in which the floor inclination functionality known from the state of the art is retained to the greatest extent possible and which is overall more cost-effective to manufacture and easier to maintain.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved in a housing device of the type mentioned above by providing an extension on or adjacent to the egg channel. According to one embodiment, the extension extends from the egg channel toward the tipping floor at a first angle of inclination relative to a horizontal line.According to one embodiment, in the open position of the tipping floor, the nest mat rests with a surface section on the egg channel extension and essentially assumes the first angle of inclination in the region of the surface section, and wherein the tipping floor lifts the nest mat from the egg channel extension when the tipping floor is transferred from the open position towards the closed position, such that the angle of inclination of the nest mat in the region of the surface section is changed, in particular increased, by contact with the tipping floor before the nest mat is completely lifted from the egg channel extension by the tipping floor.

[0005] The invention takes advantage of the knowledge that the egg channel extension defines the inclination of the nest mat's floor and, due to the defined angle of inclination, also the transfer behavior of the eggs into the egg channel, so that the eggs roll off at the desired speed. If, starting from the open position, the tipping floor beneath the nest mat is raised, the inclination of the nest mat initially changes in the area of ​​the surface section and, in particular, becomes greater. At the same time, the nest mat experiences a lateral movement, which applies an impulse to the eggs lying on it and allows them to roll off reliably even before the nest mat is actually lifted by the tipping floor. According to the invention, a one-piece tipping floor can thus be used to achieve a movement behavior on the part of the nest mat that is similar to a two-part tipping floor with a hinge known from the prior art.According to one embodiment, the tilting floor is formed as a single piece. A single-piece component is understood to be a component in which all tilting floor surfaces are firmly connected to one another, i.e., the angle of inclination of such surfaces relative to one another is fixed. By forming the tilting floor as a single-piece component, manufacturing complexity is reduced compared to solutions with hinges, and cleaning and maintenance are simplified.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the tilting floor has a first section and a second section arranged adjacent to the first section, wherein the sections are inclined relative to each other. In this way, different angles of inclination of a nest mat placed on the sections can be realized.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the nest mat rests on one of the sections in the open position and on both sections in the closed position. In other words, in the open position, the nest mat rests only partially on one of the sections of the tipping floor, with the surface section resting in particular on the egg channel extension.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the egg channel is a first egg channel, wherein in the nest arrangement a second egg channel is assigned, which is connected to the first egg channel via a connecting region, and wherein the connecting region forms the egg channel extension. By connecting the egg channels, several advantages can be achieved. Firstly, the connecting region can serve as an egg channel extension, on which the nest mat is deposited. Furthermore, by connecting the egg channels, which in the prior art are actually separate, it is ensured that the eggs cannot fall from the egg channel onto a dropping belt. Eggs that would be pushed or pressed out of an egg channel for various reasons can roll back onto the egg channel, particularly when the egg channel or an egg belt arranged within the egg channel is empty again. This can ensure that fewer eggs are lost.In prior art housing systems, eggs that have a longer roll distance can, under certain circumstances, become so fast that they roll over the edge of an egg channel, fall onto the manure belt, and are thus lost. In prior art housing systems, egg loss can also occur when collecting from areas with a high egg density and when there are obstacles in front of the entrance to a nest arrangement. This is avoided by the solution according to the invention. According to one embodiment, the egg channel extension has at least one passage opening for pivoting the tipping floor through a plane spanned by the passage opening. The egg channel extension is preferably made of wire. By means of the passage opening, the tipping floor can be pivoted through a plane defined by the passage opening orthe wire mesh can be pivoted so that the nest mat can lie on the egg channel extension as well as on the tipping floor when it is pivoted from the open position towards the closed position.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the tipping floor has at least two longitudinal segments in the direction of the tipping axis, with the extension having at least two correspondingly designed through-openings. By segmenting the tipping floor accordingly, a nest arrangement with a greater longitudinal extension can be particularly advantageously formed. According to one embodiment, the through-opening encloses the tipping floor in a frame-like manner on, in particular, three sides. This provides a secure support surface for the nest mat.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the first egg channel and / or the second egg channel have a conveyor belt. In this way, the laid eggs can be transported away particularly advantageously. According to one embodiment, the housing facility has an animal accommodation area which is divided by a centrally arranged nest strip into a first partial accommodation area and a second partial accommodation area, wherein the nest strip has the nest arrangement. Preferably, the first egg channel is arranged between the nest arrangement and the second partial accommodation area. According to one embodiment, the second egg channel is arranged between a second nest arrangement and the first partial accommodation area. According to one embodiment, the first nest arrangement and the second nest arrangement are mutually aligned, e.g.The first nest arrangement is open toward the second partial residence area, and the second nest arrangement is open toward the first partial residence area. The first egg channel and the second egg channel preferably run parallel to each other and / or parallel to a longitudinal direction of the nest strip.

[0011] According to one embodiment, both partial accommodation areas are particularly inclined toward the nest strip. Due to the inclination, the eggs are thereby directed toward the respective egg channel. According to one embodiment, the first egg channel is arranged to receive eggs from the nest arrangement and / or the second partial accommodation area, preferably through an egg receiving gap. Preferably, the second egg channel is arranged to receive eggs from a second nest arrangement and / or from the first partial accommodation area.

[0012] The invention has been described above with reference to a housing facility. In a further aspect, the invention relates to a poultry house for keeping poultry, in particular laying hens. The invention achieves the object stated above with regard to the poultry house by providing a housing facility designed according to one of the above embodiments. The poultry house utilizes the same advantages and preferred embodiments as the housing facility according to the invention, and vice versa. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the above statements, and their content is hereby incorporated.

[0013] In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of a housing device according to at least one of the above embodiments for keeping poultry, in particular laying hens, in a poultry house, preferably in a poultry house according to the above embodiment. This use also utilizes the same advantages and preferred embodiments as the housing device and poultry house according to the invention. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the above statements, and their content is hereby incorporated.

[0014] The invention is described in more detail below using a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached figures.

[0015] Here we show:

[0016] Fig. 1 A first embodiment of an inventive

[0017] Housing facility in a perspective view;

[0018] Fig. 2a and 2b are sectional views of the holding device according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1 in different operating states;

[0019] Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of an inventive

[0020] Holding device in a perspective view; Figs. 4a and 4b show sectional views of the holding device according to the invention according to Figure 3 in different operating states.

[0021] Figures 1, 2a and 2b show a first embodiment of a housing device 100 for poultry, in particular laying hens. The housing device 100 has a nest arrangement 2 and an egg channel 4 assigned to the nest arrangement 2. Furthermore, the nest arrangement 2 has a tilting floor 8 and a flexible nest mat 10 placed on the tilting floor 8. The tilting floor 8 can be tilted into an open position O, in which an access 12 to the nest arrangement 2 is released and poultry can enter the nest arrangement 2. The nest arrangement 2 further has a closed position in which access to the nest arrangement 2 is closed by tilting the tilting floor 8 into a substantially vertical position.

[0022] The egg channel 4 has an extension 14. The extension 14 extends at a first angle of inclination ai, as shown in Figure 2a, relative to a horizontal H, starting from the egg channel 4 in the direction of the tipping floor 8. In the open position O of the tipping floor 8, which is shown in Figure 2a, the nest mat 10 rests with a surface section 16 on the egg channel extension 14. In the region of this surface section 16, the nest mat 10 essentially assumes the first angle of inclination cn. The tipping floor 8 is formed in one piece. The tipping floor 8 has a first section 18 and a second section 20 arranged adjacent to the first section 18, wherein the sections 18, 20 are inclined relative to one another. In the open position O, the nest mat 10 rests on the first section 18.

[0023] In Figure 2b, the tipping floor 8 is moved from the open position O towards the closed position. The nest mat 10 lifts off from the egg channel extension 14 in such a way that the angle of inclination a of the nest mat 10 in the area of ​​the surface section 16 is increased to an angle ct2 which is defined by the tipping floor 8, before the nest mat 10 finally lifts off completely from the egg channel extension 14 (not shown in the figures). In the closed position and in the state shown in Figure 2b, the nest mat 10 rests on both sections 18, 20. The egg channel extension 14 has a passage opening 28 for pivoting the tipping floor 8 through a plane 30 defined by the passage opening 28. The passage opening 28 encloses the tipping floor 8 in a frame-like manner on three sides. The egg channel extension 14 is designed as a grid 24.Furthermore, the tilting floor 8 has at least two longitudinal segments 32 in the direction of a tilting axis K, wherein the extension 14 has at least two correspondingly designed through openings 28. By means of the egg channel extension 14, as shown in particular in Figures 2a and 2b, the inclination of the nest mat 10 is well defined. If the tilting floor 8 is lifted from the state shown in Figure 2a under the nest mat 10, the inclination a of the nest mat 10 initially changes in the region of the surface section 16, and the nest mat 10 also experiences a lateral movement, which results in an impulse to the eggs lying on it, allowing them to then roll off reliably, even before the nest mat 10 is completely lifted off the egg channel extension 14 by a further movement of the tilting floor 8 in the direction of the closed position.

[0024] Figures 3, 4a and 4b show an alternative embodiment of a housing facility 100. The housing facility 100 has a nest arrangement 2, which is assigned two egg channels 4, 6. The housing facility 100 further has an animal accommodation area 102, which is separated by a centrally arranged nest strip 104 into a first partial accommodation area 106 and a second partial accommodation area 108. The nest strip 104 has the nest arrangement 2. The first egg channel 4 is arranged between the nest arrangement 2 and the second partial accommodation area 108. The second egg channel 6 is arranged between a second nest arrangement, not shown in the figure, and the first partial accommodation area 106. The first egg channel 4 and the second egg channel 6 run parallel to one another and parallel to a longitudinal direction L of the nest strip 104. The partial accommodation areas 106, 108 are inclined towards the nest strip 104.The housing facility 100 is, as indicated in Figure 3, part of a poultry house 200. The first egg channel 4 is arranged to receive eggs from the nest arrangement 2 and the second partial accommodation area 108. For this purpose, an egg receiving gap 110 is provided, as shown in Figure 1. The second egg channel 6 is arranged to receive eggs from a second nest arrangement (not shown in Figures 3 and 4) and the first partial accommodation area 106.

[0025] The nest arrangement 2 has a tilting floor 8 and a flexible nest mat 10 placed on the tilting floor 8. The tilting floor 8 can be tilted into an open position O, which is illustrated in Figure 4a, in which an access 12 to the nest arrangement 2 is released, and into a closed position in which access to the nest arrangement 2 is closed (not shown in the figures). The egg channels 4, 6 are connected via a connecting region 22. The connecting region 22 forms an egg channel extension 14. The extension 14 extends at a first angle of inclination cn relative to a horizontal H, starting from the respective egg channel 4, 6 in the direction of the tilting floor 8. In the open position O, which is shown in Figure 4a, the nest mat 10 rests with a surface section 16 on the egg channel extension 14 and, in the region of the surface section 16, essentially assumes the first angle of inclination cn of the tilting floor 8.If the tipping floor 8 is transferred from the state shown in Figure 4a to the state shown in Figure 4b, i.e. in the direction of the closed position of the nest mat 10, the tipping floor 8 lifts the nest mat 10 from the egg channel extension 14 in such a way that the angle of inclination a of the nest mat 10 in the region of the surface section 16, as shown in Figure 4b, is increased to the angle ct2 which results from the configuration of the tipping floor 8. A further movement of the tipping floor 8 from the position shown in Figure 4b would result in the nest mat 10 lifting completely from the egg channel extension 14.

[0026] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tilting floor 8 is also formed in one piece. The tilting floor 8 has a first section 18 and a second section 20 arranged adjacent to the first section 18, wherein the sections 18, 20 are inclined towards one another. The nest mat 10 rests on one of the sections 18, 20 in the open position O and on both sections 18, 20 in the closed position or during the tilting process from the open position towards the closed position. The egg channel extension 14 or the connecting region 22 has at least one passage opening (not shown in the figures) for pivoting the tilting floor 8 through a plane spanned by the passage opening. Optionally, the first egg channel 4 and the second egg channel 6 have a conveyor belt 34.By connecting the egg channels 4, 6, eggs that are pushed out of a directly associated egg channel 4, 6 roll back onto the respective egg channel 4, 6 at the latest when an egg belt is empty again and are therefore not lost. This prevents eggs from falling onto a dropping belt located below the nest arrangement 2.

[0027] Reference symbol

[0028] 2 Nest arrangement

[0029] 4 first egg canal

[0030] 6 second egg canal

[0031] 8 tipping floor

[0032] 10 Nest mat

[0033] 12 Nest access

[0034] 14 Expansion of the egg canal

[0035] 16 Area section

[0036] 18 first section of the tipping floor

[0037] 20 second section of the tipping floor

[0038] 22 Connection area

[0039] 24 grids

[0040] 28 Passage opening

[0041] 30 levels

[0042] 32 tipping floor longitudinal segments

[0043] 34 Conveyor belt

[0044] 100 housing facilities

[0045] 102 animal rest area

[0046] 104 nest strips

[0047] 106 first partial accommodation area

[0048] 108 second partial lounge area

[0049] 110 Egg receiving gap

[0050] 200 Poultry house a Inclination angle ai first inclination angle

[0051] 02 second inclination angle

[0052] H Horizontal

[0053] K Tilt axis

[0054] L Longitudinal direction of the nest strip

[0055] O open position

Claims

Claims 1. Housing facility (100) for poultry, in particular laying hens, wherein the housing facility (100) is designed in particular for aviary husbandry, comprising a nest arrangement (2) and an egg channel (4, 6) assigned to the nest arrangement (2), wherein the nest arrangement (2) has a tilting floor (8) and a flexible nest mat (10) placed on the tilting floor (8), wherein the tilting floor (8) can be tilted into an open position (O), in which access (12) for the poultry to the nest arrangement (2) is released and the nest mat is accessible for egg laying, and into a closed position, in which access for the poultry to the nest arrangement (2) is blocked, characterized in that an extension (14) is formed on or adjacent to the egg channel (4, 6).

2. Holding device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the extension (14) extends at a first angle of inclination (cn) relative to a horizontal (H) starting from the egg channel (4, 6) in the direction of the tipping floor (8).

3. Housing device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the nest mat (10) rests on the egg channel extension (14) with a surface section (16) in the open position (O) of the tipping floor (8) and essentially assumes the first angle of inclination (cn) in the region of the surface section (16), and wherein the tipping floor (8) lifts the nest mat (10) off the egg channel extension (14) when the tipping floor (8) is transferred from the open position (O) towards the closed position, such that the angle of inclination (α) of the nest mat (10) in the region of the surface section (16) is changed, in particular increased, by contact with the tipping floor (8) before the nest mat (10) is completely lifted off the egg channel extension (14) by the tipping floor (8).

4. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tilting floor (8) is formed in one piece.

5. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tilting floor (8) has a first section (18) and a second section (20) arranged adjacent to the first section (18), wherein the sections (18, 20) are inclined towards one another.

6. Housing device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the nest mat (10) rests on one of the sections (18, 20) in the open position (O) and rests on both sections (18, 20) in the closed position.

7. Housing device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the egg channel (4) is a first egg channel (4) and wherein the nest arrangement (2) is assigned a second egg channel (6) which is connected to the first egg channel (4) via a connecting region (22), and wherein the connecting region (22) forms the egg channel extension (14).

8. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the egg channel extension (14) has at least one passage opening (28) for pivoting the tilting floor (8) through a plane (30) spanned by the passage opening (28).

9. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tilting floor (8) has at least two longitudinal segments (32) in the direction of a tilting axis (K) and wherein the extension (14) has at least two correspondingly formed passage openings (28).

10. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the passage opening (28) encloses the tilting floor (8) in a frame-like manner on in particular three sides.

11. Holding device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first egg channel (4) and / or the second egg channel (6) have a conveyor belt (34).

12. Housing facility (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with an animal accommodation area (102) which is separated by a centrally arranged nest strip (104) into a first partial accommodation area (106) and a second partial accommodation area (108), wherein the nest strip (104) comprises the nest arrangement (2), and / or wherein the first egg channel (4) is arranged between the nest arrangement (2) and the second partial accommodation area (108), and / or the second egg channel (6) is arranged between a second nest arrangement and the first partial accommodation area (106), and / or wherein the first egg channel (4) and the second egg channel (6) run parallel to one another and / or parallel to a longitudinal direction (L) of the nest strip (104), in particular wherein at least one of the partial accommodation areas (106, 108), in particular both partial accommodation areas (106, 108) are inclined towards the nest strip (104).

13. Housing device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first egg channel (4) is arranged to receive eggs from the nest arrangement (2) and / or from the second partial residence area (108), preferably through an egg receiving gap (110), wherein the second egg channel (6) is arranged to receive eggs from a second nest arrangement and / or from the first partial residence area (106).

14. Poultry house (200) for keeping poultry, in particular laying hen house, comprising a keeping device (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims.

15. Use of a housing device (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, for keeping poultry, in particular laying hens, in a poultry house (200), preferably in a poultry house according to claim 14.

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