Hatchery Feed Production from Unhatched Eggs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current chicken hatchery methods involve inefficient in- and outgoing process flows due to separate handling of hatchable and not-hatchable eggs, leading to increased costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method where not-hatchable eggs are processed into feed at the hatchery and administered to newly hatched chickens, reducing the need for external feed and waste egg disposal by integrating the processing of not-hatchable eggs into the hatchery's feed supply, thereby minimizing process flows and enhancing resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If separate handling of hatchable and not-hatchable eggs is implemented, then egg quality control is improved, but process flow complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveegg quality controlVSAvoidprocess flow complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the handling of hatchable and not-hatchable eggs by integrating the not-hatchable egg processing system directly into the hatchery facility. The not-hatchable eggs are processed on-site into feed, which is then administered to the hatched chickens, creating a closed-loop system that reduces external process flows while maintaining quality control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hatchery facility is designed to perform multiple functions: incubating eggs, hatching chicks, processing not-hatchable eggs into feed, and administering feed to chicks. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external facilities for waste egg disposal and feed production, simplifying the overall process flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If not-hatchable eggs are processed into feed at external facilities, then feed quality is improved, but transportation costs and process flows increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeed qualityVSAvoidtransportation costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The hatchery facility performs the processing of not-hatchable eggs into feed itself, using on-site processing equipment. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external feed processing facilities and the associated transportation of waste eggs and finished feed, reducing energy loss while maintaining feed quality through controlled processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If feed is administered externally to hatched chickens, then nutrition quality is improved, but the number of process flows increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenutrition qualityVSAvoidnumber of process flows
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the feed production and feed administration functions within the hatchery facility. The feed produced from not-hatchable eggs is administered directly to the hatched chickens on-site, merging what would otherwise be separate external processes into a single integrated system, thereby reducing the number of process flows while maintaining nutrition quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3110244B1Process for producing young chicken
Publication Date: 2018.08.15 HATCHTECH GROUP BV
  • EP3110244B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3110244B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

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.