Protective Hen Apron with Shoulder Guard and Lateral Wing Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current protective devices for chickens fail to adequately protect their backs from roosters during mating and attacks from birds of prey, leading to feather loss, cuts, and potential infection, and do not accommodate tail feathers or allow for free movement and wing spread.
Innovation Solution
A protective bird apron with a back covering, lateral sections, securing straps, and a shoulder protector designed to fit various bird sizes and activities, featuring a multi-layer construction with a breathable interior layer and a V-shaped lower edge to accommodate tail feathers, allowing for free movement and wing spread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing protective devices are used, then some back protection is provided, but they fail to protect all susceptible areas including shoulders and do not accommodate tail feathers
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is divided into multiple segments: a main back covering portion, lateral sections that extend under the wings, and a separate shoulder protector. This segmentation allows each part to serve its specific protective function while accommodating the bird's anatomy, including the tail feathers area that the main covering cannot reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device transitions from a two-dimensional back covering to a three-dimensional structure by adding lateral sections that extend underneath the wings and a separate shoulder protector. This dimensional expansion enables protection of previously inaccessible areas including the shoulders and sides without compromising tail feather accommodation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protective material is added to protect shoulders and back, then injury protection improves, but the chicken's ability to spread wings and fly may be inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device uses flexible, thin material that can conform to the bird's body contours and move with its motions. The lateral sections are designed to extend beneath the wings rather than restricting them, allowing full wing spread and flight capability while maintaining protection of the back and shoulder areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is designed to be dynamic rather than static, allowing it to move and flex with the bird's body during flight and normal activities. The securing straps and overall structure permit natural motion while maintaining protective coverage, ensuring the bird can spread its wings and fly without restriction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If protective covering is applied to the back, then feather loss and wounds are prevented, but the device must accommodate both confined and free-ranging chickens with different activity levels
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is designed as a universal solution that can be worn by chickens regardless of their activity level or confinement status. The adjustable securing straps and flexible material allow the same device to accommodate both confined chickens with limited movement and free-ranging chickens with high activity levels, providing consistent protection against feather loss and wounds in all scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A protective bird apron includes a main body area with a length and a width and a pair of opposing lateral sections attached to the main body area at corresponding opposing edges thereof, each lateral section having a length less than the length of the main body area and a width dimensioned to extend beneath respective wings of the bird. At least one securing strap is coupled to an upper portion of the main body area and to an upper portion of at least one of the lateral sections, the main body area, the at least one of the lateral sections, and the at least one securing strap defining at least one shoulder securing area. A shoulder protector is coupled to the back covering, disposed to protect shoulders of the bird, and has a width substantially the same or greater than a width of the back covering.