Device having a grid floor for poultry rearing

A device having a grid floor for accommodating young chicks in poultry rearing. A feed trough having openings in a side wall and for the passage of feed is provided.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of and priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2019 008 050.5 having a filing date of 20 Nov. 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

The invention relates to a device having a grid floor for accommodating young chicks in poultry rearing. In particular, the chicks are chicks aged from one to fourteen days, including so-called day-old chicks, and chicks for laying hens are preferably reared. The invention relates further to a housing arrangement and to a poultry house.

Prior Art

In a poultry house for the rearing of laying hens, the chicks are kept at multiple levels on grid floors. A manure belt is generally arranged beneath each grid floor. Drink dispensers are provided above the grid floors. Feed is made available in a feed trough which is open at the top.

For chicks, grid floors with a small mesh size are provided so that the chicks do not fall through the mesh onto the manure belt. Young chicks, in particular day-old chicks, are generally too small or too weak to take feed from a feed trough. Heaps of feed are therefore made available on paper underlays. Feeding of the chicks is very labor-intensive as a result.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for accommodating chicks with which the administration of feed is less labor-intensive.

In order to achieve the object, a device having a grid floor for accommodating young chicks in poultry rearing, comprising a feed trough having openings in a side wall and for the passage of feed. In particular, the grid floor has a feed trough having openings in a side wall and for the passage of feed. The feed passes through the openings onto the level of the grid floor. Typically, the feed for freshly hatched chicks within the first ten to fourteen days is relatively dry and is therefore capable of scattering. The feed is therefore able to escape from the feed trough through the lateral openings. The fill level of the feed in the feed trough simply has to be high enough. The feed trough is preferably positioned on the grid floor or adjacent thereto.

Typically, the feed trough extends over the entire length of the house, or over the length of a housing arrangement. Preferably, approximately two openings are provided per meter of feed trough length. The diameter of the openings is adapted to the feed. Tests with conventional feed have shown that openings with a diameter of approximately 7.5 mm are very suitable.

According to a further concept of the invention, a scratching plate or other underlay for catching the feed can be provided beneath an opening for the passage of feed. Preferably, the underlay or scratching plate is provided beneath each opening. The feed lands on the underlay/scratching plate, where it is picked up by the chicks. The chicks can satisfy their natural need to scratch on the scratching plate, thus become stronger, and the scratching plate remains relatively clean. The scratching plate/underlay can be changed quickly if required and is located in particular on the grid floor.

According to a further concept of the invention, the scratching plate can lie with one edge against the side wall of the feed trough without any distance between them. Feed falling from the opening thus lands without fail on the scratching plate. Preferably, the scratching plate is rectangular or square, for example with dimensions of 22 cm×22 cm or 25 cm×25 cm.

The scratching plate can be produced from plastics material or metal. A plastics scratching plate is perceived as warmer by the chicks.

According to a further concept of the invention, the scratching plate can have a flat upper side with protuberances. The protuberances are preferably round, approximately 1 cm high and 1 cm in diameter.

According to a further concept of the invention, the feed trough can be provided with a feed conveyor which conveys the feed in the longitudinal direction of the feed trough. In particular, the feed conveyor is a revolving feed chain. The feed can thus be supplied in a largely automated manner. Owing to the movement, the feed passes better through the lateral openings.

According to a further concept of the invention, the feed trough can be provided on its open upper side with a chick protective insert. The chick protective insert has successive open regions in the longitudinal direction of the feed trough, the dimensions of which regions are such that older chicks reach the feed with their beaks. However, the open regions should not be so large that the chicks fall through. Instead, the open regions can be separated from one another by web portions. The web portions can be arranged offset downwards relative to upper edges of side walls of the feed trough. The distance to the feed is then smaller.

The invention also provides a housing arrangement for poultry rearing, having a device as disclosed herein. The housing arrangement generally has different floors at multiple levels.

The invention also provides a poultry house having a device according to the invention or a housing arrangement according to the invention.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the remainder of the description and from the patent claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1shows a grid floor10for poultry rearing. Specifically, it is a grid floor10suitable for rearing freshly hatched chicks, with a correspondingly small mesh size of, for example, 19 mm. The grid floor10is rectangular. In a poultry house, a plurality of grid floors10are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction—arrow11.

Approximately in the middle, the grid floor10can have an egg region12extending in the longitudinal direction11. This is advantageous at least when laying hens can also reach the grid floor10. Preferably, the grid floor10is configured to be inclined slightly towards the egg region12on both sides.

At the edge, the grid floor10has a feed trough13extending in the longitudinal direction11. In a poultry house, the feed trough extends over a plurality or all of the grid floors arranged one behind the other. Preferably, a feed trough13is provided at both edges of the grid floor10(not shown).

The feed trough13has a bottom wall14, an outer side wall15remote from the grid floor10, and an inner side wall16facing the grid floor10. Feed is located in the feed trough13up to a height which is here referred to as the feed level17.

The inner side wall16has successive individual holes18in the longitudinal direction11, from which holes feed25can escape from the feed trough13to the grid floor10. The holes are arranged approximately at intervals of 0.5 m and have a diameter which is adapted to the grain size and moistness of the feed. A diameter of approximately 7.5 mm has been found to be advantageous. The feed level17is above the height of the holes18. The holes18are thereby arranged at a distance from the bottom wall14. The distance is approximately from 1 cm to 2 cm (from the upper side of the bottom wall14to the lower edge of the hole18).

Beneath each hole18, a scratching plate19is arranged on the grid floor10. The scratching plate19preferably consists of plastics material, is rectangular and lies against the feed trough13without any distance between them. The feed25escaping from the hole18lands on the scratching plate, where it can be picked up by chicks which are still too small or too weak to feed from the feed trough13.

The scratching plate19is so configured that it encourages the chicks' natural need to scratch. As a result, the scratching plate is self-cleaning. Droppings and feed residues fall downwards through the meshes in the grid floor10onto a manure belt, not shown. As a result of the opportunity to scratch, the chicks become stronger. The chick droppings remain in the poultry house for a shorter time, since they are conveyed away via the manure belt. Pollution by ammonia fumes is also reduced.

Preferably, the scratching plates19have protuberances20on their upper side, which protuberances fulfil the chicks' need to scratch. In particular, they are round protuberances approximately 1 mm in height and 10 mm in diameter.

The upper side, which is open at the top, of the feed trough13is here covered by a chick protective grid21. This is configured to be recessed slightly into the feed trough13and has transverse web portions22with open regions23located between them. Stronger or older chicks are able to feed from the feed trough13. The open regions13are so configured that the chicks are able to reach the feed with their beaks.

In the feed trough13there is provided a revolving feed chain24with which the feed can be conveyed along the feed trough13. As a result, feed continuously arrives at the holes18and the scratching plates19.

As soon as the chicks are approximately ten to fourteen days old, the feed can be changed. The chicks are then capable of feeding from the feed trough13. The feed level17is lowered to below the holes18. The scratching plates19can be removed or can remain.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS