WO2002009505A1

WO2002009505A1 - Feeding system, especially for poultry such as chickens

Info

Publication number: WO2002009505A1
Application number: PCT/DK2001/000519
Authority: WO
Inventors: Søren Andersen
Original assignee: Landmeco, Ølgod A/S
Priority date: 2000-07-31
Filing date: 2001-07-30
Publication date: 2002-02-07
Also published as: AU2001279590A1; DK200000242U3

Abstract

Feeding system for the feeding of poultry, especially hens and chickens, said system comprisng a feeding tube (20) with a number of feeding pans, a feed silo or similar storage for feed, and a transport system for conveying the feed throught the feeding tube (20) to the feeding pans, and where the feeding tube can be turned around its longitudinal axis and comprises and outlet (21) for feed at at least one feeding pan. Kick-off feeding can hereby be provided for day-old chickens, which cannot reach the bottom of the feeding pan.

Description

FEEDING SYSTEM. ESPECIALLY FOR POULTRY SUCH AS CHICKENS

The invention relates to a feeding system of the kind known from Danish utility model registration no. BR 1999 00057 U4 (PCT/DKOO/00045) belonging to the owner of the present application.

The invention relates to a further development of said known system and, therefore, with this reference all that is disclosed in said utility model registration forms part of the present application.

In practice it has proved that with the known system problems can arise in the feeding of day-old chickens and the like, where the poultry are so small that they cannot reach the feed down in the bottom of the feeding pan, quite simply because they are too small. Therefore, other means must be taken into use for the feeding over the first 2-5 days. For example, feed can be brought out manually to each feeding pan and an extra portion poured into each pan, so that day-old chickens can reach the feed, or feed can be placed directly on the floor. Both of these solutions are inexpedient and, in addition to giving rise to various problems, both methods also require additional work, which is desired to be avoided.

The object of the invention is therefore to alleviate these disadvantages by changing the known system.

This is achieved by changing the system according to the invention as disclosed and characterised in claim 1. The possibility is hereby provided for a mechanical delivery of a portion of feed in a place other than via the normal opening which via the feeding cone leads the feed down to the feeding pan. When the system according to the invention is configured as disclosed and characterised in claim 2, it is achieved that the position of the opening can be regulated by turning the feeding tube.

When the system according to the method is configured as disclosed and characterised in claim 3, it is achieved that the extra delivery hole can lead feed out in a pile at the edge of the pan, and possibly so that a small amount of the feed, but not all of it, falls down from here on to the feeding floor. It is hereby automatically ensured that the day-old chickens receive sufficient feed.

When the system according to the invention is configured as disclosed and characterised in claim 4, it is achieved that the additional delivery hole can be blocked by turning the feeding tube.

Finally, by configuring the system according to the invention as disclosed and characterised in claim 5, a correct, automatic feeding of even completely new day-old chickens can be ensured without additional manual work.

Hereafter, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where

fig. 1a shows a feeding system according to the invention, seen from the side and in a partly transparent manner and during kick-off feeding,

fig. 1b shows the same as in fig. 1a, but seen from above,

fig. 2a shows the same as in fig. 1a, but where the kick-off feeding is de-coupled, and fig. 2b shows the same as in fig. 2a, but seen from above.

The drawing shows a section of a feeding tube 20 with internal conveyor (not shown), which transports the feed forward in the direction of the arrow F.

On the feeding tube 20 a feeding pan of the type shown in Danish utility model registration no. BR 1999 00057 is mounted. When the tube is turned as shown in fig. 2a, the delivery of the feed from the feeding tube 20 to the bottom dish 10 of the feeding pan is effected via the feed hole 21 in the tube 20. Led down by the feeding cone 1 , the feed lies as shown at A, i.e. around and in the bottom of the bottom dish 10, entirely as explained in the utility model registration.

If an extra feeding of day-old chickens or the like is desired, so-called kick- off feeding, where the chickens are too small to reach the feed A in the bottom dish, the tube 20 is turned to a position shown in fig. 1a.

When the feed conveyor is started again, a delivery of feed is effected via an additional feed hole C, and the normal feed hole 21 is blocked. Due to the position of the opening C, the feed is led around the. feeding cone and lies in a pile B in the bottom dish. The pile B is asymmetrical and is found on the one side of the bottom dish 10. If feed is continued to be delivered via the hole C, the feed falls on the floor under the feeding pan.

The chickens which are too small to reach the feed A in the bottom dish 10 will be able to reach the feed B which extends up over the edge of the bottom dish, or possibly feed which has fallen on the floor.

When sufficient feed has been fed out via the additional opening C, the conveyor is stopped and the feeding tube 20 is possibly turned back. As shown in the drawing, the hole C is preferably displaced approx. 90° in relation to the hole 21 , and the hole C is preferably positioned above the bottom dish immediately within its edge, so that the feed falls down in the bottom dish as shown at B in the drawing.

For the closing of the additional feeding hole C, use is made of a closing arrangement L, e.g. a shutter or the like, which can block the opening so that it is open only when the tube 20 is in the position which is shown in fig. 1a of the drawing.

After a few days, i.e. 2-5 days, the chickens are so big that they can reach the feed A in the bottom of the bottom pan, and the kick-off feeding can be stopped and a changeover to ordinary feeding can be made as explained in BR 1999 00057 U4.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Feeding system for the feeding of poultry, especially hens and chickens, said system comprising a feeding tube (20) with a number of feeding pans, a feeding silo or a similar storage for feeds and a transport system for conveying the feed through the feeding tube (20) to the feeding pans, and where the feeding tube can be turned around its longitudinal axis and comprises an outlet (21) for feed at each feeding pan, characterized in that at least one of the feeding pans is provided with an additional outlet hole (C) for feed.

2. Feeding system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the additional outlet hole (C) is displaced in relation to the normal feed outlet (21 ).

3. Feeding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the additional outlet hole (C) is disposed in a position over the annular area of the feeding pan immediately within the edge of the pan.

4. Feeding system according to any of the claims 1-3, characterized in that the additional outlet hole (C) comprises a closing arrangement (L) for the closing of the hole.

5. Feeding system according to any of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the additional outlet hole (C) is arranged to deliver a portion of feed

(B) for the formation of a pile of feed which is intended mainly for day- old chickens and the like which cannot reach the bottom of the feeding pan.