Hybrid Turkeys trials the use of automatic nests in pedigree facility

These automatic nests allow us to collect egg production phenotypes of individual hens with minimal human intervention, resulting in less strenuous tasks for our farm workers and less handling for the birds. The nests have been custom designed and programmed in-house to collect data on nest occupation and egg production per hen.

Once a hen chooses a nest hole and enters it, the mechanism gently holds the hen in her nest for a set laying cycle. The software then reads the individual hen's identification (RFID). When the cycle finishes, the system releases the hen. If she laid an egg, this information is collected and matched to her. All data is then stored and ready for inclusion in the breeding database.

To support a sustainable future, it is important to continue to test new solutions, including automation. The use of innovative technology is an important step in advancing animal welfare, increasing data accuracy, and making farm work easier for our team in the barns.